Starting salaries have risen to $92,882 and top-of-scale salaries to $133,422, as the NSW Government says teacher vacancies have fallen to a 12-year low.
NSW public school teachers have received the final three per cent increase in a nine per cent pay rise delivered over three years, lifting starting salaries to $92,882 and top-of-scale salaries to $133,422.
The latest increase, announced by the NSW Department of Education on 22 October, is expected to reach teachers’ bank accounts this week. The government says the pay deal is part of its strategy to address teacher shortages, improve retention and restore the competitiveness of teacher salaries with other states.
According to the department, starting salaries have risen from $75,791 to $92,882, while salaries for teachers at the top of the scale have increased from $113,042 to $133,422.
The government says the changes have helped reduce teacher vacancies to their lowest level in 12 years, while rates of teacher resignations and retirements have continued to fall.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said investment in teacher pay and conditions was intended to support more consistent staffing in classrooms.
“When we invest in teachers, we invest in students,” she said. “Better pay, better conditions, and fewer vacancies means more consistency in classrooms and better education outcomes for students.”
Pay and conditions linked to workforce retention
The latest increase forms part of the government’s broader approach to teacher workforce recruitment and retention.
The department reports that more than 25,000 teachers and school support staff have moved from temporary contracts to permanent employment as part of efforts to improve job security.
Ms Car said the government had reduced teacher vacancies by more than 70 per cent through its approach to teacher remuneration and workforce rebuilding.
The department describes the salary changes as the most significant uplift in NSW public school teacher pay and conditions since the 1990s.
Workforce investment alongside curriculum reform
The government’s teacher workforce measures sit alongside changes to curriculum delivery and school infrastructure.
The department said its curriculum work includes early literacy and numeracy checks, targeted intervention, learning targets and evidence-based support for teachers implementing the new NSW Curriculum.
The government is also undertaking a $9.2 billion school infrastructure program to deliver new and upgraded schools across the state.
The department says these measures are intended to support student learning, improve workforce stability and expand access to public education.
