NDIS Support Worker Pay Rates 2026-27: SCHADS Wages Explained
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An NDIS support worker’s wage is not the price a provider charges a participant. For example, the current SCHADS social and community services Level 2, pay point 1 base rate is $36.22 per hour. The correct rate for your job depends on the award or agreement, stream, classification, pay point and shift.
Quick Rate Lookup
These are selected permanent ordinary-time hourly rates for the social and community services stream, including the applicable equal remuneration adjustment. They are not a universal wage range for every disability or home-care job.
| Classification | Pay point 1 | Pay point 2 | Pay point 3 | Pay point 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 | $36.22 | $37.36 | $38.50 | $39.53 |
| Level 3 | $40.49 | $41.66 | $42.55 | $43.42 |
| Level 4 | $46.70 | $47.92 | $49.16 | $50.25 |
Source checked 9 September 2026: SCHADS Award MA000100, clause 15 and equal remuneration table. Higher classifications and other streams have different rates. Use the Fair Work pay guides for the complete table and Pay and Conditions Tool for your circumstances.
What determines your support worker level?
Ask your employer to identify the award or enterprise agreement, classification and pay point in writing. A Certificate III or IV does not automatically settle your classification. Compare your actual duties, responsibility and supervision with the relevant classification description. The award has separate streams, including home care, so a table labelled only “Level 2” can be misleading.
Write down three examples of your regular work before asking payroll to review a classification. For instance: what decisions you make independently, which tasks require supervision and whether you coordinate other workers. This makes the conversation more useful than comparing job titles alone.
Casual, weekend and public holiday pay
Casual loading and shift penalties depend on the applicable award provisions. Do not multiply a casual-loaded rate by a permanent weekend multiplier without checking the official table. Overtime, minimum engagements and allowances can also affect a shift total.
For a simple ordinary weekday example, eight paid hours at the Level 2, pay point 1 permanent base rate are 8 × $36.22 = $289.76 gross, before tax. This example excludes overtime, penalties and allowances. It is not the total employment cost or take-home pay.
The 2026 annual wage review explains the increase and when it applies. Check the first full pay period and any exceptions rather than applying a percentage to an old internet table.
Night Shift Rates
A sleepover and an active overnight shift are different arrangements. Check the written roster, the allowance and how work during a sleepover is paid. Fair Work’s hours-of-work guidance explains the April 2026 sleepover changes. An NDIS sleepover billing item is not a worker’s sleepover allowance.
NDIS Charge Limit vs SCHADS Worker Pay: Side by Side
| Figure | What it describes | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Employee wage | What an employer pays for your work | Applicable award/agreement and payroll |
| Provider price | What the participant is invoiced | Written quote, service agreement and current NDIS pricing |
| Contractor invoice | Business income before expenses and tax | Agreed service rate and business costs |
If you are choosing care, use the NDIS price guide. If you are checking a job, use the SCHADS award pay guide and confirm it against Fair Work. A provider’s hourly charge must also cover costs beyond the employee’s wage; the difference is not automatically profit.
Check a job or payslip
- Confirm whether the arrangement is employment or independent contracting.
- Record the award/agreement, stream, level and pay point.
- Compare the roster with paid hours, breaks, overtime and allowances.
- Check gross pay separately from deductions and superannuation.
- Raise a specific discrepancy with payroll and keep the written response.
Our independent support worker guide explains the business route. Independent workers and providers can join Carevo and identify their role in the app. Registration is not an employment offer or a promise of enquiries.
Frequently asked questions
Are NDIS price limits support worker wages?
No. A provider price is a charge for a service. Employee wages depend on the applicable award or agreement, classification and working arrangements.
Does a Certificate III automatically make me Level 2?
No. Check the classification description and actual role, including duties and supervision. A qualification alone does not determine every worker’s classification.
Are these figures take-home pay?
No. The table contains selected ordinary-time gross hourly rates. Tax, deductions, employment type, penalties and allowances affect the amount paid.
Free tool
Estimate your take-home pay
Work out weekly, monthly and annual income from your shifts, including penalties, casual loading and sleepovers.
Customer Lead · Updated
Gemma is Carevo's Customer Lead. She spent several years working as a support worker before moving into concierge and partnerships roles, so she writes from the frontline of care.
