New South Wales Registered Nurse Pay 2025–26
A registered nurse in NSW public health is paid on an eight-year incremental scale, then steps up to senior clinical and management grades. Here's the RN scale and the levers that lift it.
In New South Wales public health, a registered nurse earns from $1,521.10 per week ($79,369 a year) to $2,135.50 ($111,427) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.
Becoming a registered nurse
A Registered Nurse (RN, Division 1) practises to the full scope of nursing — assessing, planning, delivering and evaluating care, autonomously and in teams. RNs delegate to and supervise Enrolled Nurses and AINs, and stay accountable for the decision to delegate.
Full pathway: how to become a registered nurse in Australia →
Pay scale
Base rates, in force from 1 July 2025 — before penalties, allowances and overtime.
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | Annualised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-registration | $1,311.40 | $34.51 | $68,427 |
| 1st year | $1,521.10 | $40.03 | $79,369 |
| 2nd year | $1,603.60 | $42.20 | $83,674 |
| 3rd year | $1,686.40 | $44.38 | $87,994 |
| 4th year | $1,775.20 | $46.72 | $92,627 |
| 5th year | $1,863.30 | $49.03 | $97,224 |
| 6th year | $1,951.00 | $51.34 | $101,800 |
| 7th year | $2,051.30 | $53.98 | $107,034 |
| 8th year and thereafter | $2,135.50 | $56.20 | $111,427 |
Ways to earn more
- Step up a year every 12 months — the RN scale runs from $1,521.10/wk in your 1st year to $2,135.50/wk at the 8th year, about $32,000 a year more for the same role.
- Get a relevant postgraduate qualification: the Continuing Education Allowance adds $50.60–$91.40/wk on top of base (about $2,630/yr for a postgrad certificate up to ~$4,750/yr for a masters or doctorate), paid even on leave.
- Take in-charge shifts — $43.49 per shift when you're the designated shift coordinator, more when you're also in charge of the hospital.
- Work nights and weekends (night +20%, Saturday +50%, Sunday +75%) and salary-package about $11,660 a year tax-free.
Allowances you can claim
On top of base pay — the allowances most relevant to this role.
Where it leads next
From here you can move into the senior clinical and management grades — clinical nurse specialist, educator, consultant, unit manager or nurse practitioner.
Step up from here: Senior clinical roles — CNS, CNC, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner · Nurse management — NUM, Nurse Manager, Director of Nursing — see exactly what each step takes →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse earn in New South Wales?
What is the starting registered nurse salary in New South Wales?
Do New South Wales nurses get paid more for nights and weekends?
Annual, parental, long-service and study leave, plus overtime, on-call and the full allowance list, are set out in the New South Wales nurse pay & conditions guide.
Pay figures are drawn from the Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 (Serial C10152). Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.