What is the minimum hourly rate for a child care worker under the Children's Services Award?

From 1 July 2026, the minimum hourly rate for a Level 1 Introductory Educator is $28.81 per hour for full-time and part-time employees. Casual employees receive an additional 25% loading, making the casual rate $36.01 per hour. Higher classifications such as Level 2 Educator ($29.69) and Level 3 Qualified Educator ($32.47) also apply.

How is casual loading calculated for child care salary?

Casual loading is 25% on top of the base hourly rate. For example, a Level 1 Educator with a base rate of $28.81 per hour receives an extra $7.20 per hour, totalling $36.01. This loading compensates for the lack of paid leave entitlements. The Fair Work Ombudsman sets this rate in the Children's Services Award.

Does superannuation apply to child care salary?

Yes. Employers must pay superannuation guarantee contributions of 12% of ordinary earnings on top of your base salary or hourly rate. For the 2026–27 year, the maximum contribution base is $270,830. Super is not deducted from your pay; it is paid separately into your nominated fund.

Child Care Salary: How to Convert Your Hourly Rate to Annual Pay

For a full-time child care educator on a 38-hour week, the annual salary is the hourly rate multiplied by 38 hours times 52 weeks, with super paid on top.

Understanding Your Child Care Salary

If you work in early childhood education, knowing your child care salary from an hourly rate helps you compare job offers, plan your budget, and understand your entitlements. This guide explains how to convert an hourly rate to annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures using the standard 38-hour week, award rates, casual loading, and superannuation.

The 38-Hour Week Standard

Most full-time employees in Australia work 38 ordinary hours per week. The hourly conversion tool on this site assumes a 38-hour week unless you change it. Part-time and casual employees may work fewer hours, but the calculation method is the same: multiply your hourly rate by the number of hours you work each week, then by 52 weeks in a year.

For example, a full-time child care educator earning $30 per hour would have an annual gross salary of $30 × 38 × 52 = $59,280. This figure is before tax and does not include super, which is paid on top.

Child Care Salary Under the Children's Services Award

The Children's Services Award 2010 sets minimum pay rates for child care employees. From 1 July 2026, the minimum weekly rate for a Level 1 Introductory Educator is $1,094.80, or $28.81 per hour. Higher classifications include:

Level 2 Educator: $29.69 per hour
Level 3 Qualified Educator: $32.47 per hour
Level 4 Experienced Educator: $34.65 per hour
Level 5 Advanced Educator: $36.57 per hour
Level 6 Room Leader: $38.25 per hour
Level 7 Assistant Director: $40.00 per hour
Level 8 Director: $46.12 per hour

These rates apply to full-time and part-time employees. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of the base rate, as explained below.

Casual Loading and Superannuation

Casual Loading

If you work as a casual child care educator, you are entitled to a 25% loading on your base hourly rate. This is set out in clause 10.5(a) of the award. For example, a casual Level 1 Educator would be paid $28.81 + 25% = $36.01 per hour. The casual loading page has more details.

Superannuation

Employers must pay superannuation guarantee contributions of 12% of your ordinary earnings on top of your salary. For the 2026–27 financial year, the maximum contribution base is $270,830. Super is not deducted from your pay; it is an additional cost to the employer. Use the super and packaging tool to estimate your super balance.

From Hourly to Annual: The Formula

The basic formula is:

Annual gross salary = hourly rate × hours per week × 52

For a full-time child care worker on 38 hours per week:

$28.81/hour → $28.81 × 38 × 52 = $56,928.56 per year
$32.47/hour → $32.47 × 38 × 52 = $64,160.72 per year
$40.00/hour → $40.00 × 38 × 52 = $79,040.00 per year

If you work part-time, adjust the hours per week. For example, 20 hours per week at $30/hour gives $30 × 20 × 52 = $31,200 per year.

Fortnightly Pay

Many employers pay fortnightly. To find your gross fortnightly pay, multiply your weekly pay by 2. Using the full-time example above:

$28.81/hour → weekly $1,094.78 → fortnightly $2,189.56
$40.00/hour → weekly $1,520.00 → fortnightly $3,040.00

Tax and Take-Home Pay

Your take-home pay depends on the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy. The tax-free threshold is $18,200. Income above that is taxed at:

15% from $18,201 to $45,000
30% from $45,001 to $135,000
37% from $135,001 to $190,000
45% above $190,000

Medicare levy is generally 2% of taxable income. Use the take-home pay calculator to estimate your net pay after tax and Medicare.

National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates

The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours. This applies to employees not covered by an award. However, child care workers are covered by the Children's Services Award, which has higher minimum rates. Always check your award classification.

Using the Timesheet Tool

Our timesheet lets you enter your base hourly rate and optionally add 25% casual loading. It then calculates your annual, fortnightly, and weekly gross pay, plus estimated tax and super. Remember: super is paid on top of your salary, not deducted from it.

Summary

Child care salary is calculated as hourly rate × hours per week × 52.
The standard full-time week is 38 hours.
Award rates from the Fair Work Ombudsman set minimums; casual loading adds 25%.
Superannuation of 12% is paid on top, up to the maximum contribution base.
Tax and Medicare reduce your take-home pay; use the minimum wage and average pay pages for context.

Always refer to the pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman for the most up-to-date rates. This estimate assumes no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or salary sacrifice.