Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020 — Pay Rates July 2026
Minimum pay rates effective 1 July 2026 under the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020. All rates verified directly against the official Fair Work Commission pay guide published 24 June 2026.
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Effective 1 July 2026 · Adult rates only · Source: Fair Work Commission
| Classification | Full-time / Part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| HEW 1 | $27.24/hr | $34.05/hr |
| HEW 1.2 | $27.65/hr | $34.56/hr |
| HEW 1.3 | $28.05/hr | $35.06/hr |
| HEW 1 PACCT | $28.16/hr | $35.20/hr |
| HEW 2 | $28.55/hr | $35.69/hr |
| HEW 1.2 PACCT | $28.59/hr | $35.74/hr |
| HEW 2.2 | $28.97/hr | $36.21/hr |
| HEW 1.3 PACCT | $29.01/hr | $36.26/hr |
| HEW 2 PACCT | $29.52/hr | $36.90/hr |
| HEW 3 | $29.57/hr | $36.96/hr |
| HEW 2.2 PACCT | $29.96/hr | $37.45/hr |
| HEW 3.2 | $30.09/hr | $37.61/hr |
| HEW 3 PACCT | $30.58/hr | $38.23/hr |
| HEW 3.3 | $30.60/hr | $38.25/hr |
| HEW 3.2 PACCT | $31.11/hr | $38.89/hr |
| HEW 3.4 | $31.11/hr | $38.89/hr |
| HEW 3.5 | $31.53/hr | $39.41/hr |
| HEW 3.3 PACCT | $31.64/hr | $39.55/hr |
| HEW 3.4 PACCT | $32.17/hr | $40.21/hr |
| HEW 4 | $32.22/hr | $40.28/hr |
| HEW 3.5 PACCT | $32.61/hr | $40.76/hr |
| HEW 4.2 | $32.81/hr | $41.01/hr |
| HEW 4 PACCT | $33.31/hr | $41.64/hr |
| HEW 4.3 | $33.41/hr | $41.76/hr |
| HEW 5 | $33.87/hr | $42.34/hr |
| HEW 4.2 PACCT | $33.93/hr | $42.41/hr |
| HEW 4.3 PACCT | $34.55/hr | $43.19/hr |
| HEW 5.2 | $34.57/hr | $43.21/hr |
| HEW 5 PACCT | $35.02/hr | $43.78/hr |
| HEW 5.3 | $35.03/hr | $43.79/hr |
| HEW 5.4 | $35.73/hr | $44.66/hr |
| HEW 5.2 PACCT | $35.75/hr | $44.69/hr |
| HEW 5.3 PACCT | $36.22/hr | $45.28/hr |
| HEW 5.5 | $36.43/hr | $45.54/hr |
| HEW 5.4 PACCT | $36.95/hr | $46.19/hr |
| HEW 6 | $37.30/hr | $46.63/hr |
| HEW 5.5 PACCT | $37.67/hr | $47.09/hr |
| HEW 6.2 | $38.00/hr | $47.50/hr |
| HEW 6 PACCT | $38.57/hr | $48.21/hr |
| HEW 6.3 | $38.61/hr | $48.26/hr |
| HEW 6.2 PACCT | $39.29/hr | $49.11/hr |
| HEW 6.4 | $39.31/hr | $49.14/hr |
| HEW 6.3 PACCT | $39.92/hr | $49.90/hr |
| HEW 7 | $40.11/hr | $50.14/hr |
| HEW 6.4 PACCT | $40.65/hr | $50.81/hr |
| HEW 7.2 | $40.96/hr | $51.20/hr |
| HEW 7 PACCT | $41.47/hr | $51.84/hr |
| HEW 7.3 | $41.82/hr | $52.28/hr |
| HEW 7.2 PACCT | $42.36/hr | $52.95/hr |
| HEW 7.4 | $42.67/hr | $53.34/hr |
| HEW 7.3 PACCT | $43.24/hr | $54.05/hr |
| HEW 8 | $43.69/hr | $54.61/hr |
| HEW 7.4 PACCT | $44.12/hr | $55.15/hr |
| HEW 8.2 | $45.06/hr | $56.33/hr |
| HEW 8 PACCT | $45.18/hr | $56.48/hr |
| HEW 8.3 | $46.42/hr | $58.03/hr |
| HEW 8.2 PACCT | $46.59/hr | $58.24/hr |
| HEW 8.4 | $47.79/hr | $59.74/hr |
| HEW 8.3 PACCT | $48.00/hr | $60.00/hr |
| HEW 9 | $49.24/hr | $61.55/hr |
| HEW 8.4 PACCT | $49.42/hr | $61.78/hr |
| HEW 9.2 | $50.61/hr | $63.26/hr |
| HEW 9 PACCT | $50.92/hr | $63.65/hr |
| HEW 9.3 | $51.97/hr | $64.96/hr |
| HEW 10 | $52.06/hr | $65.08/hr |
| HEW 9.2 PACCT | $52.33/hr | $65.41/hr |
| HEW 9.3 PACCT | $53.74/hr | $67.18/hr |
| HEW 10 PACCT | $53.83/hr | $67.29/hr |
Junior, apprentice & trainee rates
Reduced rates that apply by age, apprenticeship year or training stage — check which classification matches your situation.
