Architects Award pay rates
Award code MA000079, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 8 adult classifications under the Architects Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $1,004.90 to $1,604.80 a week before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$1,004.90a week
For 21 years of age and over. Up 6.00% from $948.00.
Its lowest adult rate is $1,004.90 a week, the same as the National Minimum Wage. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 14 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars a week, from 1 July 2026- EntryLevel 1, Graduate of Architecture$1,307.20
- 1st pay pointLevel 1, Graduate of Architecture$1,376.30
- 2nd pay pointLevel 1, Graduate of Architecture$1,445.40
- Experienced Graduate of ArchitectureLevel 2(a), Experienced Graduate of Architecture$1,511.30
- EntryLevel 2(b), Registered Architect$1,511.30
- 1st pay pointLevel 2(b), Registered Architect$1,558.00
- 2nd pay pointLevel 2(b), Registered Architect$1,604.80
- 21 years of age and over$1,004.90
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Entry.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$34.40 |
| Overtime | 150%$51.60 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Annual rates are full-time salaries; weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
Other classificationsClause 13.1
| Classification | Annual | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1, Graduate of ArchitectureEntry | $68,191 | $1,307.20 | $34.40 | $43.00 |
| Level 1, Graduate of Architecture1st pay point | $71,798 | $1,376.30 | $36.22 | $45.28 |
| Level 1, Graduate of Architecture2nd pay point | $75,401 | $1,445.40 | $38.04 | $47.55 |
| Level 2(a), Experienced Graduate of ArchitectureExperienced Graduate of Architecture | $78,838 | $1,511.30 | $39.77 | $49.71 |
| Level 2(b), Registered ArchitectEntry | $78,838 | $1,511.30 | $39.77 | $49.71 |
| Level 2(b), Registered Architect1st pay point | $81,276 | $1,558.00 | $41.00 | $51.25 |
| Level 2(b), Registered Architect2nd pay point | $83,716 | $1,604.80 | $42.23 | $52.79 |
Students of ArchitectureClause 13.5(b)
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| 21 years of age and over | $1,004.90 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Full-time and part-time employees
Dollars an hour at Entry
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$34.40 |
| Overtime | 150%$51.60 |
Casual employees
Dollars an hour at Entry
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$43.00 |
Allowances paid on top
No allowance is set for the work itself, and 2 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle allowanceClause 15.2 | $1.00 a km |
| Fares, travelling expenses and travelling time allowance, economy air travel, mealClause 15.3(a)(ii) | $12.57 per meal period |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Architects Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $1,004.90 a week, for 21 years of age and over. The highest adult classification is $1,604.80 a week.
- How does the Architects Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $1,004.90 a week, the same as the National Minimum Wage. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 14 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Architects Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 6.00%, from $948.00 to $1,004.90 a week, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Architects Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements.
- What allowances are paid under the Architects Award?
- 2 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a vehicle allowance of $1.00 a km and a fares, travelling expenses and travelling time allowance, economy air travel, meal of $12.57 per meal period. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.