Aged Care Nurse Salary: How to Convert Hourly Pay to Annual, Fortnightly, and Include Casual Loading and Super
Your annual gross pay is your hourly rate multiplied by your weekly hours and 52 weeks; this page assumes 38 hours for full-time, with casual loading and super paid on top.
Understanding Your Aged Care Nurse Salary: Hourly to Annual
If you're an aged care nurse, you might be paid an hourly rate under the Aged Care Award or a registered agreement. This page helps you convert that hourly rate to annual, fortnightly, and weekly pay. It also explains casual loading and superannuation, which are paid on top of your base rate.
The Basic Formula
Annual gross pay is calculated as: hourly rate × hours per week × 52. For a full-time aged care nurse, the standard is 38 hours per week. So annual = hourly × 38 × 52. If you work part-time or different hours, adjust the weekly hours accordingly. The fortnightly pay is simply your weekly pay multiplied by 2.
National Minimum Wage and Award Rates
The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for a 38-hour week, or $1004.90 per week. However, most aged care nurses are covered by the Aged Care Award or the Nurses Award, which set higher minimum rates. Check your award classification for your correct base rate. You can find pay guides on the Fair Work Ombudsman website via our pay guides page.
Casual Loading
If you are a casual employee, you are entitled to a 25% casual loading on top of your base hourly rate. For example, the National Minimum Wage casual rate is $33.05 per hour (base $26.44 + 25%). Never enter a rate that already includes casual loading; enter your base rate and use the checkbox on the timesheet to add loading. For an aged care nurse, your award may specify a different casual loading, but 25% is common. See our casual loading page for more details.
Superannuation
Superannuation guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, paid on top of your gross pay. Ordinary earnings include your base rate and any casual loading, but not overtime. The super is paid by your employer and is not deducted from your pay. For 2026-27, the maximum contribution base is $270,830 per year. If your ordinary earnings exceed that, super is only paid on the first $270,830.
Example Using Industry Average
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, average full-time ordinary time earnings in health care and social assistance were $2037.20 per week in May 2026. This is an industry average, not the median for an aged care nurse. Using that weekly figure, the hourly rate is $2037.20 ÷ 38 = $53.61. Annual gross (without casual loading) would be $53.61 × 38 × 52 = $105,934.40. If you were a casual earning that base rate, your hourly with loading would be $67.01, and annual gross $132,417.60. Super at 12% on that would add $15,890.11, making total package $148,307.71. Remember, this is an example using an average; your actual aged care nurse salary depends on your award classification, experience, and location.
Fortnightly and Weekly Pay
To find your fortnightly pay, multiply your weekly pay by 2. For the example above, weekly gross (base) is $2037.20, fortnightly $4074.40. With casual loading, weekly $2546.50, fortnightly $5093.00. The fortnightly figure is useful for budgeting and comparing to salary offers.
Tax Considerations
Use the 2026-27 resident tax rates: nil up to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, 45% above. Medicare levy is generally 2%. The calculator on this site estimates tax and Medicare, but does not include HELP, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging. See our take-home pay page for more details.
Using the Timesheet
On the home page, enter your base hourly rate. If you are casual, check the box to add 25% casual loading. The timesheet will show your annual, fortnightly, and weekly pay, plus super and tax estimates. Start with the timesheet to convert your rate.
Conclusion
Understanding your aged care nurse salary involves knowing your base rate, hours, and entitlements. Use this page to convert and plan your finances. Always refer to your award or agreement for exact rates, and remember that the estimates here assume no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, allowances, or salary sacrifice.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.