Federal Pay Hub
Australian Federal Government Salary Guide
Browse every stream, pay scale, and enterprise agreement for federal public service employees in one place.
Select Your Classification Cohort
Federal Cohort
APS Classification Levels 1–6
Salary ranges, increments, 15.4% super, and take-home pay for APS 1 to APS 6 levels.
Federal Cohort
Executive Level 1 & 2
Remuneration packages, Director responsibilities, and flexible conditions for EL 1 & EL 2.
Federal Cohort
Senior Executive Service Bands 1–3
APSC executive determinations, leadership frameworks, and benefits for SES Bands 1–3.
Federal Cohort
Federal Executive
Official salary information, agency comparisons, and guides for Australian Government Executive (EL & SES) roles.
Federal Cohort
Federal Administrative
Official salary information, agency comparisons, and guides for Australian Government Administrative roles.
Federal Cohort
Federal Finance
Official salary information, agency comparisons, and guides for Australian Government Finance roles.
Federal Cohort
Federal Science
Explore Australian Government science careers, APS salary levels, graduate pathways, CSIRO, ANSTO, Geoscience Australia, Bureau of Meteorology salaries, allowances, career progression and agency guides.
Understanding the Commonwealth Public Sector
The Australian Government employs over 170,000 people under the Public Service Act 1999 in various departments, national agencies, and statutory authorities. The overall workforce structure is defined by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and utilizes a tiered classification system designed to reflect different degrees of work complexity, strategic value, and leadership accountability.
To support transparency, federal salaries are published regularly through agency Enterprise Agreements (EAs) and compile under baseline remuneration guidelines. These guidelines establish the pay ranges for the three main employment categories: standard APS employees, the Executive Level middle management, and the Senior Executive Service.
The Three Pillars of the APSC Framework
Remuneration and job requirements vary significantly across these streams:
- APS Stream (APS 1 to APS 6): The backbone of commonwealth administration, project implementation, and direct service delivery. APS staff are covered by standard working hours and are generally entitled to overtime or shift penalty rates.
- Executive Level Stream (EL 1 & EL 2): Middle managers, team directors, and technical experts. EL staff bear strategic accountability for section performance, policy briefs, and program execution. They work on a salaried package basis rather than hourly overtime.
- Senior Executive Service Stream (SES Bands 1 to 3): The leadership division responsible for statutory governance, agency vision, and ministerial support. SES remuneration is governed by separate executive determinations rather than standard EAs.
Key Remuneration Benefits
The primary differentiator for Australian Government employment is the 15.4% employer superannuation contribution, which is paid on top of the base salary. In contrast to private sector standard rates, this contribution offers massive wealth accumulation benefits over long-term public service careers.
Additionally, the APSC framework supports hybrid work patterns, structured study assistance, parental leave, and Individual Flexibility Arrangements (IFAs) to remain competitive with the corporate sector for critical digital, legal, and financial skillsets.
Federal Pay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between APS, EL, and SES classification streams?
The Australian Public Service is split into three main streams: APS 1–6 represents operational, customer service, and project support roles; EL 1–2 (Executive Levels) comprises middle management and technical specialists who lead sections and advise directors; SES (Senior Executive Service Bands 1–3) consists of the senior leadership cohort responsible for divisional strategy, national program delivery, and direct advice to cabinet ministers.
Do all federal government agencies follow the exact same pay scales?
No. Each federal department and agency (e.g., ATO, Services Australia, Defence) negotiates its own Enterprise Agreement (EA) with staff. As a result, pay scales for the same level (e.g., an APS 6) can vary by $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the agency's funding, location, and specific work conditions.
What is the standard employer superannuation rate for federal employees?
The standard employer super contribution for commonwealth public servants under the Public Service Act is 15.4%. This is significantly higher than the standard private-sector Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate of 11.5% and is paid in addition to the base salary.
How does salary advancement work within federal classification bands?
Salary progression occurs through annual increment advancement. On completing a successful performance cycle, employees move up one pay step (or 'increment point') within their current field (e.g., from APS 5 Step 1 to Step 2). Moving to a higher classification (e.g., EL 1) requires applying for a vacancy through a merit-based selection process.
Are federal public service salaries indexed to inflation?
Salaries are adjusted periodically through pay increases negotiated under each agency's Enterprise Agreement. EAs typically outline scheduled annual increases (e.g., 3.0% or 3.5% per year) rather than direct inflation indexing.
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Page last updated 1 July 2026 · Sourced from APSC Remuneration reports.