Occupational Therapist Salary in Australia (2026)
Published 5 Oct 2026 · Last updated 5 Oct 2026
If you're weighing up a career as an occupational therapist — or deciding whether to change employers — the first question is always the same: what does an OT actually earn in Australia in 2026?
The short answer: most occupational therapists in Australia earn between $76,000 and $115,000 plus superannuation, with new graduates starting around $76k–$85k and senior clinicians, principals, and managers passing $130k in some settings. Private practice and NDIS roles often sit above the public-sector scale, and locum rates can be dramatically higher again.
Below is a detailed breakdown by career stage, state, and work setting — drawn from the live listings on OTJobs.au, public-sector enterprise agreements, and award minimums. Figures are indicative market ranges as at October 2026; always confirm current award rates with the Fair Work Commission and the enterprise agreement that covers your employer.
OT salary by career stage (2026)
| Career stage | Typical salary (excl. super) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New graduate | $76,000 – $85,000 | Public-sector Level 1/OT1 scales; grad programs often at the lower end with structured supervision as the trade-off |
| Experienced clinician (2–6 years) | $88,000 – $105,000 | The widest band — varies heavily by setting (see below) |
| Senior clinician (Level 3 / senior OT) | $100,000 – $115,000 | Usually requires clinical supervision or complex-caseload responsibility |
| Principal OT / team leader | $110,000 – $125,000 | Common in public health and larger NDIS providers |
| Manager / head of department | $120,000 – $140,000+ | Private practice owners and agency directors can exceed this |
Remember that employer superannuation (12% from 1 July 2025, per the ATO) is paid on top of these figures, and many health-sector roles offer salary packaging, which can add the equivalent of several thousand dollars a year after tax.
The award floor: SCHADS minimum rates (from 1 July 2026)
OTs working in community services, disability, and home care are covered by the SCHADS Award (MA000100), which classifies degree-qualified allied health professionals at Levels 4–8. These are legal minimums — the floor, not the market:
| SCHADS level | Annual minimum (top pay point, from 1 July 2026) | Typical OT mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | ≈ $75,200 | Entry/degree-qualified allied health roles |
| Level 5 | ≈ $80,500 | Experienced practitioner |
| Level 6 | ≈ $86,000 | Senior practitioner / specialist |
| Level 7 | ≈ $91,500 | Coordinator / senior specialist |
| Level 8 | ≈ $97,000 | Manager-level positions |
Market rates for OTs — especially in private practice and the NDIS — run well above these floors, which is why the market ranges above start where the award tops out.
OT salary by state
Public-sector OT pay is set by each state's enterprise agreements, so geography matters — though the gap narrows once you account for cost of living and remote incentives.
| State | Typical range (excl. super) | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| NSW / ACT | $78,000 – $115,000 | NSW Health scales; strong NDIS market in Sydney |
| Victoria | $76,000 – $112,000 | Largest public health network; competitive private paediatric market |
| Queensland | $78,000 – $115,000 | Queensland Health + regional incentives in remote communities |
| Western Australia | $80,000 – $120,000 | Country allowances and regional incentives lift the top end |
| South Australia | $75,000 – $110,000 | Slightly lower ceilings; strong community health sector |
| Tasmania / NT | $75,000 – $115,000 | Remote incentives and locum demand can out-earn metro rates |
Does the work setting change the pay?
Significantly. The same OT can be paid $15k–$25k differently depending on where they practise:
- Public health (hospitals, community health): award- and EBA-driven scales with predictable progression, generous leave, and salary packaging. Lower ceiling, high security.
- NDIS and private practice: the fastest-growing segment. Experienced NDIS OTs commonly earn $85k–$110k with performance bonuses (billable-hour KPIs), and providers increasingly offer RDOs, admin support, and professional development budgets to compete with public pay.
- Aged care: $80k–$100k typical, with residential and home-care providers competing on flexibility and manageable caseloads.
- Schools and early intervention: term-time flexibility in some roles; pay roughly tracks the private NDIS market.
- Locum and travel: the outlier. Locum OTs are typically paid hourly — commonly $50–$75/hour for standard roles, and more in rural and remote placements where accommodation and travel are included. Annualised, a full-time locum can out-earn a permanent senior role, without leave accruals.
What actually lifts an OT's pay?
- Billable capability. In private and NDIS settings, OTs who can carry a functional-assessment or assistive-technology caseload independently are the scarcest — and best paid.
- Endorsements. Mental health endorsement, driving assessment certification, and complex-home-modification experience all command premiums.
- Supervision skills. Senior roles in both public and private sectors increasingly pay for the ability to supervise new graduates — a direct consequence of the graduate intake boom.
- Location. Remote and regional incentives (especially QLD, WA, NT) can add $10k–$20k equivalent value via allowances, housing, and travel.
How employers set OT salaries
Most Australian employers anchor to one of three anchors: the SCHADS award minimum (community and disability), a state health enterprise agreement (public), or "market rate" benchmarking (private). If a job ad doesn't show a salary, that's usually a signal the range is negotiable — ask. Listings with clear salary ranges consistently attract more applicants.
Hiring an OT? Post your role on OTJobs.au — listings are reviewed the same business day and seen by job-ready clinicians.
Method and caveats
Market ranges reflect advertised salaries and public agreements observed as at October 2026. They are indicative, not a wage ruling: individual offers vary with experience, endorsement, and employer. SCHADS minimums are from the current MA000100 wage tables effective 1 July 2026 (annualised from weekly pay points). Check the current SCHADS award and your state's public health agreement for binding rates.
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