TAFE teacher salaries in 2026: the TAFE NSW teacher scale and promotion positions, and Victorian TAFE teacher levels, copied from each enterprise agreement, with take-home pay in 2026–27 and the next increase.
A TAFE NSW teacher earns $98,499 to $116,813 a year. A Victorian TAFE teacher earns $84,618 to $128,887. Super is paid on top.
TAFE NSW teacher salaries
Common incremental salary scale for teachers, education officers, counsellors and adult literacy officers, from the first pay period on or after 1 February 2026.
TAFE NSW head teachers and promotion positions
| Position | Per year | Take-home per fortnight | From February 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Program Coordinator, step 1 | $128,397 | $3,723 | $132,249 |
| Special Program Coordinator, step 2 | $133,655 | $3,860 | $137,665 |
| Head Teacher Band 2 | $139,508 | $4,001 | $143,693 |
| Senior Education Officer / Senior Counsellor, step 1 | $139,508 | $4,001 | $143,693 |
| Senior Education Officer / Senior Counsellor, step 2 | $142,962 | $4,082 | $147,251 |
| Chief Education Officer | $155,486 | $4,376 | $160,151 |
| Head Teacher Band 3 | $159,926 | $4,480 | $164,724 |
| Quality Assurance Coordinator | $164,139 | $4,579 | $169,063 |
| Principal Education Officer, Program Manager, Curriculum Manager | $174,201 | $4,815 | $179,427 |
| Cluster Manager; Manager, Education and Training Resource Centre | $186,956 | $5,114 | $192,565 |
Victorian TAFE teacher salaries
Teachers (Levels 1 to 3) and Education Managers (EM 1 to 3) at Victoria's standalone TAFE institutes, from the first pay period on or after 1 May 2026.
| Level | Per year | Take-home per fortnight | From 1 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| L 1.1 | $84,618 | $2,578 | $85,887 |
| L 1.2 | $90,879 | $2,741 | $92,242 |
| L 1.3 | $96,504 | $2,889 | $97,951 |
| L 2.1 | $97,907 | $2,925 | $99,375 |
| L 2.2 | $100,277 | $2,987 | $101,781 |
| L 2.3 | $104,244 | $3,091 | $105,808 |
| L 2.4 | $108,725 | $3,208 | $110,356 |
| L 3.1 | $112,179 | $3,299 | $113,862 |
| L 3.2 | $116,147 | $3,402 | $117,889 |
| L 3.3 | $120,289 | $3,511 | $122,093 |
| L 3.4 | $124,964 | $3,633 | $126,838 |
| L 3.5 | $128,887 | $3,736 | $130,821 |
| EM 1 | $132,781 | $3,837 | $134,772 |
| EM 2 | $136,711 | $3,936 | $138,762 |
| EM 3 | $140,753 | $4,030 | $142,865 |
How it works
- Full-time annual salaries. Part-time teachers are paid pro rata; casual teachers are paid hourly rates set in each agreement.
- Teachers usually move up one step a year. Promotion positions such as Head Teacher are filled by application.
- Take-home pay is after income tax and the Medicare levy for a full year in 2026–27, without HELP repayments.
- Victorian dual-sector universities (such as RMIT, Federation, Swinburne and Victoria University) have their own agreements and aren't covered here.
See also school teacher salaries, university salary scales and early childhood teacher pay.
Common questions
How much does a TAFE teacher earn?
A TAFE NSW teacher earns $98,499 to $116,813 a year from February 2026. A Victorian TAFE teacher earns $84,618 to $128,887 from 1 May 2026, rising 1.5% on 1 November 2026.
What is the top of the TAFE NSW teacher scale?
Step 13: $116,813 a year, about $3,420 a fortnight after tax in 2026–27. A Head Teacher Band 2 earns $139,508.
Where do new TAFE NSW teachers start?
The common incremental scale now starts at Step 10 ($98,499). Teachers move up a step each year until Step 13.
What do Victorian TAFE teachers earn?
Teachers are paid at Level 1 (1.1 to 1.3), Level 2 (2.1 to 2.4) or Level 3 (3.1 to 3.5), from $84,618 to $128,887. Education Managers earn $132,781 to $140,753.
When is the next TAFE pay rise?
TAFE NSW: 3% from the first pay period on or after 1 February 2027. Victorian TAFEs: 1.5% from 1 November 2026, then 1.5% in May and November 2027.
Sources: TAFE Commission of NSW Teachers and Related Employees Enterprise Agreement 2025-2028 (AG2025/352), Schedules 1 and 4; Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement 2024 (AG2025/1601), Schedule 1A. Checked 2026-10-23. General information only.