Nurse Salary QLD: Award Rates and Minimum Pay Under the Nurses Award 2020

Understanding Nurse Salary QLD: The Legal Minimum Under the Nurses Award 2020

When researching a nurse salary QLD, the first step is to identify the correct legal minimum. Most nurses in Queensland are covered by the Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034], a modern award made by the Fair Work Commission. This award sets minimum wages, penalty rates, and conditions for nurses across the health industry, including private hospitals, medical centres, and community health services. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a Pay Guide that summarises the current rates.

Award Rates for Registered Nurses

Under the Nurses Award 2020, a Registered Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1 (the entry-level classification for a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree) has a minimum weekly wage of $1,219.50 and a minimum hourly rate of $32.09 for full-time and part-time employees. These rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 August 2026, following the Annual Wage Review. More experienced registered nurses earn higher rates: for example, a Level 1 Pay Point 8 receives $38.57 per hour, while a Level 2 Pay Point 1 starts at $39.59 per hour. The award also specifies rates for nurses with a four-year degree ($33.51 per hour) or a master's degree ($34.66 per hour).

Enrolled Nurses and Nursing Assistants

Enrolled nurses are classified separately. An Enrolled Nurse Pay Point 1 earns $30.00 per hour, rising to $31.56 per hour at Pay Point 5. Nursing assistants (often called assistants in nursing or AINs) have their own pay structure: a first-year nursing assistant earns $27.65 per hour, while an experienced assistant with a Certificate III qualification earns $29.45 per hour. Student enrolled nurses under 21 years of age receive $25.69 per hour, and those 21 and over receive $26.97 per hour. All these rates are the legal minimum; employers cannot pay less.

Casual Loading and Penalty Rates

Casual nurses receive a 25% loading on the minimum hourly rate for their classification. For a Registered Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1, this means a casual hourly rate of $40.11 for ordinary hours. In addition, penalty rates apply for work on Saturdays (150% of the base rate), Sundays (175%), and public holidays (200%). For example, a full-time Registered Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1 working on a Saturday is entitled to $48.14 per hour. Casual employees receive the loading plus the penalty, so their Saturday rate would be $60.17 per hour. These penalties are set by the award and cannot be reduced.

How the National Minimum Wage Compares

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for adult employees not covered by an award or agreement. However, the Nurses Award 2020 sets rates well above this floor. Even the lowest classification under the award—a student enrolled nurse under 21—earns $25.69 per hour, which is close to the national minimum but still subject to award conditions. For most qualified nurses, the award rate is significantly higher. The national minimum wage acts as a backstop: if an award classification were ever lower, the national minimum would apply instead. But for nurses in Queensland, the award rates are the relevant legal minimum.

Enterprise Agreements and Higher Pay

Many nurses in Queensland are employed under enterprise agreements negotiated between employers and unions (such as the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union). These agreements can set higher wages, better penalty rates, or additional allowances. Where an enterprise agreement applies, its terms override the award, provided the agreement passes the Better Off Overall Test. For example, a public hospital enterprise agreement may offer a registered nurse a starting salary above the award rate. Always check your employment contract or agreement to see which rate applies. The award is the minimum safety net; you cannot be paid less, but you can be paid more.

For more guidance on which minimum wage applies to your situation, see Which minimum wage applies. Detailed pay tables for all award classifications are available in our Rate tables. If you need to understand how these figures are calculated, visit How the figures work.

Remember that superannuation is an employer payment on top of your base wage. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. So a full-time Registered Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1 earning $1,219.50 per week would also have $146.34 contributed to their super fund each week.

This guide focuses on the legal minimums set by the Nurses Award 2020. Survey averages or advertised salaries may be higher, but the award provides the floor. If you believe you are being underpaid, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for enforcement.