Which state pays junior doctors the most? It changes with seniority — and with your hours
A like-for-like comparison of public-hospital doctor base pay across all eight states and territories, from intern to registrar. Every figure is a verbatim rate from the named medical-officer award or agreement.
Go straight to your state
Each tile opens that state's full pay & conditions guide — the complete scale, penalties, allowances and sources. Scroll on for the comparison: the re-ranker, the hours catch and the full pay ladder.
- The re-ranker
- The hours catch
- The ranking flip
- Full pay ladder
- Shift loadings
- What's not comparable
- Sources
The career-stage re-ranker
Drag the slider to move up the training ladder and watch the states re-rank. Switch between annual base salary and hourly base pay — the order changes, because hours worked differ by state. Every bar is a base rate straight from the instrument.
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1st · most paidQueensland$97,036
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2ndTasmania$92,298
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3rdSouth Australia$91,757
Base salary, full-time. States without a separate pay point at a step show their nearest lower step on the same grade, flagged “top of scale”. Hourly = base ÷ ordinary hours ÷ 52.1786 weeks.
The hours catch
How the ranking changes from intern to registrar
Each line is one state’s rank position (1 = highest paid) across the training ladder, by annual base salary. Lines that climb are states that get relatively better the more senior you are.
Scroll the chart sideways to see every step →
ACT is the biggest climber (6th→2nd); South Australia is the biggest faller (3rd→7th). The chart shows annual base — remember WA (40h) and TAS registrars (43h) work longer weeks for theirs.
Full pay ladder, every state × every grade
Annual base salary at each grade-step. The highest figure in each row is highlighted. A blank means that state’s scale has no pay point at that grade. Column headers link to each state’s full pay & conditions guide; the hours each state rosters are noted.
| Grade | NSW38 hrs | VIC38 / 43 hrs | QLD38 hrs | WA40 hrs | SA38 hrs | TAS38 / 43 hrs | ACT38 hrs | NT38 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intern | $80,638 | $85,494 | $97,036 | $90,864 | $91,757 | $92,298 | $88,485 | $90,150 |
| Resident yr 1 | $94,521 | $90,919 | $104,610 | $99,395 | $99,707 | $98,133 | $102,486 | $102,781 |
| Resident yr 2 | $103,961 | $98,562 | $112,322 | $108,776 | — | $105,029 | $111,826 | $109,661 |
| Resident yr 3 | $117,745 | $98,562 | — | $119,165 | — | $111,395 | $125,473 | $116,306 |
| Resident yr 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $135,446 | $122,264 |
| Registrar yr 1 | $117,745 | $129,491 | $137,196 | $125,010 | $107,655 | $138,978 | $125,473 | $122,264 |
| Registrar yr 2 | $127,827 | $136,882 | $140,997 | $131,150 | $124,346 | $146,404 | $135,446 | $128,154 |
| Registrar yr 3 | $137,946 | $142,098 | $144,824 | $140,819 | $134,677 | $152,770 | $145,460 | $134,190 |
| Registrar yr 4 | $147,664 | $149,217 | $150,684 | $147,748 | $142,627 | $159,135 | $155,223 | $140,378 |
| Registrar yr 5 | — | $173,386 | $154,647 | $155,023 | $150,573 | $180,883 | — | $146,712 |
| Registrar yr 6 | — | $178,232 | $158,618 | $162,661 | $158,523 | $189,371 | — | $153,195 |
| Registrar yr 7 | — | — | — | $170,682 | — | $194,675 | — | — |
| Senior reg yr 1 | $166,025 | — | $174,469 | $183,317 | $163,291 | $180,883 | $173,760 | $166,617 |
| Senior reg yr 2 | — | — | $180,426 | $192,371 | $169,648 | $189,371 | — | $182,143 |
| Senior reg yr 3 | — | — | $186,369 | — | — | $194,675 | — | — |
| Senior reg yr 4 | — | — | $192,257 | — | — | $194,675 | — | — |
Base salaries are annual figures stated directly in each instrument. Most rows are 38 ordinary hours a week; VIC registrars 43, WA rosters 40 and TAS registrars and senior registrars 43. Use the “Per hour” toggle in the re-ranker to compare like-for-like.
Shift & weekend loadings by state
Penalty rates that sit on top of base pay. These are the loading rules, not a take-home estimate — overtime and rostering drive how much they’re actually worth.
| State | Evening | Night | Saturday | Sunday | Public holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales NSW | ×1.125 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.75 | ×2.5 |
| Victoria VIC | ×1.25 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.5 | ×2.5 |
| Queensland QLD | ×1.15 | ×1.2 | ×1.5 | ×2 | ×2.5 |
| Western Australia WA | ×1.2 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.75 | ×2.5 |
| South Australia SA | ×1.15 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.5 | ×2.5 |
| Tasmania TAS | ×1.25 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.5 | ×2.5 |
| ACT ACT | ×1.125 | ×1.25 | ×1.5 | ×1.75 | ×2.5 |
| Northern Territory NT | ×1.15 | ×1.225 | ×1.5 | ×2 | ×2.5 |
Multipliers are total rates (e.g. ×1.5 = time and a half; ×2 = double time). Overtime is generally ×1.5 for the first hours then ×2. To turn these into your actual take-home, use the take-home calculator, which applies your roster, tax, HECS and salary packaging.
