Midwife Salary QLD: Award Rates, Tax, and Super Explained

Midwife Salary QLD: What the Award and Agreement Say

When searching for a midwife salary QLD figure, it is important to distinguish between the legal minimum wage, the award rate, and the actual pay set by an enterprise agreement. Most midwives in Queensland public hospitals are covered by the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025, which provides rates significantly above the national minimum. This guide uses the latest published rates from Queensland Health and explains how tax, Medicare, and super affect your weekly take-home pay.

Legal Minimum vs Award vs Agreement

The national minimum wage, set by the Fair Work Commission, is $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week) from 1 July 2026. This is the floor for award-free employees. However, most midwives are covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement. The relevant award for Queensland public sector midwives is the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Award – State 2015, which sets minimum rates that are already higher than the national minimum. The enterprise agreement (EB12) then tops up those award rates even further. Private-sector midwives may be covered by the Nurses Award 2010, which has its own classification rates. Always check which instrument applies to your employer; the agreement or award can require a higher rate than the national minimum.

Current Rates for Queensland Health Midwives

Queensland Health publishes wage tables for the nursing stream. The rates from 1 April 2026 show a Registered Nurse/Midwife (Grade 5, pay point 1) earns $87,790 per year, or $1,682.50 per week. More senior roles pay more:

• Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Grade 6.1, point 1): $114,532 per year
• Nurse/Midwife Unit Manager (Grade 7, point 1): $140,632 per year
• Nurse Practitioner (Grade 8, point 1): $158,344 per year

These rates already include a 0.5% Consumer Price Index Uplift Adjustment applied in mid-2026. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on the ordinary hourly rate. All figures exclude superannuation, which is paid on top.

The Weekly Packet: Tax, Medicare, and Super

Using the Registered Midwife Grade 5.1 rate of $87,790 per year, your weekly ordinary earnings are $1,682.50. Here is an estimate of deductions for the 2026–27 tax year (resident, full tax-free threshold, no HELP debt or salary sacrifice):

• Gross weekly: $1,682.50
• Tax (approx.): $385 (based on ATO tax tables)
• Medicare (2%): $33.65 (once annualised earnings exceed $30,000)
• Net weekly: $1,263.85

Your employer also pays 12% super on your ordinary time earnings, which is an extra $201.90 per week contributed to your super fund. This is not deducted from your pay—it is an additional cost to the employer.

How Your Pay Compares

The Queensland Health midwife rate of $1,682.50 per week is well above the national minimum of $1,004.90 per week. It also exceeds the ABS May 2026 average total earnings for all employees of $1,579.20 per week. However, this is a base rate; shift penalties, overtime, and allowances can increase your actual weekly packet significantly.

For award-free employees or those on the Nurses Award 2010, the rates are lower. Always check your classification and compare it to the Which minimum wage applies page to see if you are being paid correctly. You can also browse Rate tables for other industries.

What If You Work in Private Practice or Other States?

Private-sector midwives in Queensland are usually covered by the Nurses Award 2010, which has lower minimum rates than the Queensland Health agreement. For example, a Registered Nurse Level 1 under that award earns approximately $38–$42 per hour depending on experience. Other states have their own public sector agreements—for instance, NSW Health and Victorian public hospitals have different pay scales. The national minimum wage remains the backstop for all award-free employees.

FAQs

What is the minimum wage for a midwife in Queensland? There is no single minimum. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026), but most midwives are covered by either the Queensland Health enterprise agreement (EB12) or the Nurses Award. The Queensland Health agreement sets rates much higher—for example, a Registered Midwife Grade 5.1 earns $87,790 per year. The Nurses Award 2010 applies to some private-sector midwives and has lower minimums, but still above the national minimum.

How is super calculated for midwives in Queensland? Superannuation is paid on top of your ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12%. For a Queensland Health midwife on $87,790 per year, the employer must contribute an extra $10,534.80 into your super fund. This is separate from your salary and is not included in the hourly or weekly rates shown in award tables.

Do these rates apply to casual midwives in Queensland? Casual midwives receive a higher hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave. The Queensland Health agreement shows casual rates as 25% above the ordinary hourly rate. For example, a Registered Midwife Grade 5.1 casual rate is $55.35 per hour from April 2026. Casual employees also receive super on top. The national minimum casual rate is $33.05 per hour, but award and agreement rates are higher.

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