How much do community services workers earn in Australia? [2026 salary guide]

Community services worker salary in Australia: the short answer

Qualified community services workers in Australia typically earn $60,000 to $80,000 a year, rising to $70,000 to $95,000 and beyond for diploma-qualified case managers and coordinators. Jobs and Skills Australia reports an average of about $87,800 a year for community workers, while the SCHADS Award sets a full-time entry floor of around $68,000. Demand across the sector is strong and growing.

Weighing up a career in community services? This guide breaks down what you can realistically expect to earn at each stage, how the Certificate IV in Community Services and Diploma of Community Services shape your pay, and which roles sit at the top of the range.

Community services salary at a glance (2026)

• In-sector advertised range: $60,000–$95,000 / year
• Award entry floor (SCHADS): ~$68,000 / year (~$34 / hour)
• Certificate IV roles (community services industry): ~$61,000–$80,000 / year
• Diploma / case manager roles (community services industry): ~$70,000–$95,000 / year
• Occupation average (Community Worker, Jobs and Skills Australia): ~$87,800 / year
• Future demand: Strong, around 3,300 new jobs a year (Jobs and Skills Australia)
• Wage growth: SCHADS award rates rose 3.5% on 1 July 2025 (Fair Work)

Sources: Fair Work SCHADS Award; Jobs and Skills Australia; SEEK (Community Services & Development industry), 2026.

What is the average community services worker salary in Australia?

Jobs and Skills Australia lists average earnings for community workers at $1,688 a week (about $87,800 a year), across roughly 28,400 workers, with strong future demand and the role classified as High Skill. That figure is a full-cohort average, so it sits above what a new graduate starts on and below what experienced coordinators reach.

For a clearer read at each stage, the most reliable approach is to combine the award floor with advertised in-sector ranges by qualification. Most community services jobs are covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award, which sets minimum pay across the sector. Where you land within and above those minimums comes down to three things: your qualification, your experience, and the role and setting you work in.

The entry floor: SCHADS award minimum

From 1 July 2025, the full-time SCHADS minimum for an entry social and community services classification is around $1,300 a week (roughly $68,000 a year), which works out to about $34 an hour over a 38-hour week. This is the floor: a starting wage while you build experience, often while completing or just after finishing a Certificate IV. Every figure below sits on top of this award base.

Community services pay by role

In community services, pay is shaped less by job title alone and more by your qualification, your experience, and the industry you work in. The figures below use SEEK’s averages for the Community Services & Development industry, so they reflect community-sector pay rather than the same job title in higher-paying fields like government or human resources.

Source: SEEK role salary data, Community Services & Development industry averages, June 2026. Community Support Worker is shown as the SEEK national average, an inherently community-services role.

Community services pay by qualification

Your qualification is the single biggest lever you control. A Certificate IV moves you off the award floor; a Diploma opens case management and coordination roles.

Source: SEEK in-sector advertised ranges (as shown on Hader’s course pages); Fair Work SCHADS Awardfloor ~$68,000.

Why the industry matters more than the job title

“Case manager” shows why a single headline number can mislead. Across all industries, SEEK puts the average case manager salary at $85,000–$105,000, but that blends well-paid fields like human resources and government with community services. In community services specifically, the figure is $78,789, and that is the number that matters if you are training for a community-sector career.

Source: SEEK, Case Manager salary by industry, June 2026. Community Services & Development carries by far the most case-manager openings (4,439), so it is also where most of these jobs are.

In plain terms: the award floor is around $68,000, a qualified support worker in community services typically earns $61,000–$80,000, and a Diploma-qualified case manager or coordinator reaches $78,000–$95,000. Your qualification is the single biggest lever you control.

Is community services a growing field?

Yes, and that job security is part of the financial picture. Jobs and Skills Australia rates future demand for welfare support workers as strong, with around 3,300 new jobs added each year, and names Health Care and Social Assistance as Australia’s fastest-growing industry. Nationally, employment is projected to grow 13.7% (about 2 million jobs) by 2034, with this sector a primary driver.

Pay is rising alongside demand. Community services wages are set by the SCHADS Award, and award minimums increased by 3.5% on 1 July 2025 through the Fair Work annual wage review, an increase that flows through to most community-sector roles. The award is reviewed every year, so the floor has lifted steadily.

How to increase your community services salary

A few practical moves consistently lift earnings in this sector:

1. Get a nationally recognised qualification. A Certificate IV moves you off the award floor; a Diploma of Community Services opens case management and coordination roles.
2. Turn placement into real experience. The Diploma of Community Services includes 100 hours of guaranteed work placement through our SkilTrak partner. These supervised hours count as employer-ready experience and often lead to a first role.
3. Specialise. Case management, housing and homelessness, family services, and alcohol and other drugs are areas where demand and pay both run higher.
4. Step toward management. The Diploma is the entry point to coordination and team-leader roles, and on to the Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management for management pay.

If cost is a consideration, every Hader course can be paid in interest-free weekly instalments through Study Now Pay Later, so you can start training without paying upfront.

Is community services work worth it financially?

Pay starts modestly and climbs steadily as you qualify and specialise, from the SCHADS entry floor of about $68,000 to $95,000 and beyond in case management and coordination. With strong, sustained demand reported by Jobs and Skills Australia, it is a sector where a recognised qualification reliably translates into both a job and a pay rise.

Frequently asked questions

How much do community service workers get paid in Australia?

Qualified community services workers typically earn $60,000 to $80,000 a year, rising to $70,000 to $95,000 and beyond for diploma-qualified case managers and coordinators. Jobs and Skills Australia reports an average of about $87,800 for community workers, and the SCHADS Award sets a full-time entry floor of around $68,000.

Does community services work pay well?

It pays competitively for a caring profession, and it rewards qualifications clearly. A Certificate IV moves you off the award floor into the $60,000 to $80,000 range, and a Diploma opens case management and coordination roles around $85,000 to $95,000. Demand is strong, so qualified workers have steady options.

What is the starting salary for a community services worker?

Entry-level community services roles are generally paid under the SCHADS Award, with a full-time minimum of around $1,300 a week (about $68,000 a year) from 1 July 2025, roughly $34 an hour over a 38-hour week. Pay rises with experience and qualifications.

Do you earn more with a Diploma of Community Services?

Generally, yes. A Certificate IV leads to support roles around $60,000 to $80,000, while a Diploma of Community Services opens case manager, coordinator, and team-leader roles advertised around $70,000 to $95,000.

How much does a community services case manager earn?

In community services, case managers earn around $78,789 on average (SEEK, Community Services & Development industry). A generic “case manager” figure of $85,000–$105,000 is higher because it blends better-paid industries like government and human resources. Case management is a core part of the Diploma of Community Services (unit CHCCSM017), the qualification most case manager roles ask for.

Are community services workers in demand in Australia?

Yes. Jobs and Skills Australia rates future demand as strong, with around 3,300 new welfare support worker jobs added each year, and Health Care and Social Assistance is the country’s fastest-growing industry. Strong demand gives qualified workers steady options and supports ongoing wage growth.

Does community services pay vary by state?

The SCHADS Award sets a consistent national minimum, so the floor is the same across Australia. Pay above that floor varies more by employer and setting than by state. Government, health, and metropolitan roles tend to sit higher, while some regional and remote roles add location allowances.

Start your community services career

A nationally recognised qualification is the most reliable way to lift your earning power in community services, and you can study 100% online, across Australia, with interest-free payment plans.

• Certificate IV in Community Services — from $48/week, 12 months, with Job-Ready Program career support.
• Diploma of Community Services — from $77/week, 17 months, 100 hours guaranteed work placement.

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