Anaesthetic technician salary: what the law says and where to find the real rate

Anaesthetic technician salary: what the law says and where to find the real rate

If you are looking for an anaesthetic technician salary figure, you will quickly discover that no single published number exists for this occupation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics and Jobs and Skills Australia do not release median weekly earnings for anaesthetic technicians (ANZSCO 311211) because the sample size is too small. That does not mean there is no legal pay floor – it means you need to understand how Australian wage law works to find your correct minimum.

The legal minimum: the national minimum wage

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a full‑time adult employee working 38 ordinary hours. This is the absolute floor for any award‑free employee who is not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. If you are an award‑free anaesthetic technician aged 21 or over, your employer cannot pay you less than this amount. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual minimum $33.05 per hour.

But most anaesthetic technicians are not award‑free. The occupation falls under the Health Services Award (MA000027) or, in some settings, the Medical Practitioners Award (MA000031). These awards contain classification structures and minimum pay rates that are almost always higher than the national minimum. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database includes the latest award rates, but you must match your duties and qualifications to the correct classification level.

Award rates vs survey averages vs negotiated salaries

It is important to separate four different concepts:

• Legal minimum – the national minimum wage or the applicable award rate, whichever is higher.
• Award rate – the minimum set by a modern award for a specific classification. For anaesthetic technicians, this is likely to be a grade within the Health Services Award. The award rate can be higher than the national minimum.
• Survey average or median – a statistical figure from the ABS or other sources. For this occupation, no median is published.
• Negotiated salary – what an individual actually earns, which can be above the award rate due to experience, location, or enterprise agreements.

Because no median is available, you cannot compare your pay to an “average anaesthetic technician salary”. You can only compare to the legal minimum. If you are covered by an award, your employer must pay at least the award rate for your classification. If your workplace has an enterprise agreement, that agreement may set a higher rate.

Super is on top

When discussing any pay figure, remember that the super guarantee is an employer payment on top of your ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12%. If your base salary is $55,000, your employer must also contribute $6,600 to your super fund. This is not deducted from your pay – it is additional.

How to find your correct rate

1. Check which modern award applies to your job. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides list the minimum rates for each award. The Health Services Award is the most likely for anaesthetic technicians.
2. If you are not sure, use the Which minimum wage applies tool on this site to understand your coverage.
3. Look for an enterprise agreement that covers your workplace. Agreements often have higher rates than the award.
4. If you are award‑free and agreement‑free, the national minimum wage is your floor.

Tax and take‑home pay

For the 2026‑27 income year, a full‑time adult earning the national minimum wage of $1,004.90 per week ($52,254.80 annually) would pay approximately $5,092 in income tax (using the resident rates with the full tax‑free threshold) and an estimated $1,045 in Medicare levy (2% of taxable income above $30,000). That leaves a weekly take‑home of about $880 before any salary sacrifice or HELP repayments. Remember, this is the minimum – most anaesthetic technicians earn more.

The bottom line

There is no single “anaesthetic technician salary” published by the ABS or Fair Work. Your legal minimum depends on your award coverage. Start by identifying your award classification, then check the Rate tables for the latest figures. If you are covered by an enterprise agreement, that document sets your pay. Always add 12% super on top.

For more detail on how these figures are calculated, see our How the figures work page.