Victorian Government Schools—Early Childhood—Award pay rates
Award code MA000152, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 22 adult classifications under the Victorian Government Schools—Early Childhood—Award 2016, from 1 July 2026: $54,974 to $79,286 a year before tax.
Lowest adult rate
$54,974a year
For Early Childhood Educator, Level 1. Up 4.75% from $52,481.
Its lowest adult rate is $54,974 a year. Of the 14 awards that set annual rates, 2 have a higher minimum. Each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars a year, from 1 July 2026- Early Childhood Educator, Level 1Category A$54,974
- Sub-division 1Category A$65,559
- Early Childhood Educator, Level 2Category A$55,406
- Sub-division 2Category A$66,420
- Early Childhood Educator, Level 3Category A$55,820
- Sub-division 3Category A$68,599
- Early Childhood Educator, Level 4Category A$56,222
- Sub-division 4Category A$70,567
- Early Childhood Educator, Level 5Category A$56,601
- Sub-division 5Category A$72,072
- Early Childhood Educator, Level 6Category A$57,016
- Sub-division 6Category A$74,627
- Sub-division 7Category A$77,040
- Sub-division 8Category A$79,286
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Sub-division 1Category B$63,450
- Sub-division 2Category B$64,137
- Sub-division 3Category B$65,559
- Sub-division 4Category B$66,420
- Sub-division 5Category B$68,599
- Sub-division 6Category B$70,567
- Sub-division 7Category B$72,072
- Sub-division 8Category B$74,627
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Annual rates are full-time salaries.
| Classification | Annual |
|---|---|
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 1 | $54,974 |
| Category ASub-division 1 | $65,559 |
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 2 | $55,406 |
| Category ASub-division 2 | $66,420 |
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 3 | $55,820 |
| Category ASub-division 3 | $68,599 |
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 4 | $56,222 |
| Category ASub-division 4 | $70,567 |
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 5 | $56,601 |
| Category ASub-division 5 | $72,072 |
| Category AEarly Childhood Educator, Level 6 | $57,016 |
| Category ASub-division 6 | $74,627 |
| Category ASub-division 7 | $77,040 |
| Category ASub-division 8 | $79,286 |
| Category BSub-division 1 | $63,450 |
| Category BSub-division 2 | $64,137 |
| Category BSub-division 3 | $65,559 |
| Category BSub-division 4 | $66,420 |
| Category BSub-division 5 | $68,599 |
| Category BSub-division 6 | $70,567 |
| Category BSub-division 7 | $72,072 |
| Category BSub-division 8 | $74,627 |
The Commission's pay database has no penalty, overtime or casual rates for this award, so they aren't shown here. They're in the award itself, linked below.
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
National Training Wage Level ATrainee ratesClause C.5.1(a)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $566.20 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $877.80 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $566.20 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $877.80 |
| Year 12School leaver | $566.20 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $877.80 |
National Training Wage Level BTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(b)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $848.90 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $848.90 |
| Year 12School leaver | $551.70 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $848.90 |
National Training Wage Level CTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(c)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $776.40 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $776.40 |
| Year 12School leaver | $551.70 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $776.40 |
National Training Wage - AQF Certificate Level IV traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(d)(ii)6 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| First year of traineeshipWage Level C | $805.90 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level B | $881.20 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level A | $911.10 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level C | $836.40 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level B | $914.70 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level A | $945.70 |
National Training Wage - part-time traineeships - Wage Level ATrainee ratesClause C.5.2(a)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.61 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $28.88 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.61 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $28.88 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.61 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $28.88 |
National Training Wage - part-time traineeships - Wage Level BTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(b)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $27.93 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $27.93 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.16 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $27.93 |
National Training Wage - part-time traineeships - Wage Level CTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(c)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $25.53 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $25.53 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.16 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $25.53 |
National Training Wage - School-based traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(d)2 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 11 or lower | $14.21 |
| Year 12 | $15.66 |
National Training Wage - AQF Certificate Level IV traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(e)(ii)6 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| First year of traineeshipWage Level C | $26.51 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level B | $28.99 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level A | $29.98 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level C | $27.52 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level B | $30.08 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level A | $31.10 |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Allowances, 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.
The awards most people look up
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Victorian Government Schools—Early Childhood—Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $54,974 a year, for Early Childhood Educator, Level 1. The highest adult classification is $79,286 a year. Trainee rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Victorian Government Schools—Early Childhood—Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $54,974 a year. Of the 14 awards that set annual rates, 2 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Victorian Government Schools—Early Childhood—Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $52,481 to $54,974 a year, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- 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.