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Salary Early Childhood Teacher Australia | Australian Early Childhood Teacher Salaries

Average Early Childhood Teacher Salary / Wages

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Salary and wage information for early childhood teachers is compiled regularly by analysis of Australian jobs advertised in major publications. Salaries are annual unless otherwise stated.

The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations Code (ANZSCO) is 241111 for early childhood (pre-primary school) teachers.

Job titles and exact tasks vary in this work and examples of some occupation titles are kindergarten teacher, early childhood teacher and pre-primary school teacher.

This occupation is currently on the Australian Combined Skilled Occupation List, (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, MLTSSL).

The average weekly full-time ordinary earnings in Education and Training in mid 2018 were $1,741, giving an annual income of approximately $90,500. This was 3.5% higher than in mid 2017.*

Data supplied from Indeed over the past 36 months, based on over 1,600 salaries, estimated that the average salary for a preschool teacher was $66,457 per year in Australia.

Early Childhood Teacher Salaries / Wages in 2018

Job TitleSalary / Wage $Location
Early Childhood Teacher

30 – 40 per hour Sydney, New South Wales
University Qualified Early Childhood Teacher

75,000 – 85,000 Sydney, New South Wales
Bachelor of Early Education Leader

55,000 -65,000 Sydney, New South Wales
Centre Director and Early Childhood Teacher

68,000 – 88,000 Sydney, New South Wales
Kindergarten Teacher

67,000 Melbourne, Victoria
Early Childhood Teacher – ECT – Kindergarten

69,000 – 73,500 Mildura & Murray, Victoria
Diploma Qualified Early Childhood Educator & Casual / Relief Educators

20 – 30 per hour Canberra, ACT
Permanent Full Time Early Childhood Professional

70,000 – 75,000 Adelaide, South Australia
Early Childhood Teacher and Senior Educator

60,000 – 75,000 Brisbane, Queensland
Diploma Qualified & ECT (Early Childhood Teacher)

55,000 Perth, Western Australia

*Source:ABS

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Comments

  1. Julia says

    December 30, 2018 at 7:00 am

    Hi there.. I can’t seem to find any concrete answers so hoping someone can help me. I am a diploma qualified (uk) nursery Practitioner/ nursery nurse whatever you want to call it and have been qualified and working in this profession since 2014. Is this what they would call an early childhood teacher in Australia? Thanks in advance for any answers you can provide.

    Reply
    • Jodie says

      February 17, 2021 at 2:01 pm

      Unfortunately not. ECT requires a bachelors degree in early childhood.
      You are (very nearly) equivalent to a diploma qualified ECE (Early childhood educator) but would likely be required to complete additional units on indigenous culture to have your qualification recognised as an Australian diploma

      Reply
  2. Barbara says

    March 8, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    I am interested to know why there is such a difference between Queensland and the rest of Australia in how Early Childhood (Bachelor qualified) teachers or as Queensland Day Care centres describe these qualified teachers — Room Leaders. Kindergarten, Early Childhood students are only catered for in child care centres unless you are lucky enough to get a teaching position in a private school. how was this allowed to happen? Has gaining a Degree in Early childhood become a waste of time? My daughter is now 3 years post grad and still being underpaid by her employer. A main component of her job has become as a cleaner for the centre as they don’t employ cleaning staff. What do you suggest? Should she make a complaint against this employer? She is shown no respect what-so-ever. It seems the the Child Care industry in Queensland has been allowed to go backwards in regards to how children are educated and how the qualified people with the responsibility of caring for them are so undervalued and underpaid. She is unhappy and just wants to not only care but also teach now and be valued as a staff member and a qualified one!

    Reply
  3. Vanessa says

    January 21, 2018 at 12:44 am

    Hi!
    I’m thinking about the possibility of moving to Australia in the future.
    I have a college degree in childhood education from Portugal and I have 8 years of experience as a kindergarten teacher and my pupils have ages between 1 to 6 along these 8 years.
    Any information that you can give me regarding my qualifications down there and what I would need to do in order to secure a job would be appreciated.
    Best regards

    Reply
  4. Gina Barry says

    October 23, 2017 at 8:50 pm

    Hi I recently got awarded an ECT certificate approved by Acecqa, however I am not being paid the same salary as the other ECT holders in my centre as I am not working in the kindergarten rooms, however I have been asked to be a room leader? Is this normal? As well as that I have been listed as an unqualified assistant even though i was granted a Diploma certificate 28 Aug to which I appealed and my ECT award October 4th? Am i entitled to be backpaid?

    Reply
    • Barbara REES says

      March 8, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      Hi Gina. Did you receive a reply? I am interested to know too. (see comment above )

      Reply
  5. Burgs says

    January 17, 2017 at 9:05 am

    Would like to see Tasmania’s pay rate. I was on a little over $40,000 for a 4 year qualified ECT. Not worth working for a degree to get that pay down here.

    Reply
  6. Dee says

    August 31, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    HI. I will be finishing my degree in ECE in NewZealand and is planning to move to Perth with my family and I’m wondering what is the starting rate for a newly graduate in Perth?

    Reply
  7. Sweedle Steven Dsouza says

    June 17, 2016 at 6:26 pm

    Hi I am recently finish my Early Childhood Teacher level 5 course if i want to work in Canberra as a ECE reliever teacher what is the starting rate for this job

    Reply
  8. Anicet wall says

    March 22, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    I am the ECT at the daycare with bachelor in children,s services and cert 4 in TAA, andwork as a full time director at 34 places in NT.what should be my approximate rate to be getting.

    Reply
  9. Melissa Martin says

    December 19, 2015 at 6:29 am

    Hi I have just finished my 4 year bachelor or education/primary. Would the wage of an ECT working in a childcare setting with a kinder room be less than that of a kinder setting alone?

    Reply
  10. Priet says

    April 10, 2015 at 10:24 am

    Hi
    I am a Registered early childhood educator also a Canadian citizen .
    also working in Licensed child care since last 5 years .
    I have a few questions.
    Do my credentials transfer to Australia?
    If so how difficult is it to get a work visa?
    Can I apply for the job when I get there? or do I need to have a job secure before then?

    Thank you for your consideration

    Reply
  11. Cara says

    October 8, 2014 at 1:31 am

    To be an early childhood teacher you need to have a 3+ years uni degree. You do not require a degree to work in child care however the pay is less. Most people with early childhood degrees work in formal schools as the pay is better. For this you need at least a 4 year degree.

    Reply
    • Iris says

      May 13, 2018 at 1:28 am

      Do you need a degree in education to work in a formal school or just a 4 year uni. Degree?

      Reply
  12. Andrea says

    September 29, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    Hi,

    I am seriously thinking about moving to Australia, I am a Child Minder back here in the UK and have run my own successful business for the last 10 years, I am just wondering how easy it would be for me to get a job as a Early Childhood Teacher, and what is need for me to be able to do this.

    Many Thanks.

    Reply
  13. Nicole Tolsma says

    April 11, 2014 at 3:17 am

    I too am a Canadian possibly moving to Australia in the future.
    I have been in ECE field for 13 years and have had 10 years experience as either an assistant director or director of various child care centres.
    Any information that you can share with me regarding my qualifications down there and I would need to do in order to secure a job, that would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

    Reply
  14. Nicholas says

    December 30, 2013 at 5:33 pm

    I am a registered Early Childhood Educator in Canada, with 4 years experience.
    I have a few questions.
    Do my credentials transfer to Australia?
    If so how difficult is it to get a work visa?
    Can I apply for the job when I get there? or do I need to have a job secure before then?

    Thank you for your consideration

    Reply

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