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From 1 July 2026, NSW public RN base rates run from $1,566.70 weekly at the first-year step to $2,199.60 at the eighth-year step and thereafter. The award conversion gives about $81,748 to $114,772 a year before tax, employer super and roster extras.
The eight current registered nurse steps
These are the RN base steps under the NSW Public Health System Nurses and Midwives Award. The current column takes effect on 1 July 2026. Select the step confirmed by your employer; the table does not decide how previous service should be recognised.
| RN step | Weekly base | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $1,566.70 | $81,748 |
| 2nd year | $1,651.70 | $86,183 |
| 3rd year | $1,737.00 | $90,634 |
| 4th year | $1,828.50 | $95,409 |
| 5th year | $1,919.20 | $100,141 |
| 6th year | $2,009.50 | $104,853 |
| 7th year | $2,112.80 | $110,243 |
| 8th year and thereafter | $2,199.60 | $114,772 |
Why our annual figure differs from a 52-week total
The award defines annual pay as the weekly rate multiplied by 52.17857. At the first-year step, $1,566.70 weekly therefore converts to $81,748.17 annually. Multiplying the same weekly rate by 52 gives $81,468.40. The difference comes from the conversion, not a different weekly rate.
The calculator uses the award conversion for its step presets. Its take-home results estimate annual tax and spread the result over pay periods. Payroll withholding, pay dates, leave loading and part-year changes can produce a different individual payslip.
Use ordinary hours for a part-time comparison
The base scale uses an average 38-hour ordinary week. A part-time comparison needs your agreed hours. Twelve-hour shifts do not by themselves mean a 60-hour ordinary week: read the total hours across the roster cycle.
For example, 24 ordinary hours at the first-year step give $989.49 weekly base pay, before any extras. Keep the underlying hourly calculation unrounded until the final amount. Ask payroll to confirm the offered hours and rate rather than counting shifts alone.
A base-pay take-home example
At the first-year annual equivalent, our 2026-27 example gives about $5,449 a month without HELP or $5,309 with HELP. It assumes a full-year resident, single household, no hospital cover, the eligible standard work deduction and enough study debt for the full repayment.
The comparison below includes only the converted base salary. A regular shift allowance or overtime payment needs to be added to the expected annual pay before relying on the result. If a pay-step change begins during the year, use the actual blend of old and new pay.
| RN base step | Monthly, no HELP | Monthly, with HELP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $5,449 | $5,309 |
| 4th year | $6,223 | $5,912 |
| 8th year and thereafter | $7,226 | $6,673 |
Keep shifts, casual work and packaging separate
The step presets exclude shift penalties, overtime, allowances, backpay and casual treatment. They also exclude enrolled nurses, assistants, specialists, consultants, educators, managers and practitioners, which have separate classifications.
The current NSW public award sets a 10% casual loading on the ordinary hourly rate in clause 29, Part II A(ii). Do not apply a general 25% loading to these NSW presets. The award separately addresses annual holiday entitlements and replaces the 10% loading with its specified public holiday treatment when that applies. A permanent base rate is therefore not a complete casual rate.
For salary packaging, use the separate NSW Health guide and the HELP comparison. Keep the annual salary, packaged value, reported fringe benefits and fees together. A lower taxable salary does not on its own establish the saving in your household budget.
How we checked the rates
We matched all eight weekly RN amounts in NSW Health bulletin IB2026_018, printed page 5, against Part B Table 1 of the current award, printed page 95. We also checked the annual conversion on page 9. The middle table column is the July 2026 rate; the July 2027 column is a future rate.
Sources were checked on 3 October 2026. This page helps compare the published base scale and an annual take-home estimate. Your confirmed classification, actual hours and payroll records remain the inputs for an individual offer.
Common questions
Does this calculate night and weekend shift pay?
The presets calculate ordinary base pay and its estimated annual take-home. Add a reliable annual total for roster extras to the salary input. The tool does not apply individual shift rules.
Can I use these steps for a private hospital or aged care job?
Only when the job is actually covered by the NSW public health system award and the listed RN classification. Other employers or agreements can have different pay scales.
Is the eighth-year step the highest possible nursing salary?
It is the last ordinary RN step in this table. Specialist, consultant, manager, educator and practitioner roles have separate classifications, so it is not a ceiling for every nursing role.
Do these rates already include the July 2026 increase?
Yes. They are copied from the official July 2026 column. Do not add the increase again to a selected preset.
Sources you can check
Sources checked for this page on 3 October 2026. Statistics keep their own measurement dates.
- NSW Health IB2026_018: Table 1, RN rates, printed page 5
- NSW public nurses award: rates on page 95; annual conversion on page 9
- ATO: Australian resident income tax rates
- Tax Reform Act 2026: standard work deduction, Schedule 4
- Official 2026-27 indexed HELP repayment amounts
- ATO: Medicare levy reduction for low-income earners
- ATO: Medicare levy surcharge thresholds and rates