Nurse Salary in Australia: A Complete Guide

Average nurse salaries by role and experience

Nurse pay in Australia varies widely by qualification and experience. Typical annual base salary ranges (full-time, before overtime and allowances) are: enrolled nurse 60,000 to 75,000 AUD; registered nurse 75,000 to 95,000 AUD; senior registered nurse or clinical nurse consultant 95,000 to 130,000 AUD; nurse practitioner 120,000 to 160,000 AUD or more. Midwives and specialist clinical roles often sit at the higher end of registered nurse scales. These ranges reflect base salary points commonly found in public hospital enterprise agreements and private sector contracts. Remember that total annual take-home can increase substantially with penalties, overtime and allowances.

How location, employer and shift patterns affect pay

Where you work matters. Metropolitan hospitals and private clinics may offer different base rates, while regional and remote roles often include geographic loading and recruitment incentives to attract staff. Shift patterns also have a big impact: night shifts, weekends and public holiday work attract penalty rates that can significantly raise hourly earnings. Agency or casual nursing pays a premium per hour but may lack job security and benefits. Other pay components to watch are superannuation contributions (employer-paid retirement savings), overtime loading, on-call allowances and potential sign-on or relocation bonuses. Cost of living differences between states and cities also change the practical value of a salary, so compare offers in context.

How to increase your nursing salary in Australia

There are several proven ways to boost earnings: upskill with postgraduate qualifications or specialty certifications (intensive care, emergency, midwifery, mental health); move into senior clinical, management or nurse practitioner roles; take additional shifts or pick up agency work; negotiate within enterprise agreement pay points or seek a higher classification on hire; and consider rural or regional positions that include extra allowances. Joining a union, checking comparable pay rates and using salary calculators or recruiters to benchmark offers can strengthen your negotiating position. Don’t forget non-salary benefits such as extra super, professional development funding and flexible working arrangements which add real value.