NSW Doctor Pay Calculator (Intern–Registrar) | 2025–26
Estimate NSW junior doctor pay (Intern → Registrar) for 2025–26. Use the calculator to see how nights, weekends, overtime, tax and HECS/HELP change your take-home pay, then check the NSW award sources below if you need the fine print.
Includes quick answers, worked examples, and links to NSW award sources.
Overtime multiplier: 1.5× (higher rates may apply for extended OT)
Annual leave: 5 weeks
Study leave: Study leave not available for interns.
Sick leave: 10 days
What determines your pay in NSW?
Base rate: classification (intern, RMO, registrar) and year level.
Penalties: nights/weekends/public holidays.
Overtime: usually 1.5× first 2h, then 2.0×.
Allowances: site/shift-specific where applicable.
Tax + HECS/HELP: HECS calculated on gross; tax on taxable after packaging/deductions.
Salary packaging: living + meal/entertainment caps (partial benefit in NSW).
Levels and pay drivers
Level
Base salary (NSW)
Intern
$80,570
Resident - Year 1
$94,441
Resident - Year 2
$103,873
Resident - Year 3
$103,873
Registrar - Year 1
$117,645
Registrar - Year 2
$127,718
Registrar - Year 3
$137,829
Registrar - Year 4
$147,538
Senior Registrar - Year 1
$165,884
Worked examples (NSW)
Intern: mostly days, 1 weekend/month
Roster: 38h/wk, 1 Saturday and Sunday per month, no nights, no overtime, quarter of the year after hours, a few public holidays and four weeks of annual leave.
For numbers tailored to you, run the calculator below with your roster assumptions.
FAQ: NSW doctor pay
What is the difference between Gross and Net?
Gross pay is your total earnings before anything is taken out (base pay + penalties + overtime + allowances). Net pay (take-home) is what you actually receive after deductions like tax and HECS/HELP withholding.
How is HECS/HELP calculated?
From the 2025–26 income year, compulsory HECS/HELP repayments use marginal rates — meaning you only pay the higher rate on the part of your income above each threshold.
$0 – $67,000: Nil
$67,001 – $125,000: 15c for each $1 over $67,000
$125,001 – $179,285: $8,700 + 17c for each $1 over $125,000
$179,286 and over: 10% of your total repayment income
How do I increase my income?
The biggest levers for junior doctor pay are:
Roster mix: more nights/weekends/public holidays usually increases penalties.
Overtime: paid at higher rates (but comes with fatigue risk).
Allowances: if your role attracts them (on-call/call-back, specific units/sites).
Salary packaging: can improve take-home without changing hours (if eligible).
Progression: moving up levels (intern → RMO → registrar) increases base rates over time.
What is salary packaging?
Normally: you get paid → tax gets taken out → you spend what’s left. Salary packaging lets you use some of your pay before tax for approved expenses, so less of your income is taxed. It’s not “free money” — it’s a tax benefit available to many healthcare workers because of special rules.
How much can you salary package?
Typical caps (varies by employer/provider):
Living expenses cap: about $9,010 per FBT year (FBT year runs 1 April to 31 March)
Meal entertainment cap: up to $2,650 per FBT year (often via a meal/entertainment card)
A common “headline” maximum is ~$11,660 per FBT year packaged if you’re eligible for both and your employer allows both.