VIC Teacher Salary 2026: Pay Scales, Steps, and What to Expect

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Victoria's teacher pay structure works differently from most other states. There are no fixed annual steps tied to years of service; instead, progression through three salary ranges is linked to an annual performance review. Under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) 2022, graduate teachers start at $79,589 and the top of the classroom scale is $118,063. An in-principle agreement reached in May 2026 is expected to significantly lift those rates from October 2026.

1. How Victoria's teacher pay structure works

Victorian government school teachers are classified into three salary ranges:

• Range 1 — graduate and early proficient classroom teachers
• Range 2 — proficient to experienced classroom teachers
• Range 3 — Leading Teachers and Learning Specialists (promoted positions requiring application)

Within Range 1 and Range 2, teachers progress through levels (Range 1 has five levels; Range 2 has six). Each level represents an annual salary increment, but that increment is not automatic; it requires satisfactory completion of the annual Performance and Development (P&D) cycle. Range 3 is a separate category. Moving into Range 3 is a promotion to a substantive position, requiring an application and selection process.

Because pay progression depends on a structured annual review rather than automatic increments, understanding the system matters from the start of your career. A teacher who misses a progression decision in year two doesn't just lose that year's increment; they fall one step behind for the remainder of their time at that level. The practical difference between Range 1 entry and the Range 2 ceiling is approximately $38,474 per year in gross salary. Getting progression right, consistently, is one of the more consequential things a new VIC teacher can manage.

2. Current government school pay scale (1 July 2025)

The following rates apply under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) 2022, effective 1 July 2025. [Source: Victorian DET, PAL Salary Rates, 2025]

Range 1 and Range 2 — Classroom Teachers

The Range 1 entry ($79,589) and Range 2 ceiling ($118,063) are confirmed official figures. [Source: Victorian DET, 2025] Intermediate steps marked ~ are estimated from the known spread; exact amounts are published in the official DET salary rates document.

Range 3 — Leading Teachers and Learning Specialists

[Source: ClassCover, TeachingJobs.com.au, July 2025 data, consistent across two sources; verify against the official DET PAL salary rates document before relying on these figures]

Range 3 positions have a formal position description and selection process. A classroom teacher at the top of Range 2 does not automatically become a Range 3 teacher.

3. What's changing: the in-principle 2026 agreement

After the VGSA 2022 expired on 31 December 2025, the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the Victorian government entered protracted negotiations. In March 2026, approximately 35,000 teachers rallied in Melbourne. An in-principle agreement was reached in May 2026.

[Source: AEU Victoria media release, May 2026; multiple major media reports]

Once ratified, this represents a generational shift in Victorian teacher pay. For teachers currently employed, nothing changes immediately. Base rates under the VGSA 2022 remain in effect until the new agreement is formally ratified and the first increase takes effect, expected October 2026. Any backpay from 1 January 2026 will be distributed as a lump sum to eligible employees after ratification.

The most reliable source of ratification timing is the AEU Victoria; check their website or member communications. The Department of Education's Policy and Advisory Library (PAL) will publish the updated salary schedule once the agreement is formally in effect.

4. How Performance and Development drives your pay

Salary progression in Victoria is directly tied to the Performance and Development (P&D) cycle, a structured annual process between each teacher and their reviewer (principal or delegate). [Source: Victorian DET, Performance and Development policy]

The P&D cycle

The cycle runs May to April each year:

What happens to your pay

Progression is one level per year maximum. There is no mechanism to skip levels for outstanding performance. Employers cannot set quotas; every teacher who meets requirements will progress. To be eligible on 1 May, you need at least six months of eligible service at your current salary level during the May–April cycle.

Evidence requirements

Evidence must be "adequate, authentic, appropriate and accurate". Common forms:

• Student learning outcome data tied to your goals
• Direct observation feedback (from colleagues or leadership)
• Documentation of professional learning completed
• Reflection on how your practice connects to the VIT teaching standards

5. Victorian Catholic school pay

Catholic schools in Victoria operate under the Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement (CEMEA), negotiated between Catholic employing authorities (including MACS, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, and other diocesan employers) and the Independent Education Union (IEU VicTas).

