What is the minimum pay floor for a neurologist in Australia?

If the neurologist is an employee covered by the Medical Practitioners Award 2020, the minimum is the specialist rate: $61.51 per hour or $2,337.21 per week (as at 1 July 2026). If the award does not apply (e.g., some state system employees), the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour may be the floor, but a modern award or enterprise agreement usually sets a higher rate.

Do neurologists receive superannuation on top of their salary?

Yes. Under the Superannuation Guarantee, employers must contribute 12% of ordinary time earnings into a super fund. This is on top of the base salary or wage. For a neurologist on the award minimum, that adds about $280 per week in super contributions.

How does the award rate compare to average earnings?

The specialist award minimum ($2,337.21 per week) is well above the national minimum ($1,004.90) and above the ABS all-employees average total earnings of $1,579.20 per week (May 2026). However, many neurologists earn significantly more than the award minimum, especially those in private practice or with experience. The ABS does not publish a median neurologist salary at the 6-digit occupation level.

Neurologist salary in Australia: which pay floor applies and what people mix up

The minimum pay floor for a neurologist employed under the Medical Practitioners Award is $61.51 per hour or $2,337.21 per week, plus 12% super.

Neurologist salary: which pay floor applies?

When people search for "neurologist salary" in Australia, they often expect a single figure. In reality, there are several layers: the legal minimum wage, the award rate, enterprise agreements, and market rates. This guide unpacks each layer so you can see which pay floor applies and what is often mixed up.

Legal minimum and award coverage

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage, which from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult employee. However, most neurologists are covered by the Medical Practitioners Award 2020, a modern award that sets higher minimum rates. The award applies to employers of medical practitioners in hospitals, hospices, day procedure centres, community health centres, and similar settings. If a neurologist is employed in one of these workplaces, the award rates are the legal minimum – not the national minimum.

For award-free employees (rare for neurologists), the national minimum would apply, but juniors, apprentices, and supported wages can be lower. The award itself has multiple classifications: intern, resident medical officer, registrar, and specialist. Neurologists who have completed specialist training fall under the Specialist classification.

Award rates for specialists

Under the Medical Practitioners Award, the minimum annual salary for a full-time specialist is $121,535 as at 1 July 2026. That works out to $2,337.21 per week or $61.51 per hour. There are also five pay points for specialists, with the highest (Pay point 5) at $150,985 per year ($2,903.56 per week, $76.41 per hour). Progression through pay points is based on experience or time served, as set out in the award.

These rates are the minimum – an employer cannot pay less. Many neurologists are paid above the award through enterprise agreements or individual contracts. The award also includes penalty rates for overtime, weekend, and public holiday work, which can push actual earnings higher.

What about private practice?

Neurologists who work in private practice may not be employees covered by the award. Instead, they might be independent contractors or run their own business. In that case, there is no statutory minimum wage – they negotiate fees with patients or insurers. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and professional bodies provide guidance on setting fees, but there is no single pay floor. This is a common source of confusion: the award rates only apply to employees, not to self-employed specialists.

Super and other entitlements

Regardless of employment type, if a neurologist is an employee, the employer must pay superannuation guarantee contributions of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. For a specialist on the award minimum, that adds about $280 per week. The award also provides for annual leave, personal leave, and long service leave under the National Employment Standards.

How the figures work

The rates in this guide come from the Fair Work Ombudsman's summary of the Medical Practitioners Award and the ABS Labour Force Survey via Jobs and Skills Australia. The ABS does not publish median weekly earnings for neurologists at the 6-digit ANZSCO level, so we cannot give a typical market salary. However, the award minimum gives a solid baseline. For more on how minimum wages are set, see How the figures work. If you need to compare rates across occupations, visit Rate tables.

Common mix-ups

Mixing award minimum with market median. The award minimum is a floor, not an average. Many neurologists earn well above it.
Forgetting super. The quoted salary is before super; the employer pays 12% extra.
Assuming all neurologists are covered by the award. Self-employed specialists are not.
Confusing the national minimum with the award rate. The award rate for specialists is more than double the national minimum.

For a broader overview of which minimum wage applies in different situations, see Which minimum wage applies.

FAQs

(Three FAQs are provided in the JSON above.)