Head Teacher Salary NSW: Award Rates and Minimum Wage Comparison

Head Teacher Salary NSW: Understanding the Pay Floor

If you are researching a head teacher salary NSW, the most reliable figure comes from the industrial award that covers NSW public school teachers. The Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024 sets the minimum salary for a head teacher at $149,059 per year from 9 October 2025. This is not the national minimum wage – it is a classification rate under a specific award, and it applies only to teachers employed by the NSW Department of Education.

National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage, which from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for an adult employee not covered by an award or agreement. That rate is the legal floor for award-free workers. However, most head teachers in NSW are covered by the Teachers Award, which requires a much higher minimum. The award rate for a head teacher works out to about $75.43 per hour based on a 38-hour week – nearly three times the national minimum. Always check whether a modern award or enterprise agreement applies to your role, because the award rate overrides the national minimum.

How the Head Teacher Salary Is Structured

The award uses a classification structure. A head teacher is classified at the same level as an assistant principal in primary schools. The salary steps are:

• Step 1 (graduate teacher): $90,177 per year (from 9 Oct 2025)
• Step 7 (experienced teacher): $129,536 per year
• Head Teacher / Assistant Principal: $149,059 per year
• Deputy Principal: $174,034 per year
• Principal (P1): $178,811 per year

These figures are base salaries. The employer must also pay the superannuation guarantee on top – 12% from 1 July 2026. So the total remuneration for a head teacher is about $168,946 per year.

Salary Packaging and Other Benefits

NSW public school teachers can salary package up to 100% of their salary, subject to agreement. Common benefits include motor vehicles, computers, and additional super contributions. Salary packaging reduces your taxable income but does not change the award rate itself. The super guarantee is calculated on the salary you would have earned without packaging.

Comparison with Average Earnings

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings were $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. A head teacher’s weekly salary of about $2,867 is well above that average. However, the head teacher role also carries leadership responsibilities, including supervising other teachers and coordinating curriculum areas.

When a Lower Rate Can Apply

Not every worker must receive the full adult rate. Juniors, apprentices, trainees, and employees on introductory award rates can be paid less. For award-free employees, junior percentages apply: for example, a 17-year-old gets 57.8% of the adult minimum. But the Teachers Award does not have junior rates for head teachers – it is a professional classification with a single minimum.

How to Check Your Pay

If you are a head teacher in NSW, your employer must pay at least the award rate. You can verify your classification and step using the award schedules. For workers not covered by an award, the national minimum wage is the backstop. See Which minimum wage applies for a decision tree, or browse Rate tables for current figures.

Summary

The head teacher salary NSW is $149,059 per year under the Teachers Award, with super on top. It is a professional award rate far above the national minimum wage. Always confirm which award or agreement covers your employment, because the legal minimum depends on your classification, not just your job title.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.