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Queensland Nurse Pay & Conditions 2025–26
What Queensland Health nurses and midwives are entitled to in 2025–26, and where the money is.
In Queensland public health, a registered nurse earns from $1,674.40 per week ($87,368 a year) to $2,147.70 ($112,064) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.
Pay pages by role:
Assistant in Nursing · Enrolled Nurse · Registered Nurse · Clinical Nurse (senior clinical grades) · Nurse Management (NUM / Director of Nursing)
Ways to maximise your income
Double time Sundays
Sunday penalty rates
Every grade gets double time on ordinary Sunday hours — most only got time-and-three-quarters before.
A Sunday night shift also adds the 25% night penalty after midnight.
$2,235–$3,726/yr
PD allowance (cash)
Permanent Grade 3+ on 16+ hrs/fortnight get $2,235–$3,726/yr cash on top of salary, paid each March and September.
Rate set by facility category — plus 3 paid PD days and up to 5 paid conference days a year.
$10,815 at yr 2
Remote incentives (RANIP)
Stay remote and the isolation bonus pays $3,605 at year 1, $10,815 at year 2, then $7,210 every year after.
Plus a minimum 2 weeks paid PD leave and travel/enrolment costs topped up to the Category B value.
+5.5% for masters/PhD
Postgrad qualification
A grad cert, grad dip or second degree gives RNs an extra paypoint plus a 3.5% allowance; masters or PhD pays 5.5%.
Paid on the NG5 pp7 rate and counts for super and leave; ENs get a parallel rate from 1 Jul 2026.
Double rates
10-hour break protection
If you're denied the minimum 10-hour break between shifts, you're paid double rates until released from duty.
Break can be 8 hrs by written agreement; recalled early after overtime you're on double rates too.
Min 3 hrs at overtime
Recall minimums
Physically recalled while on call, you're paid a minimum 3 hours at overtime rate — travel counts as worked.
AINs get a 2-hour minimum; phone/remote recalls pay a minimum 1 hour at overtime rate per call.
Registered nurse pay scale
Base rates, in force from 1 April 2026 — before penalties, allowances and overtime.
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | Annualised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Re-entry | $1,599.60 | $42.09 | $83,465 |
| Pay point 1 | $1,674.40 | $44.06 | $87,368 |
| Pay point 2 | $1,753.06 | $46.13 | $91,472 |
| Pay point 3 | $1,831.96 | $48.21 | $95,589 |
| Pay point 4 | $1,910.65 | $50.28 | $99,695 |
| Pay point 5 | $1,989.65 | $52.36 | $103,817 |
| Pay point 6 | $2,068.70 | $54.44 | $107,942 |
| Pay point 7 | $2,147.70 | $56.52 | $112,064 |
Progression beyond the base scale
Senior and specialty grades — the pay step up, and what each takes.
| Grade | Pay | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolled Nurse (Nurse Grade 3) pay | $73,371-$77,869/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Enrolled Nurse registered with AHPRA. Engaged at paypoint 2 unless re-entry. |
| Enrolled Nurse Advanced Skill (Nurse Grade 4) pay | $80,175-$85,077/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Enrolled Nurse with advanced skills. |
| Registered Nurse/Midwife (Nurse Grade 5) pay | $85,236-$109,330/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Registered Nurse/Midwife registered with AHPRA. Progress by annual increment (12 months/paypoint). |
| New Nurse Grade 5 paypoint 8 | $122,873/yr (from 1 Dec 2027) | Nurse Grade 5 RNs; from 1 December 2027 onward. |
| Clinical Nurse (Nurse Grade 6 Band 1) pay | $111,198-$119,072/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Registered Nurse promoted to Clinical Nurse (Grade 6 Band 1) — by promotion only. |
| Associate CNC / Associate NUM / Associate Educator (Nurse Grade 6 Band 2) pay | $124,991-$127,616/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Promotion to a Grade 6 Band 2 associate-leadership role. |
| Clinical Nurse Consultant / Nurse Unit Manager / Nurse Educator (Nurse Grade 7) pay | $136,538-$148,242/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Promotion to a Grade 7 senior clinical/management role. |
| Nurse Practitioner (Nurse Grade 8) pay | $153,736-$160,507/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Endorsed Nurse Practitioner / RN in a Grade 8 position. |
| Director-level roles (Nurse Grades 9-13) pay | $157,018-$257,345/yr (from 1 Apr 2025) | Promotion to nursing/midwifery director and executive roles. |
Allowances you can claim & rural/remote
Salary sacrificing — up to 50% of salaryUp to 50% of salary; up to 100% for superannuation
Permanent and fixed-term full-time/part-time staff and long-term casuals may salary-sacrifice up to 50% of their EB12 salary (and Paid Parental Leave payments), or up to 100% of salary where it is sacrificed to superannuation.
