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Ward Clerk salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a ward clerk is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,400 since 2018.
Ward clerk pay comes from the hospital enterprise agreement that covers the ward, so rates differ between public health services, private hospitals and states. Shift and weekend penalties, and whether the role is permanent or filled through a casual agency, change what lands in your pay each fortnight. Senior ward clerk and bed management positions sit at a higher classification where a hospital has them.
Roles that pay more than ward clerk
The largest typical pay rise is $18,500 a year, moving into Practice Manager.
- Practice Manager+$18,500/yr
- Clinical Coder+$4,700/yr
How to negotiate a higher ward clerk salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time ward clerk salary is $67,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Medical administration and records and Rostering and venue operations tend to command a premium over general ward clerk experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Practice Manager pays a typical $18,500 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Ward Clerk salary questions
How much do ward clerks earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a ward clerk is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is ward clerk pay rising or falling?
The median ward clerk salary is up $14,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than ward clerk?
Practice Manager pays a typical $18,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to ward clerk.