South Australia Clinical Nurse (senior clinical grades) Pay 2025–26
South Australia's senior clinical track — clinical nurse/midwife (Level 2) and above — rewards postgraduate qualifications, and the qualification allowance can be worth thousands a year.
In South Australia public health, a clinical nurse earns from $1,742.34 per week ($90,913 a year) to $2,745.99 ($143,282) across the scale — before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.
Becoming a clinical nurse
The senior clinical track for RNs who go deep in one specialty rather than into management — Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) and Nurse Educator, and at the top the Nurse Practitioner (NP), who can autonomously assess, diagnose, prescribe and refer within scope.
Full pathway: how to become a clinical nurse in Australia →
Pay scale
Base rates, in force from 1 January 2026 (incl. 4% interim increase) — before penalties, allowances and overtime. Entry/each step shown (1 January 2026 (incl. 4% interim increase)).
| Grade | Weekly | Hourly | Annualised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 1st increment | $1,742.34 | $45.85 | $90,913 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 2nd increment | $1,812.40 | $47.69 | $94,568 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 3rd increment | $1,882.56 | $49.54 | $98,229 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 4th increment | $1,952.63 | $51.39 | $101,885 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 5th increment | $2,035.07 | $53.55 | $106,187 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 6th increment | $2,059.99 | $54.21 | $107,487 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 7th increment | $2,107.46 | $55.46 | $109,964 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 8th increment | $2,154.90 | $56.71 | $112,440 |
| Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) — 9th increment | $2,202.38 | $57.96 | $114,917 |
| Nurse Practitioner (Level 4) — 1st increment | $2,634.49 | $69.33 | $137,464 |
| Nurse Practitioner (Level 4) — 2nd increment | $2,704.19 | $71.16 | $141,101 |
| Nurse Practitioner (Level 4) — 3rd increment | $2,745.99 | $72.26 | $143,282 |
Ways to earn more
- The senior clinical grades run from $1,742.34/wk (Clinical Nurse/Midwife Level 2, 1st increment) to $2,745.99/wk (Nurse Practitioner Level 4, 3rd) — well above the top of the base RN scale.
- Reaching Clinical Nurse/Midwife (Level 2) needs at least 3 years' post-registration experience plus demonstrated coordination, quality/safety, leadership and clinical-teaching capability.
- Stack a relevant postgraduate qualification on top: the qualification allowance pays $3,573.70/yr (grad cert), $4,594.60/yr (grad diploma) or $5,615.70/yr (Masters/PhD), and the Nurse Practitioner grade lifts the base to $2,634.49–$2,745.99/wk.
- Work nights and weekends: ordinary night-shift hours attract a 20.5% loading, Saturdays 50% and Sundays 75%.
- Salary-package about $11,660/yr tax-free — it doesn't reduce any penalty or allowance.
CNS, CNC and Nurse Educator are pay classifications set by each state's nursing award — eligibility (years of experience, whether a postgraduate qualification is mandatory) varies by state and employer, and holding a Master's alone doesn't confer the grade. Only Nurse Practitioner is a fixed national NMBA endorsement.
Allowances you can claim
On top of base pay — the allowances most relevant to this role.
Where it leads next
Step up from here: Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) · Nurse Practitioner (NP) · Nurse management — see exactly what each step takes →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a clinical nurse earn in South Australia?
What is the starting clinical nurse salary in South Australia?
Do South Australia 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 South Australia nurse pay & conditions guide.
Pay figures are drawn from the Nursing/Midwifery (SA Public Sector) Enterprise Agreement 2022. Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.