Pharmacy Industry Award pay rates
Award code MA000012, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 14 adult classifications under the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $27.81 to $52.15 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$27.81an hour
For Pharmacy assistant level 1. $1,056.80 for a full-time week. Up 4.75% from $26.55. Casuals get $34.76 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $27.81 an hour, 5.2% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 22 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Pharmacy assistant level 1$27.81
- Pharmacy student, 1st year of course$27.81
- Pharmacy assistant level 2$28.45
- Pharmacy student, 2nd year of course$28.45
- Pharmacy assistant level 3$29.45
- Pharmacy student, 3rd year of course$29.45
- Pharmacy assistant level 4$30.66
- Pharmacy student, 4th year of course$30.66
- Pharmacy intern, 1st half of training$33.99
- Pharmacy intern, 2nd half of training$35.14
- Pharmacist$41.74
- Experienced pharmacist$45.72
- Pharmacist in charge$46.80
- Pharmacist manager$52.15
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 Pharmacy assistant level 1.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - 8.00 am to 7.00 pm | 100%$27.81 | 125%$34.76 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Evening 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm | 125%$34.76 | 150%$41.72 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Evening 9.00 pm to midnight | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Morning 7.00 am to 8.00 am | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy assistant level 1 | $1,056.80 | $27.81 | $34.76 |
| Pharmacy student, 1st year of course | $1,056.80 | $27.81 | $34.76 |
| Pharmacy assistant level 2 | $1,081.00 | $28.45 | $35.56 |
| Pharmacy student, 2nd year of course | $1,081.00 | $28.45 | $35.56 |
| Pharmacy assistant level 3 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Pharmacy student, 3rd year of course | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Pharmacy assistant level 4 | $1,165.10 | $30.66 | $38.33 |
| Pharmacy student, 4th year of course | $1,165.10 | $30.66 | $38.33 |
| Pharmacy intern, 1st half of training | $1,291.50 | $33.99 | $42.49 |
| Pharmacy intern, 2nd half of training | $1,335.50 | $35.14 | $43.93 |
| Pharmacist | $1,586.30 | $41.74 | $52.18 |
| Experienced pharmacist | $1,737.40 | $45.72 | $57.15 |
| Pharmacist in charge | $1,778.40 | $46.80 | $58.50 |
| Pharmacist manager | $1,981.60 | $52.15 | $65.19 |
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
Adult employees: penalty rates for Monday to Friday
Dollars an hour at Pharmacy assistant level 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - 8.00 am to 7.00 pm | 100%$27.81 | 125%$34.76 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Evening 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm | 125%$34.76 | 150%$41.72 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Evening 9.00 pm to midnight | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
| Ordinary hours Monday to Friday - Morning 7.00 am to 8.00 am | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
Adult employees: penalty rates for Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
Dollars an hour at Pharmacy assistant level 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday - Between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm | 125%$34.76 | 150%$41.72 |
| Saturday - Between 6.00 pm and 9.00 pm | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
| Sunday - Between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm | 150%$41.72 | 175%$48.67 |
| Saturday - Between 9.00 pm and midnight | 175%$48.67 | 200%$55.62 |
| Saturday - Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am | 200%$55.62 | 225%$62.57 |
| Sunday - Before 7.00 am and after 9.00 pm | 200%$55.62 | 225%$62.57 |
| Public holidays - All day | 225%$62.57 | 250%$69.53 |
Overtime
All adult employees: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Pharmacy assistant level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - First 2 hours | 150%$41.72 |
| Monday to Saturday - After 2 hours | 200%$55.62 |
| Sunday | 200%$55.62 |
| Public holiday | 250%$69.53 |
Allowances paid on top
2 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 5 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.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Home medicine reviews or residential medication management reviewsClause 19.2 | $106.40 a week |
| Broken Hill allowanceClause 19.9 | $47.90 a week |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance | ||
| Overtime which exceeds 1.5 hoursClause 19.3(b)(i) | $24.72 each time | |
| Overtime which exceeds 4 hoursClause 19.3(c) | $22.15 each time | |
| Special clothing allowance | ||
| Full-time employeeClause 19.5(b)(i) | $6.42 a week | |
| Part-time or casual employeeClause 19.5(b)(ii) | $1.28 a shift | |
| Motor vehicle allowanceClause 19.7 | $1.01 a km | |
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 Pharmacy Industry Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $27.81 an hour ($1,056.80 a week full time), for Pharmacy assistant level 1. The highest adult classification is $52.15 an hour.
- How does the Pharmacy Industry Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $27.81 an hour, 5.2% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 22 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Pharmacy Industry Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $26.55 to $27.81 an hour, 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 Pharmacy Industry Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Pharmacy assistant level 1 that makes $34.76 an hour.
- What are Sunday rates under the Pharmacy Industry Award?
- Full-time and part-time employees get 150% to 200% of the ordinary rate on Sunday. Public holidays are 225%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
- What allowances are paid under the Pharmacy Industry Award?
- 7 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a home medicine reviews or residential medication management reviews of $106.40 a week and a Broken Hill allowance of $47.90 a week. 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.