| Classification | Full-time / Part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 1 (no yr12) | $14.79/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 1 (no yr12) | $14.79/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (no yr12) - Stage 1 | $14.79/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 1 (no yr12) | $14.79/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 1 (yr12) | $16.26/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 3yr - Stage 1 | $16.26/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 1 (yr12) | $16.26/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (yr12) - Stage 1 | $16.26/hr | — |
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 1 (yr12) | $16.26/hr | — |
| Apprentice Cooking - 1st year | $16.27/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 2 (no yr12) | $17.74/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 2 (no yr12) | $17.74/hr | — |
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 2 (no yr12) | $17.74/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (no yr12) - Stage 2 | $17.74/hr | — |
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 2 (yr12) | $19.22/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 2 (yr12) | $19.22/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 2 (yr12) | $19.22/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (yr12) - Stage 2 | $19.22/hr | — |
| Apprentice Cooking - 2nd year | $19.22/hr | — |
| Apprentice Waiting - 1st six months | $20.70/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 3 | $22.18/hr | — |
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 3 | $22.18/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (no yr12) - Stage 3 | $22.18/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 3yr - Stage 2 | $22.18/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (yr12) - Stage 3 | $22.18/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 3 | $22.47/hr | — |
| Apprentice Cooking - 3rd year | $23.66/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Metal & Engineering - Stage 1 | $23.66/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Electrical - Stage 1 | $23.66/hr | — |
| Apprentice Electrical - Stage 4 | $25.13/hr | — |
| Apprentice Waiting - 2nd six months | $25.14/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (no yr12) - Stage 4 | $26.02/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 3yr - Stage 3 | $26.61/hr | — |
| Apprentice Building 4yr - Stage 4 | $26.61/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Electrical - Stage 4 | $27.24/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Building - All stages | $27.24/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Electrical - Stage 2 | $27.24/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Electrical - Stage 3 | $27.24/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Metal & Engineering - Stage 2 | $27.24/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Metal & Engineering - Stage 3 | $27.65/hr | — |
| Adult Apprentice Metal & Engineering - Stage 4 | $28.05/hr | — |
| Apprentice Metal & Engineering (yr12) - Stage 4 | $28.05/hr | — |
| Apprentice Cooking - 4th year | $28.10/hr | — |
| Apprentice Waiting - 3rd six months | $28.41/hr | — |
| Apprentice Plumbing - Stage 4 | $28.98/hr | — |
| Apprentice Waiting - 4th six months | $28.99/hr | — |
Penalty rates — HEW 1
Full-time/part-time and casual rates often differ — casual employees receive a higher percentage on top of the 25% casual loading.
| When | Full-time / Part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Evening | $31.33/hr 115% | $38.14/hr 112% |
| Night | $35.41/hr 130% | $42.22/hr 124% |
| Saturday | $40.86/hr 150% | $47.67/hr 140% |
| Sunday | $54.48/hr 200% | $61.29/hr 180% |
| Overtime (first 2 hrs) | $40.86/hr 150% | $40.86/hr 120% |
| Overtime (after 2 hrs) | $54.48/hr 200% | $54.48/hr 160% |
| Sunday overtime | $54.48/hr 200% | $54.48/hr 160% |
| Public holiday overtime | $68.10/hr 250% | $68.10/hr 200% |
Common questions about the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award
What is the minimum wage under the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award?
The minimum full-time rate under the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award from 1 July 2026 is $27.24 per hour. Casual employees receive an additional 25% loading, making the minimum casual rate $34.05 per hour.
What is the casual loading under the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award?
Casual employees receive a 25% casual loading on top of the base rate, which compensates for the lack of paid leave entitlements. Casual penalty rates for weekends, evenings and public holidays are usually higher again than the full-time/part-time penalty rates - not just the base rate plus 25% - so check the specific casual figures in the table above rather than estimating.
When did the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award rates last change?
Current rates took effect 1 July 2026 following the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review decision, which applied a 4.75% increase to Modern Award minimum rates (the National Minimum Wage floor for award-free workers rose separately, by 5.97%, to $26.44/hr). Rates are reviewed and updated every 1 July.
What happens if my employer pays me less than the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award minimum?
Paying below the award minimum is a breach of the Fair Work Act 2009. You can report underpayment to the Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au or call 13 13 94. Investigations are free and you may be entitled to back pay for up to 6 years.
Check your pay against these rates
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Start free wage checkAll rates sourced from Fair Work Commission pay guides effective 1 July 2026. Rates verified against official FWC published documents and updated annually on 1 July. This is factual information only — not legal advice. FairLanding (ABN 34 583 311 963) operates under Section 280 of the Migration Act 1958. For advice specific to your situation, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au or 13 13 94.