CEMEA 2022 — current rates

The CEMEA 2022 delivered eight 1% increases every six months from January 2022 through July 2025. Catholic graduate starting salary has historically mirrored the government scale closely. [Source: IEU VicTas, CEMEA 2022 summary]

2026 Catholic employer offer

In October 2025, the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) made an offer to teaching and support staff that included:

• A minimum 7% wage rise from January 2026, which Catholic employers described as the largest single-year increase in over 25 years
• A $1,500 sign-on bonus for all ongoing and fixed-term employees (pro rata for part-time)
• A parity commitment: Catholic employers have committed to match whatever increases the Victorian government schools agreement delivers

If both the Catholic offer and the in-principle government agreement proceed as outlined, Catholic teachers in VIC will effectively reach parity with government rates over the life of the new agreement.

6. Independent school pay in Victoria

Independent school pay in Victoria varies significantly and cannot be summarised as a single scale. Each school sets its own terms, usually through an individual enterprise agreement negotiated with staff and/or the IEU VicTas.

Legal minimum — the Award

All teachers not covered by a school enterprise agreement fall back on the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 (minimum rates, effective 1 July 2025):

[Source: Fair Work Australia, Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, 2025 rates] These are legal minimums. Most Victorian independent schools pay above Award, particularly those with enterprise agreements.

In practice

• Most independent schools with enterprise agreements pay within 5–10% of government rates, or above
• Elite schools (such as those in the AHIGS or APS groups) typically pay at or above the top of the government scale
• Smaller non-systemic independent schools may pay at or closer to Award
• Independent school contracts often include additional conditions; review any package offer holistically (non-contact time, professional learning budget, salary packaging options)

When comparing an independent school offer to a government role, raise the following with the school:

7. Allowances and additional payments

Beyond base salary, government school teachers may receive: [Source: Victorian DET, PAL Allowances, 2025]

The remote area allowances are modest, sitting significantly lower than equivalent payments in NT, WA, or Queensland. Victoria's primary financial mechanism for attracting teachers to regional and rural schools is the separate TFI program.

Targeted Financial Incentives (TFI) — up to $50,000

The Targeted Financial Incentives (TFI) program offers payments of up to $50,000 before tax for teachers who accept roles at hard-to-staff rural and regional schools. [Source: Victorian DET, Targeted Financial Incentives program page]

TFI positions are advertised through School Jobs Vic; filter by role type "Targeted Financial Incentive". For enquiries: sr.financial.incentives@education.vic.gov.au.

8. Take-home pay — two examples

These are estimates based on 2025–26 ATO income tax brackets and standard assumptions. They do not account for HECS-HELP debt, salary packaging, or additional allowances.

9. How Victoria compares to other states

As at 1 July 2025:

[Source: respective state DET salary publications, mid-2025]

The gap between VIC and NSW has historically been the most acute interstate comparison for teacher pay. At graduate level, the $13,293 differential (mid-2025) has driven teacher movement across the border, a well-documented issue in Victoria's workforce planning. The in-principle agreement directly targets this: bringing the VIC graduate rate to ~$92,882 (NSW parity) from October 2026 is a central stated objective of the deal.

At the experienced teacher level, the projected $151,419 top of classroom scale (2029) would exceed current NSW rates by approximately $19,440. Whether this follows through depends on the final ratified agreement and any subsequent NSW increases over the same period.

For teachers currently weighing a move interstate: the gap with NSW remains real under current rates. A teacher considering VIC from NSW should factor in the expected backpay and the new rates from October 2026 when evaluating offers. A VIC teacher considering NSW should verify whether the in-principle agreement has been formally ratified before making a decision based on projected VIC rates. Browse current VIC teaching jobs to see what's available right now.

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