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Victoria Registered Nurse Pay 2026

Victorian registered nurses are graded. Most ward RNs are Grade 2, paid on an eight-year ladder from the graduate year up. Beyond it sit the senior clinical and management grades.

$84,477Starting salary at RN Grade 2 Year 1 (Grad Year) ($42.61 an hour), before penalties and allowances.

$107,879Top of the scale on this page (RN Grade 2 Year 8, $54.41 an hour).

Assistant in Nursing Enrolled Nurse Clinical Nurse (senior clinical grades)Nurse Management (NUM / Director of Nursing)

Pay scale
Spotlight
Becoming a registered nurse
FAQ

Pay scale

Base rates, in force from 11 May 2026, before penalties, allowances and overtime. Entry/each step shown (11 May 2026).

Step	Weekly	Hourly	Annualised
RN Grade 2 Year 1 (Grad Year)	$1,619.00	$42.61	$84,477
RN Grade 2 Year 2	$1,665.00	$43.82	$86,877
RN Grade 2 Year 3	$1,717.00	$45.18	$89,591
RN Grade 2 Year 4	$1,773.90	$46.68	$92,560
RN Grade 2 Year 5	$1,836.90	$48.34	$95,847
RN Grade 2 Year 6	$1,900.00	$50.00	$99,139
RN Grade 2 Year 7	$1,968.20	$51.79	$102,698
RN Grade 2 Year 8	$2,067.50	$54.41	$107,879

Estimate your take-home →

★ The pay levers that move the most money

Two levers move the most money and are routinely left on the table. First is stepping into the senior clinical grades, where Clinical Nurse Specialist at $2,151.50/wk sits above the top of the base RN scale. Most nurses who meet the eligibility never apply. Second, the qualification allowance rewards postgraduate study directly: a postgrad diploma or degree adds $105.90/wk, a Masters $122.30/wk, paid on top of salary for every ordinary hour worked.

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 →

Ways to earn more

Climb your eight annual Grade 2 increments. The base RN ladder runs from $1,619.00/wk (graduate year) to $2,067.50/wk at Year 8.
Step up to the senior clinical grades: Clinical Nurse Specialist starts at $2,151.50/wk, above the very top of the base RN scale, and it is the biggest jump beyond your increments.
Claim the RN qualification allowance for postgraduate study: $65.10/wk for a graduate/hospital certificate, $105.90/wk for a postgrad diploma or degree, or $122.30/wk for a Masters (highest qualification only, paid on ordinary hours).
Work nights and weekends: a Monday-Thursday night shift adds $114.00, a Friday/Saturday night $126.60, and all ordinary weekend hours are paid at time-and-a-half (150%).
Take on rostered on-call: $77.20 per 12-hour period Mon-Fri, rising to $202.70 for a weekend public holiday.
Salary-package about $11,660/yr tax-free without reducing any penalty or allowance.

Allowances you can claim

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

Qualification Allowance (RN/Midwife)Grad Cert/Hospital Cert $65.10; Post Grad Dip/Degree $105.90; Masters $122.30.

RNs/Midwives with a relevant post-basic qualification (or a base double-degree/Masters, paid after 1 year experience in a relevant area) get a per-ordinary-hour-worked qualification allowance, paid in addition to salary, with only one allowance (the highest qualification held) payable.

On Call AllowanceMon–Fri $77.20; Sat $115.80; Sun/weekday PH $135.10; weekend PH $202.70.

Paid per 12-hour period (or part) rostered on call. The old separate telephone allowance is now included in these rates. If on call spans two days with different rates, you are paid the higher day's rate.

Uniform Allowance$2.25 daily / $11.11 weekly (whichever is the lesser amount in total).

Employer must provide any required uniform at no cost (no payment in lieu). If a uniform is NOT provided, you are paid a uniform allowance at the daily or weekly rate, whichever is the lesser amount in total.

Laundry Allowance$0.60 daily / $3.02 weekly (whichever is the lesser amount in total).

If laundering of the uniform is not provided by/at the expense of the employer, you are paid a laundry allowance at the daily or weekly rate (whichever is the lesser amount in total).

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 none of it reduces any penalty or allowance.

Where it leads next

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 Victoria?

In Victoria public health, a registered nurse earns from $1,619.00 per week ($84,477 a year) to $2,067.50 ($107,879) across the scale, before shift penalties, allowances and overtime.

What is the starting registered nurse salary in Victoria?

A first-step registered nurse in Victoria starts at $1,619.00 per week, about $84,477 a year ($42.61 an hour), before penalties and allowances.

Do Victoria nurses get paid more for nights and weekends?

Yes. On top of base pay, Victoria 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 Victoria nurse pay & conditions guide.

Work out your pay

Take-home calculator → VIC penalty & on-call rates Compare states

Keep more of it

Salary packaging Packaging calculator HECS/HELP Agency vs permanent

Pay figures are drawn from the Nurses and Midwives (Victorian Public Sector) Single Interest Employer Agreement 2024-2028. Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.