Childcare Wages, Salaries & Pay Rates (2026)

Which childcare classification applies to you?

Your job title alone does not determine your award classification. Compare your duties, qualifications, experience and appointment with Schedule B of the award. These summaries describe the general CSE structure; they do not replace the full classification definitions.

Levels 1 and 2: introductory educator and educator

Level 1 covers an employee whose primary role is working directly with children and who has less than 12 months' experience as a CSE. Level 2 covers that role with at least 12 months' experience. Check whether a qualification or a different appointment places you at another level.

Certificate III educators: Levels 3 and 4

Level 3 is the qualified educator classification for employees working directly with children who hold an approved Certificate III-level early childhood education and care qualification. Level 4 requires that qualification and four years' post-qualification industry experience at CSE Level 3. Pay does not automatically rise through every level after each year of service.

Read more about the early childhood educator role and compare the relevant rows in the rate table.

Diploma-qualified educators: Level 5

Level 5 covers employees working directly with children who have completed a Diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification, or an equivalent approved qualification for out-of-school hours care. A room leader, assistant director or director appointment may require consideration of a different classification.

Our childcare courses guide introduces qualification pathways. Confirm course approval and the role's requirements before enrolling or assuming a qualification guarantees a particular position.

Room leaders: Level 6

Level 6 applies to the appointments described in Schedule B, including responsibility for a group of children in the relevant service settings. Employees translated from the former Level 4A structure have a specific transitional provision in Schedule I. Do not assume every room leader has the same minimum rate.

Assistant directors and centre directors: Levels 7 and 8

Level 7 is the assistant director classification and Level 8 is the director classification. The full definitions include the relevant appointments and requirements. Use those definitions alongside your duties rather than treating all coordinator or management titles as interchangeable.

Learn about becoming a childcare centre director. Advertised salaries can be above award minimums, but this guide does not provide a survey of market salaries.

Casual childcare pay rates

Clause 10.5 provides a 25% casual loading on the relevant full-time hourly rate for each ordinary hour worked. The table below shows general adult CSE casual hourly rates, including that loading. Overtime and shiftwork have their own rules; do not apply an overtime multiplier to the already-loaded casual rate.

For more detail, see the casual childcare pay guide or select a casual option in the full childcare pay calculator. Casual hours are not guaranteed, and an annual estimate is not equivalent to a full-time salary with paid leave.

Support workers and cooks

Support workers have a separate classification structure under clause 14.2 and Schedule B.2. Do not use a similarly numbered educator level as a substitute. Some cooks fall within the CSE structure instead: clause 14.1 covers cooks who must hold or be working towards an approved ECEC qualification and who may need to work directly with children to maintain educator-to-child ratios.

Early childhood teacher salaries use different rules

An early childhood teacher may be covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award, an enterprise agreement or another applicable instrument. The Children's Services Award tables on this page should not be used to determine a teacher's salary.

See our early childhood teacher career guide, then check the applicable instrument for the position.

Old childcare levels and transitional pay rates

The CSE classification structure changed from 1 March 2026. If you held an old classification on 28 February 2026, Schedule I.2 translates it into the new structure. Common examples include:

• Former Levels 3.1 and 3.2: translate to Level 3 — Qualified Educator.
• Former Level 3.3: translates to Level 3 with less than four years' experience at Level 3, or Level 4 with four or more years.
• Former Level 3.4: translates to Level 5 — Advanced Educator.
• Former Levels 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3: translate to Level 6 — Room Leader.
• Former Level 4A classifications: also translate to Level 6, but the specific Schedule I.3 rate provision must be checked.
• Former director Levels 6.1 to 6.9: translate to Level 8 — Director, subject to any applicable retained-rate provisions.

These examples apply to the specified former CSE classifications, not similarly numbered support-worker levels. Check Schedule I of the official award for the full translation and pay rules; do not treat matching level numbers as equivalent.

Schedule I.3 contains a specific minimum-rate provision for former Level 4A employees translated to Level 6. Schedule I.4 addresses retained minimum rates for specified former classifications. These conditions are not calculated by the general tables or calculator, so check the award or seek advice if they apply to you.

Other factors that affect childcare pay

• Part-time hours: a full-time weekly amount is not the amount payable for every part-time roster.
• Junior employees: the age-based percentages in clause 14.3 apply to CSE Levels 1 and 2 under age 19. Junior employees at CSE Levels 3 to 5 receive the relevant adult rate. See the junior childcare pay guide.
• Apprentices and trainees: these are not interchangeable arrangements. Apprentice rates depend on the applicable conditions, including age, training stage and minimum-rate protections. See the apprentice pay guide and clauses 14.4 to 14.8.
• Overtime and shifts: check when loadings apply, minimum payments and the treatment of any applicable allowances.
• Allowances: first aid, educational leader duties, broken shifts, clothing, meals or travel may attract payments where the award's conditions are met.
• Higher duties and agreements: a higher-duty assignment, enterprise agreement or contractual entitlement can affect the amount payable.
• Superannuation and tax: these tables show gross pay rates, not take-home pay. Check whether an advertised remuneration package includes superannuation before comparing it with an award rate.

Childcare wages: frequently asked questions

How much do childcare workers get paid per hour?

There is no single hourly rate for every childcare worker. Use the general adult CSE table above for the relevant classification, or the separate support-worker or casual table where applicable. Confirm award coverage and any transition or agreement provisions before relying on a figure.

What is the pay rate for a Certificate III educator?

Under the general CSE definitions, a Certificate III-qualified educator working directly with children falls within Level 3. Level 4 requires four years' post-qualification industry experience at Level 3. Check the hourly and weekly rows above and any applicable transitional arrangements.

How much does a Diploma-qualified educator earn?

The general CSE classification for an educator working directly with children with the relevant Diploma qualification is Level 5. The table above shows its minimum hourly and weekly rates. Different duties or an appointment to another role may change the applicable classification.

Are childcare award rates the same in every state?

The Children's Services Award is a national modern award, but not every employee or employer has the same coverage or entitlements. Check the applicable industrial relations system, award or agreement and transitional provisions. Location alone is not enough to establish a person's minimum pay.

Can a childcare centre pay above the award?

Yes! An employer may offer above-award pay. The amounts shown here as specified by the Children's Services Award are just the minimum pay rates set by Fair Work Australia. Employers can absolutely pay above these rates to attract top talent to their centres.

Looking for your next role? Browse childcare jobs and review each employer's advertised pay and conditions. Hiring for your centre? View job advertising options.