What is the minimum optometrist salary under the HPSS Award?

Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, optometrists are provisionally classified at AQF Level 9. The minimum hourly rates range from $38.02 for the first year to $46.18 for the seventh year and beyond. Higher classifications (Levels 2–4) apply for senior or specialist roles, with rates up to $65.77 per hour. These are minimums; actual salaries may be higher.

Is the HPSS Award definitely covering optometrists?

No. The Fair Work Commission has not formally determined that optometrists are covered by the HPSS Award. Optometry Australia advises a risk-averse approach: employers should benchmark wages and conditions against the Award to ensure employees are no worse off. Until a formal ruling is made, the Award rates serve as a guide rather than a legal minimum.

How does super affect the total optometrist salary package?

Superannuation guarantee contributions are paid by the employer on top of ordinary time earnings. For the 2026–27 year, the rate is 12%. For example, an optometrist earning the minimum weekly rate of $1,659.30 would receive an additional $199.12 per week into their super fund. This is not part of the employee's take-home pay but is a compulsory retirement benefit.

Optometrist Salary Guide: Minimum Rates, Tax, and Super Under the HPSS Award

The minimum optometrist salary under the HPSS Award (provisional AQF Level 9) ranges from $38.02/h for first-year to $46.18/h for seventh-year, but award coverage is not yet formally determined.

Optometrist Salary: What You Need to Know

If you are looking up "optometrist salary" in Australia, the picture has recently changed. The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (HPSS Award) now includes minimum rates for health professionals, and optometrists have been provisionally classified at AQF Level 9. However, the Fair Work Commission has not yet formally ruled on award coverage, so these rates are best seen as a benchmark rather than a guaranteed floor.

Minimum Rates Under the HPSS Award

The HPSS Award sets minimum weekly and hourly rates based on the employee’s AQF level and years of professional experience. For optometrists, the provisional AQF Level 9 classification gives the following Level 1 rates from 1 October 2026:

Years of experience	Weekly minimum	Hourly minimum
1st year	$1,444.90	$38.02
2nd–3rd year	$1,545.20	$40.66
4th–6th year	$1,659.30	$43.67
7th year onwards	$1,755.00	$46.18

Higher classifications (Levels 2–4) apply for optometrists with additional clinical, supervisory, or management responsibilities. For example, Level 2.1 starts at $1,945.40 per week ($51.19/h), and Level 4 reaches $2,499.10 per week ($65.77/h). These are minimum rates, not recommended salaries. Actual optometrist salaries may be higher depending on the employer, location, and experience.

How the Weekly Packet Works: Tax, Medicare, and Super

To understand what an optometrist actually takes home, we need to look at the weekly packet. Take a full-time optometrist at the 4–6 year minimum: $1,659.30 per week, or $86,283.60 per year (based on 38 ordinary hours).

Tax – Using the 2026–27 resident tax scales (with the full tax-free threshold), the annual tax on $86,284 is approximately $19,717. This is a rough estimate; the actual amount depends on offsets, deductions, and HELP repayments.

Medicare levy – The Medicare levy is 2% of taxable income once annual income exceeds $30,000. For this example, that adds about $1,726 per year, or $33 per week.

Take-home pay – After tax and Medicare, the weekly net pay is roughly $1,247. This is the amount the employee receives in their bank account.

Super guarantee – On top of the salary, the employer must pay 12% superannuation guarantee. For this optometrist, that’s an extra $199.12 per week contributed to a super fund. This is not part of the employee’s take-home pay but is a compulsory retirement benefit.

So the total employment cost is about $1,858 per week, but the employee sees about $1,247 after tax.

Comparison with the National Minimum Wage

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult. Even the lowest optometrist rate under the HPSS Award ($38.02/h) is well above that. However, the national minimum is a backstop: if no award or agreement applies, an award-free employee must receive at least the national minimum. Since optometrists may not be covered by an award, some employers might argue the national minimum applies, but Optometry Australia recommends benchmarking against the HPSS Award to avoid underpayment risks.

Award Coverage Uncertainty

The Fair Work Commission has not made a final determination on whether optometrists fall under the HPSS Award. The profession is not listed in Schedule B of the Award, which specifies covered health professional roles. Until a decision is made, the safest approach for employers is to treat the HPSS Award rates as a minimum benchmark. Enterprise agreements can set higher rates, but cannot go below the Award minimum if the Award applies.

For more details on which minimum wage applies to your situation, see our Which minimum wage applies guide. You can also browse Rate tables for other occupations.

Summary

The optometrist salary landscape is evolving. The HPSS Award provides clear minimum rates, but coverage is not yet settled. When evaluating a salary offer, consider the total package: base pay, super (12% on top), and any penalty rates or allowances. Use the Award rates as a floor, but remember that actual market rates may be higher.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.