AussieClinicians Pay and Finance for Australian Doctors & Nurses
Doctors Nurses
Compare states Shift & weekend penalty rates NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT ACT
Home › Nursing pay › Australian Capital Territory › Enrolled Nurse

Australian Capital Territory Enrolled Nurse Pay 2025–26

ACT enrolled nurses have their own Level 1 pay-point scale. Here's where it sits and how to lift it.

In Australian Capital Territory public health, an enrolled nurse earns from $1,453.64 per week ($75,849 a year) to $1,567.81 ($81,806) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.

Assistant in NursingRegistered NurseClinical Nurse (senior clinical grades)Nurse Management (NUM / Director of Nursing)
Estimate your take-home →

Becoming an enrolled nurse

An Enrolled Nurse (EN) is a registered nursing professional who provides care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, who keeps overall accountability for delegated care. The EN is still responsible for their own actions within their scope of practice.

Full pathway: how to become an enrolled nurse in Australia →

Pay scale

Base rates, in force from 4 December 2025 — before penalties, allowances and overtime. Entry/each step shown (4 December 2025).

StepWeeklyHourlyAnnualised
Enrolled Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1$1,453.64$38.25$75,849
Enrolled Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 2$1,476.49$38.85$77,041
Enrolled Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 3$1,499.27$39.45$78,230
Enrolled Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 4$1,522.10$40.06$79,421
Enrolled Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 5$1,544.91$40.66$80,611
Enrolled Nurse Level 2$1,567.81$41.26$81,806

Ways to earn more

  • Climb the six EN increments from $1,453.64 (Level 1 PP1) to $1,567.81 (Level 2).
  • Hold a qualification beyond the one needed to register (e.g. an Advanced Diploma in Mental Health on top of your Diploma of Nursing) and claim the qualification allowance — 3.5% of the EN Level 1 minimum, about $101.78/fortnight.
  • Bank the $750/yr Professional Development Allowance (paid automatically each July if you work ≥0.5 FTE and are AHPRA-registered; $375 below 0.5 FTE).
  • Work nights and weekends: ACT pays a 25% night penalty Mon–Fri, 50% on Saturday and 75% on Sunday — added before tax to your base EN rate.
  • Note: the ACT EN scale does not have a separate medication-endorsement pay point — registering as a registered nurse (onto the RN scale, which starts at $1,590.56/wk for Level 1 PP1) is the next pay tier.

The current Diploma includes medicines education (unit HLTENN040). Since July 2010 there's no 'endorsed enrolled nurse' title — by default ENs may administer medicines, and a notation appears on the register only against those who can't.

Allowances you can claim

On top of base pay — the allowances most relevant to this role.

Professional Development Allowance$750/yr (>=0.5 FTE, AHPRA-registered) or $375/yr if below 0.5 FTE.
Annual cash allowance to support professional development, paid automatically in the first full pay period in July each year (from July 2024). $750 if you work at or above 0.5 FTE and are AHPRA-registered, otherwise $375.
Uniform allowance$517.27/yr (from 04/12/25)
Paid where the head of service requires you to wear a uniform. NOT paid if the ACTPS provides the uniform. Most recent in-force rate is $517.27 per annum (column dated 04/12/25).
Laundry allowance$15.65/fortnight (from 04/12/25)
Paid where you are required to wear AND launder a uniform. Importantly, it is ALSO payable if you are NOT required to wear a uniform but perform clinical duties involving direct client contact.
Salary packaging~$11,660/yr tax-free
As a public-hospital employee you can package about $9,010 of everyday expenses plus ~$2,650 of meal entertainment FBT-free, plus a novated car lease — and it doesn't reduce any penalty or allowance.

Where it leads next

Step up from here: Registered Nurse — see exactly what each step takes →

Frequently asked questions

How much does an enrolled nurse earn in Australian Capital Territory?
In Australian Capital Territory public health, an enrolled nurse earns from $1,453.64 per week ($75,849 a year) to $1,567.81 ($81,806) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.
What is the starting enrolled nurse salary in Australian Capital Territory?
A first-step enrolled nurse in Australian Capital Territory starts at $1,453.64 per week — about $75,849 a year ($38.25 an hour) before penalties and allowances.
Do Australian Capital Territory nurses get paid more for nights and weekends?
Yes — on top of base pay, Australian Capital Territory public-health nurses receive shift loadings for afternoon, night and weekend work, plus overtime and a range of allowances.

Annual, parental, long-service and study leave, plus overtime, on-call and the full allowance list, are set out in the Australian Capital Territory nurse pay & conditions guide.

Pay figures are drawn from the ACT Public Sector Nursing and Midwifery Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026. Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.