Graduate Occupational Therapist Salary

Graduate Occupational Therapist Salary

One of the questions I get asked most often by OT students and new graduates is what they can expect to earn in their first role. It is a reasonable question, but the answer is not straightforward.

The award rate

An award is a legal document that sets out the minimum pay and conditions for workers in a particular industry or occupation. The same occupation can be covered by more than one award. All OT roles in Australia must pay at least the relevant modern award rate. For many private practice OTs, that is the Health Professionals and Support Services Award. Public sector OTs are typically covered by state-based enterprise agreements, which take the place of the award in those workplaces.

No employer can legally pay below the stated amount in the relevant award. If you are offered a role below the award, raise it with the employer before you accept. You can check exact amount of the current award rates at fairwork.gov.au.

What you will actually earn

Most employers pay above the award rate, and there is significant variation across different sectors and across states.

Public sector and hospital roles offer predictable salaries set by enterprise agreements. These roles are genuinely attractive for many reasons. The clinical experience is excellent, the job security is strong, and the working conditions are well established. Because of that, salaries in these roles often sit at the lower to mid end of the overall range. Sometimes when a job is desirable for reasons beyond money, employers do not need to pay as much to fill it.

Private practice varies more. Some practices pay at or just above award. Others, particularly those competing for candidates in high-demand areas like paediatrics, pay well above it. The total package in private practice often includes things like professional development allowances, flexible working or vehicle allowances, which are worth factoring in alongside the base salary.

NDIS and community roles sit somewhere in between, depending on the organisation and funding model.

What is actually in the number

This matters more than most new graduates realise. When an employer quotes you a salary, it should be your base salary excluding superannuation. Superannuation is the compulsory retirement contribution your employer pays on top of your wages. It is currently 12% of your base salary. It goes into your super fund, not your bank account.

Some employers quote a total package figure that includes superannuation, which makes the salary sound higher than it is. If someone quotes you $88,000 inclusive of super, your actual base salary is closer to $79,000. Always ask whether the figure is base salary plus super, or a total package inclusive of super. You are entitled to a straight answer.

What affects your starting salary

A few things will influence your first offer:

• Location. Metropolitan roles generally pay more than regional ones, though regional roles sometimes include relocation incentives worth considering.
• Setting and demand. Paediatrics and NDIS are high-demand areas right now, which gives candidates more room to negotiate.
• The practice itself. A large established practice can generally pay more than a small one.
• Whether you ask. Many new graduates accept the first offer without asking whether there is flexibility. It is always worth a conversation.

Do not focus only on the number

The salary matters, but it is not the whole picture, and in your first role, it is probably not the most important thing.

Good supervision is genuinely valuable when you are just starting out. A senior OT who invests time in your development, gives you honest feedback and supports you through the difficult cases will do more for your career than an extra few thousand dollars a year. Ask about supervision structures before you accept anything.

A CPD budget matters too. Continuing professional development is a requirement for maintaining your AHPRA registration, not an optional extra. If your employer supports your CPD financially that is real money on top of your salary. If they do not, you are funding it yourself. Don’t forget to ask about what time is set aside for CPD also.

Admin support is something new graduates rarely think to ask about. If you are spending hours doing tasks that a good support structure would handle, that is time you are not spending with clients or developing clinically.

Other things worth asking about: caseload size, travel requirements and whether travel time is paid, flexible working arrangements, and what career development looks like beyond the first year.

Beware of very high paying jobs. They are tempting but if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. An employer cannot pay a high salary, unless you are earning a high amount. That means most jobs with a high salary mean that you will have a high billable hours requirement and probably not much supervision or CPD support. This can be fine for an experienced therapist but doesn’t really suit a new grad.

A role that pays a little less but offers excellent supervision, a generous CPD budget and genuine flexibility may be worth more to your long-term career than a higher salary in a poorly supported environment. Your first role shapes the kind of OT you become. Think carefully about what you are walking into.

Looking for your first role?

Head over to the Graduate OT Jobs page on OT Jobs Australia to see what is currently available. Many listings include salary information, which makes it easier to compare before you apply.