What this comparison does — and doesn’t — include
- Base award/agreement salary only. Overtime, on-call, evening/night and weekend penalties, allowances, superannuation and salary packaging all differ by state and add substantially to take-home pay — they’re not in this ranking. Use the take-home calculator to model them.
- Hours differ, so use the hourly view. Most rows are 38 ordinary hours a week; VIC registrars 43, WA rosters 40 and TAS registrars and senior registrars 43. A higher annual figure can simply mean more rostered hours; the “Per hour” toggle is the fair like-for-like.
- No cost-of-living adjustment. There’s no sourced cost-of-living index in our data, so we never show a cost-of-living-adjusted salary. It’s a real factor we name but deliberately don’t compute.
- NSW rates are interim. The NSW figures are the current interim rates under Determination IB2026_007, with arbitration before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission still pending — they may change.
- Effective dates differ. Each figure is the rate currently in force under its instrument, but those dates span 2025–2026 — you’re comparing each instrument’s current rate, not a single snapshot date.
- “Same step” means same grade-year, not an identical job. States are aligned by grade and year, but training structures, accreditation and what each step requires differ, and ladders are unequal length — so the re-ranker shows a state at its nearest lower step where it has no separate pay point.
- Public hospital, salaried only. These are salaried public-hospital rates; private, locum and rural-generalist arrangements pay differently and aren’t covered here. Specialist/consultant pay is on each state’s consultant page.
Compare a specific state, or work out your take-home
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays junior doctors the most in Australia?
It depends on your stage and on whether you compare annual salary or hourly pay. Queensland pays interns the most ($97,036) and New South Wales the least ($80,638). By registrar year 4, Tasmania has the highest annual base ($159,135) — but it rosters 43 hours, so on an hourly basis ACT ($78.29/hr) comes out on top.
Where do interns get paid the most?
Queensland leads first-year (intern) base salary at $97,036, then Tasmania ($92,298) and South Australia ($91,757). New South Wales is lowest at $80,638.
Why do you show both annual and hourly pay?
Because ordinary hours differ by state. Most rows are 38 ordinary hours a week; VIC registrars 43, WA rosters 40 and TAS registrars and senior registrars 43. A bigger annual figure can simply mean more rostered hours, so hourly base pay is the only fair like-for-like comparison. Toggle between the two to see how the ranking changes.
Does the highest-paid state change as you become more senior?
Yes. ACT climbs from 6th as an intern to 2nd by registrar year 4, while South Australia falls from 3rd to 7th. The best state for a new intern is rarely the best for a senior registrar.
Why is NSW junior doctor pay so low?
New South Wales has the lowest intern base salary of any state. The figures shown are the current interim rates under Determination IB2026_007, with arbitration before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission still pending — so they may change. Every figure links to its source instrument.
Do these figures include overtime, on-call and allowances?
No — these are base award/agreement salaries only. Overtime, evening/night and weekend penalties, on-call, and salary packaging all differ by state and add substantially to take-home pay. Use the take-home calculator to model your actual roster.
Sources
Every figure is from one of these instruments
- New South Wales (38 hrs) — NSW Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award, Determination IB2026_007 (interim rates; NSW IRC arbitration decision reserved as at July 2026); rates effective first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025 (no 1 July 2026 increase: the interim deal has 2024 and 2025 legs only). View instrument.
- Victoria (38 / 43 hrs) — Doctors in Training (Victorian Public Health Sector) (AMA/ASMOF) Single-Interest Enterprise Agreement 2022–2026, Appendix 2 Table 1.1; rates effective 1 March 2025 (final scheduled increase; agreement continues in force past its 28 Feb 2026 nominal expiry; successor EBA under negotiation with no pay offer as at July 2026). View instrument.
- Queensland (38 hrs) — Medical Officers’ (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (No. 7) 2025 (MOCA7), QIRC CB128 of 2025, Schedule 1 Table 1.1; rates effective 1 July 2026 (certified minimums; a capped +0.5% CPI Uplift Adjustment triggered by the March 2026 Brisbane CPI is pending publication by Queensland Health). View instrument.
- Western Australia (40 hrs) — WA Health System – Medical Practitioners – AMA Industrial Agreement 2024 (Schedules 1 & 3, metro + north of 26°); rates effective 3 September 2025. View instrument.
- South Australia (38 hrs) — SA Health Salaried Medical Officers Enterprise Agreement 2025 (Schedule 1); rates effective first full pay period on or after 14 April 2026. View instrument.
- Tasmania (38 / 43 hrs) — Medical Practitioners (Tasmanian State Service) Agreement 2025 (TIC T15338 of 2026; 3% one-year AMA rollover of the 2022 Agreement); rates effective first full pay period on or after 1 January 2026 (next increase anticipated ffpp on/after 1 January 2027 under the successor agreement now in negotiation). View instrument.
- ACT (38 hrs) — ACT Public Sector Medical Practitioners Determination 2023–2026 (FWC workplace determination AG531082, made 12 November 2025), Annex A; rates effective first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 (final scheduled increase in the instrument; successor ACTPS agreement in bargaining as at July 2026). View instrument.
- Northern Territory (38 hrs) — Medical Officers (NTPS) 2022–2025 Enterprise Agreement – OCPE published rates of pay; rates effective 1 January 2025 (verified current as at July 2026: the 2022–2025 EA remains in operation; a proposed 2026–2029 EA was voted down in February 2026 and an improved offer is under negotiation). View instrument.
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