How to become a primary school teacher in Australia
Primary School Teachers teach a range of subjects within a prescribed curriculum to primary school students and promote students' social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.
The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the primary school teachers group are projected to grow 11.7% between May 2025 and May 2035, slower than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.
What the job involves
- Teaching literacy, numeracy, social science, creative expression and physical education skills to primary school students
- Presenting prescribed curriculum using a range of teaching techniques and materials
- Developing students' interests, abilities and coordination by way of creative activities
- Guiding discussions and supervising work in class
- Preparing, administering and marking tests, projects and assignments to evaluate students' progress and recording the results
- Discussing individual progress and problems with students and parents, and seeking advice from student counsellors and senior teachers
How to get there
What it usually takes. A bachelor degree or higher. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the primary school teachers group, and some roles differ.
What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 93% a degree or higher, 4% a diploma, 0% a Certificate III or IV.
Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.
Courses that can lead here
Estimate your ATAR and this page shows the gap to each course. Your marks stay on your device.
Victoria47 matches
VTAC lowest selection ranks, December 2025 offer round.
Education (Primary) · ACU, Ballarat74.85 Education (Primary and Special Education) · ACU, Melbourne74.85 Primary and Secondary Inclusive and Special Education (Honours) · Monash, Clayton73.80 Education (Primary) (Degree) · VU, Footscray Park72.15 Primary and Secondary Health and Physical Education (Honours) · Monash, Peninsula71.40 Education (Primary and Early Childhood Education) · RMIT, Bundoora71.30 Education (Primary) · RMIT, Bundoora70.70 Education (Primary and Secondary) · ACU, Ballarat70.55Diplomas and other ways in
Showing 9 of 47 matches. Search every course.
NSW and ACT80 matches
UAC lowest selection ranks, December Round 2, 2025-26 admissions.
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) · ACU90.75 Bachelor of Social Science (Pathway to Primary Education) · Wollongong90.60 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · Sydney85.15 Bachelor of Primary Education (Creative Arts) · Canberra84.70 Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) · UNSW83.20 Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary) · ACU80.05 Bachelor of Special and Inclusive Education (Primary) · UNE78.35 Bachelor of Education (Primary and Special Education) · ACU76.90Diplomas and other ways in
Showing 9 of 80 matches. Search every course.
Queensland78 matches
QTAC course pages, ATAR/Selection Rank profile for semester 1, 2026.
Bachelor of Special and Inclusive Education (Primary) · UNE, Armidale78.55 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · UQ, St Lucia75.00 Bachelor of Primary Education · UniSC, Sunshine Coast72.00 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · QUT, Kelvin GroveOnline70.15 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · JCU, Townsville70.00 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · UniSQ, External68.00 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) · ACU, Brisbane67.90 Bachelor of Education (Primary) · ACU, Brisbane67.55Diplomas and other ways in
Diploma of Education (Primary) · Southern Cross, Coffs Harbour46.00 Diploma in Education Studies (Primary) · UniSC, Fraser Coast61.45Showing 12 of 78 matches. Search every course.
Western Australia13 matches
TISC Course Search: lowest ATAR offered for 2026 entry and guaranteed offer ATARs.
Bachelor of Primary Education · Notre Dame, Fremantle76.70 Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) · UWA, Perth73.00 Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours) - Albany · UWA, Albany Centre73.00 Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood and Primary Teaching · Murdoch, Perth70.00 guaranteed Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching · Murdoch, Perth70.00 guaranteed Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) · Curtin, Kalgoorlie61.70 Bachelor of Education (Primary, 1-10) · ECU, South West (Bunbury)60.40 Bachelor of Education in Primary, 1-10 Health and Physical Education · Murdoch, Perth60.20Showing 8 of 13 matches. Search every course.
Matched on course names, 218 across four admissions centres. A lowest selection rank includes adjustment points and moves every year. Check prerequisites and whether the course is accredited for this job.
Graduate outcomes, national
Undergraduates surveyed about four to six months after finishing, in 2025, across all providers. Full-time work is among those available for it. All graduates: 75.4% and $77,000. These are national figures for the study area, not for this course or uni, and a first-year salary says little about later pay. Source: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025.
Does it fit your interests?
Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Social, Artistic, Conventional.
From O*NET ratings for "Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a good match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.
Careers with similar interests
Secondary school teacher$2,322 Early childhood teacher$1,906 Special education teacher$2,160 Social worker$2,172 Youth worker$1,844Done this job, or studied for it?
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Share your storyJob data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.
Graduate outcomes: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025, National Report Tables (Social Research Centre, for the Australian Government).
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Curve ATAR has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.