FBT exemption capFBT exemption cap (dollar amount set by FBT legislation, not stated in Agreement)
Queensland Health public-hospital nurses/midwives can access the FBT exemption cap — the generous tax concession that makes novated leases and living-expense packaging far more tax-effective for eligible public-hospital employees.
RANIP annual isolation bonus$3,605 (after yr 1); $10,815 (after yr 2); $7,210 (after yr 3 & each subsequent yr) — from date of certification
Nurses/midwives in a designated RANIP location (Modified Monash MM6 remote or MM7 very-remote site listed in HR Policy C2 RANIP) get an annual isolation bonus paid as a single annual payment on completion of each 12 months' service, on a pro-rata basis according to years of service in remote areas.
RANIP designation — Modified Monash MM6/MM7 locationsMM6 (remote) and MM7 (very remote)
The Modified Monash Model classifies sites; locations at MM6 (remote) and MM7 (very remote) may be designated RANIP locations. From 1 July 2026 all MM6 and MM7 locations recorded in HR Policy C2 RANIP will have ongoing and full RANIP designation.
Remote flexible roster — employer-paid travel & accommodationEmployer meets all reasonable travel + provides accommodation
For hard-to-fill MM6/MM7 posts the employer may offer a remote flexible roster (like purchased leave): you set aside salary to fund block periods of leave to travel away from the designated remote area, with the employer meeting reasonable travel and accommodation costs.
Relocation / transfer / removal expensesReasonable relocation, transfer, board, lodging & taking-up-duty costs
Nurse Grade 9 employees and RANIP employees are entitled to reasonable relocation and transfer expenses — to move themselves, family and belongings to the new centre, to obtain temporary board and lodging, and to meet other items of expenditure related to taking up duty.
Travelling & relieving expensesActual and reasonable accommodation, meals & incidentals
Any nurse/midwife required to travel on official duty, relieve away from their usual workplace, or perform special duty is allowed actual and reasonable expenses for accommodation, meals and incidental expenses necessarily incurred.
Transfer out of isolated location after 3 yearsRight to transfer to a more favourable locality
Public Service, Eventide Homes (Grade 5+) and Correctional Health Services employees who have served 3+ years continuously in an isolated location are entitled to be transferred, without detriment, to a position in a more favourable locality as soon as opportunity offers.
Locality allowanceSet by government Directive (no figure in this instrument)
A locality allowance applies to Eventide Homes, Public Service, Correctional Health Services, Psychiatric Hospital (Grades 1-8) and Biala employees, but the actual rate and conditions are set by the relevant locality-allowance directive rather than by the Award itself.
Qualification & advanced qualification allowance3.5% (qualification) / 5.5% (advanced) of the Nurse Grade 5 wage rate
A registered nurse (Grades 5-7 and 9) with a recognised post-registration qualification gets a qualification allowance of 3.5%, or an advanced qualification allowance of 5.5%, of the wage rate of a Nurse Grade 5, paypoint 7, payable for all purposes of the Award.
Enrolled nurse qualification allowance3.5% (qualification) / 5.5% (advanced) of the Nurse Grade 3 wage rate
An enrolled nurse (Nurse Grade 3) with a recognised qualification gets 3.5%, or 5.5% for an advanced qualification, of the Nurse Grade 3 wage rate, payable for all purposes of the Agreement and the Award.
Endorsed Midwife allowance$211.80/fortnight (new, from 1 July 2026; then $217.10, $223.62 from 1 Dec 2027)
A new Endorsed Midwife allowance of $211.80 per fortnight commences 1 July 2026, paid on all hours including overtime, pro-rata for part-timers, and included as salary for all employment-related purposes including superannuation and leave entitlements.
Nurse/Midwife Unit Manager (NUM/MUM) allowanceNew three-tiered allowance from 1 December 2027
A new three-tiered NUM/MUM allowance is introduced from 1 December 2027, payable pro-rata for part-time and casual employees. It is NOT an all-purpose allowance. The fortnightly rates are $70.00 (Level 1), $100.00 (Level 2) and $150.00 (Level 3).
Professional development allowanceCat B $3,726/yr; Cat A $2,981/yr; Cat C $2,235/yr (Sep 2025 + Mar 2026 instalments)
Permanent Nurse Grade 3 and above working 16+ hours per fortnight get a professional development allowance, pro-rata, set by facility category.
X-ray and radium allowance$28.02/fortnight (from 1 April 2025; rising to $28.72, $29.44, $30.32)
An employee who wears a required lead apron, or uses/assists in using X-ray apparatus or radium, gets $28.02 per fortnight for each fortnight such duties are performed.
Relieving in-charge allowance$16.51 per shift (from 1 April 2025; rising to $16.92, $17.34, $17.86)
Where a Nurse Grade 6 or above should normally be rostered in-charge but isn't, a designated Grade 5 employee acting in-charge is paid $16.51 per shift of ordinary hours worked, unless they are already being paid a higher rate for higher or special duties.
Leave & study
Annual/recreation leave5 weeks / 190 hours
Full-time public hospital nurses/midwives (and most 7-day services) get 190 hours (5 weeks) paid annual leave per year after 12 months' continuous service. This includes 38 hours granted in lieu of extra payment for work done on the listed public holidays.
Additional annual leave for shift/continuous-shift workers+1 week / +38 hours
On top of the base annual leave, employees on a 7-day rotating 3-shift roster (working all 3 shifts in rotation, with at least 20 night shifts/year for public hospital), are entitled to an additional 38 hours (1 week) of paid annual leave per year.
Annual leave loading17.5% (day) / 27.5% (continuous shift)
During annual leave you are paid the GREATER of (a) the penalties you would have earned on your projected roster, or (b) a loading. Non-continuous shift workers and non-shift workers get 17.5% on up to 152 hours of annual leave per year, while continuous shift workers get 27.5% on up to 190 hours per year.
Annual leave at half paydouble the time
You can apply to take annual leave at half pay for double the calendar period. EB12 adds that such applications will not be unreasonably refused.
Paid parental leave (birth/primary carer) and adoption leave14 weeks paid
Eligible employees get 14 weeks paid parental leave (may be taken at half pay over 28 weeks) and 14 weeks paid adoption leave for the primary carer of the adopted child, also available at half pay over 28 weeks, in addition to the Commonwealth paid parental leave scheme.
Parental leave
Parental leave (birth-related, adoption, surrogacy, cultural parent leave) is via QES Div 8 with EB12/Award enhancements. Employees returning from parental leave can seek to return to the position they held prior to commencing parental leave.
Long service leave1.3 weeks per year of service
LSL accrues at 1.3 weeks paid leave for each year of continuous service. You can TAKE LSL on full or half pay after 7 years' continuous service; the full 10-year entitlement is reached on completing 10 years' continuous service.
Professional development leave3 days (24 hours) per year
Permanent Nurse Grade 3 and above working 16+ hours/fortnight may be granted 3 days paid PD leave per year (pro rata for part-time) at single time, to attend approved PD activities relevant to nursing and midwifery practice, such as study support, short courses and professional association events.
Professional development allowance$2,235 - $3,726 per year (current Sep2025/Mar2026)
A permanent Nurse Grade 3+ working 16+ hours/fortnight is paid a CASH professional development allowance, pro rata, by facility category, on top of salary - paid in the last pay period of March and September each year directly through the payroll system.
Seminar and conference leaveup to 5 working days per year
Separate from the 3 PD days: leave to attend AND travel to/from an approved seminar or conference - within or outside Australia - may be granted up to a maximum of 5 working days on full pay per calendar year.
Paid travel time for professional developmentup to 8 hours single time per travel day
All reasonable travel time associated with accessing PD leave is paid work time, at the ordinary rate for the day(s) of travel, on the basis of no more than 8 hours at single time for each day of travel.
PD leave & allowance for RANIP (remote) employeesminimum 2 weeks paid PD leave/year + cost reimbursement
Remote Area Nursing Incentive Package (RANIP) employees working 16+ hours/fortnight get, in lieu of the standard 3 days, a MINIMUM of 2 weeks paid PD leave per year to attend, and travel to and from, approved professional development activities.
More leave types
Personal leave
Personal leave (sick leave, carer's leave, bereavement leave and cultural leave) is provided via Division 6 of the QES. Sick leave can be used for carer's purposes; an employee may also, with the employer's consent, take annual leave for carer's leave purposes.
Cultural leaveup to 5 days per year (unpaid)
An employee of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin may take up to 5 days unpaid cultural leave each year (or more under HR Policy C7) for cultural obligations, administered under section 51 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016 and HR Policy C7 Special Leave.
Hours, overtime, breaks & on-call
Ordinary hours per week38 hrs/wk (max 80/fortnight)
Full-time ordinary hours are an average of 38 hours per week, capped at no more than 80 in any one fortnight, worked to a roster. This applies to Nursing Grade 1 to Nurse Grade 9 employees.
How ordinary hours are rosteredshifts 4–10 hrs (or 8+ADO; up to 12 by agreement)
Ordinary shifts run either as 19 x 8-hour days plus one 8-hour ADO per four-weekly cycle, OR as shifts of not less than 4 and not exceeding 10 hours, with the hours worked in excess of an average of 38 per week over the cycle credited towards an ADO.
Roster notice period7 days (ordinary roster); 4 weeks (ADO roster)
Rosters showing rostered days and start/finish times must be displayed at least seven days before each four-weekly cycle starts. The roster of accrued days off must be posted at least four weeks before the cycle starts.
Maximum consecutive shifts / days10 consecutive days/shifts
No employee may be rostered to perform ordinary duty for more than 10 consecutive days or shifts unless mutually agreed otherwise. Each employee must be allowed two whole consecutive rostered days off each week, not including accrued days off.
Days off pattern2 consecutive days off per week
Each employee is allowed two whole consecutive rostered days off each week (excluding accrued days off). Alternatives in a fortnight: one day off one week and three consecutive days off the other week, or four consecutive days off at any point in the fortnight.
12-hour shift arrangements12 hrs max/day; max 4 consecutive 12-hr shifts
Where 12-hour shifts are introduced (voluntary, by agreement): maximum continuous ordinary hours is 12 in any one day. An employee may work a maximum span of four 12-hour shifts.
Break between shifts after a 12-hour shift10 hours
An employee who completes a 12-hour shift must be allowed a break of 10 hours between the end of that shift and the start of another shift.
Minimum break between rostered shifts10 hrs (8 hrs by written agreement)
An employee must get a rest break of not less than 10 hours between the end of an ordinary shift and the start of the next. By written agreement between the employee and the employer, this break may be reduced to eight hours.
Consequence if minimum break not givendouble rates until released
If the required 10-hour (or agreed 8-hour) break has not occurred, the employee is paid DOUBLE RATES until released from duty for the 8 or 10 hours.
Afternoon shift penalty12.5% (15% for Nursing Grade 1)
An afternoon shift attracts a 12.5% allowance on all ordinary hours (15% for a Nursing Grade 1 / AIN employee). Does NOT apply to hours on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, which are paid at the applicable weekend or public-holiday rates instead.
Night shift penalty20% (17.5% for Nursing Grade 1)
A night shift attracts a 20% allowance on all ordinary hours (17.5% for a Nursing Grade 1 / AIN employee). Does NOT apply to hours on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, which are paid at the applicable weekend or public-holiday rates instead.
Sunday night shift penalty25%
EB12 sets the night shift allowance for all employees on a Sunday night shift at 25%. The Sunday penalty rate (double time) applies up to midnight, and the 25% Sunday night shift penalty applies after midnight.
All figures are drawn from the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025, read with the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Award – State 2015. Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse earn in Queensland?
In Queensland public health, a registered nurse earns from $1,674.40 per week ($87,368 a year) to $2,147.70 ($112,064) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.
What is the starting registered nurse salary in Queensland?
A first-step registered nurse in Queensland starts at $1,674.40 per week — about $87,368 a year ($44.06 an hour) before penalties and allowances.
Do Queensland nurses get paid more for nights and weekends?
Yes — on top of base pay, Queensland public-health nurses receive shift loadings for afternoon, night and weekend work, plus overtime and a range of allowances.