A Certificate IV in Ageing Support worker in Melbourne is paid according to their award or agreement, classification, duties and employment type, not by the certificate alone. Under the award rates that apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the Aged Care Award 2010 sets full-time minimums from $27.77 an hour at level 1 to $33.65 an hour at level 7, and the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award sets a minimum of $32.61 an hour for home care employees level 1 (aged care). The certificate can be relevant to higher-level roles, but it does not set your classification or hand you a fixed salary. What you earn depends on which award or agreement covers your employer, your duties, your shifts and your experience.
The certificate matters because it moves you into higher classifications and into team leader work, but it does not hand you a fixed salary. What you actually earn depends on which award covers your employer, where you work, which shifts you pick up and how much experience you bring. This article breaks down the numbers Melbourne workers should expect in 2026.
Why There Is No Single “Cert IV Salary”
Ageing support workers in Victoria are covered by different modern awards depending on the employer. Residential aged care employees are generally covered by the Aged Care Award 2010, while home care, community services and disability employees are generally covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award. Each award has its own classification structure, its own pay points and its own penalty rates, and many employers instead operate under an enterprise agreement that must leave employees at least as well off as the award.
Classification also depends on what you do, not only what you hold. Two workers with identical certificates can sit at different levels if one is doing direct personal care and the other is coordinating rosters, supervising staff or managing complex client plans. Check your classification against the award with Fair Work if you are unsure, because that single question usually explains most of the gap between two offers in the same suburb.
Award Minimums From 1 July 2026
Under clause 14.1 of the Aged Care Award 2010, the full-time weekly minimums for aged care employees (general) from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 are $1,055.40 at level 1 ($27.77 an hour on a 38-hour week), $1,139.40 at level 3 ($29.98), $1,191.80 at level 5 ($31.36) and $1,278.60 at level 7 ($33.65). Under clause 17 of the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010, home care employee level 1 (aged care) is $1,239.00 a week ($32.61 an hour) and level 6 (aged care) is $1,541.90 a week ($40.58 an hour). Disability care classifications in that award are paid at different levels, up to $1,360.80 a week ($35.81 an hour) at level 5 pay point 2. Check the award clause and your own classification, because rates are reviewed and varied over time.
Under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award pay guide for the same effective date, the aged care introductory classification starts at $32.61 an hour ($1,239.00 a week) and the team leader level sits at $40.58 an hour ($1,541.90 a week). Disability care classifications in that award range from $27.28 an hour at level 1 to $35.81 an hour at level 5 pay point 2.
Those figures are floors, not forecasts. They are the legal minimum an employer can pay for the classification, before allowances and before any above-award loading the employer chooses to offer in a competitive Melbourne market.
Penalty Rates and Shift Loadings
Weekend and public holiday penalty rates, overtime and allowances are set by the award or agreement that covers you, and they differ by employment type. For example, casual employees have their own weekend rates under the Aged Care Award. Use the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool or the award itself to check the rate for your classification, shift and employment type.
A worker who deliberately stacks weekends and public holidays into their roster can earn substantially more than the same worker on weekday days only. That flexibility is one of the real financial advantages of ageing support work, and it is a genuine trade-off rather than a free upgrade, because it affects sleep, family time and long-term sustainability.
What Melbourne Employers Actually Pay
Award minimums are floors, and some employers advertise above them, particularly for hard-to-fill shifts or roles with complex needs. There is no single figure that applies to every Cert IV graduate, so compare an offer against the award minimum for your classification, your employer’s enterprise agreement if there is one, and current job advertisements for the same role and shift pattern.
Enterprise agreements, salary packaging arrangements common in not-for-profit providers, and superannuation on top of gross pay all change the total value of a package, so compare total remuneration rather than hourly rate alone.
How the Certificate IV Lifts Your Earnings
CHC43015 Certificate IV in Ageing Support is a higher-level qualification in the aged care pathway. Some employers ask for it, or for equivalent experience, for senior carer, team leader or coordination roles, but classification depends on the duties you perform and the award or agreement that applies, not on the certificate alone. Ask your employer how your classification is set. A common pathway is Certificate III in Individual Support for entry, Certificate IV in Ageing Support for senior and supervisory work, then a Diploma of Community Services for coordination roles. The career path after Cert IV Ageing Support in Victoria maps that progression in more detail.
The progression pattern is consistent: Certificate III in Individual Support for entry, Certificate IV in Ageing Support for seniority and supervision, then a Diploma of Community Services for case management and program coordination pay rates. The career path after Cert IV Ageing Support in Victoria maps that progression in more detail.
Studying CHC43015 in Melbourne
ALIT delivers the CHC43015 Certificate IV in Ageing Support at our West Melbourne campus, with course duration of 36 to 52 weeks depending on study pattern, monthly intakes and recognition of prior learning available for experienced workers. Fees and current intake dates are on the course page, and what Cert IV in Ageing Support costs in Victoria covers the wider fee picture. If you are deciding between qualifications, Cert III versus Cert IV in Ageing Support explains the difference in scope and pay level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary for a Cert IV Ageing Support worker in Melbourne?
There is no single average salary for a Cert IV Ageing Support worker. Pay depends on the award or agreement, classification, employer, shift pattern and experience, so check the relevant award and current Melbourne job advertisements for the specific role.
What is the hourly rate for aged care workers in Melbourne in 2026?
From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the Aged Care Award 2010 minimum for level 1 is $27.77 an hour and the home care (aged care) level 1 minimum under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award is $32.61 an hour, before any penalties or allowances. Check the award clause for your classification.
Does a Cert IV guarantee a pay rise?
No. It makes you eligible for higher classifications and senior roles, but your pay is determined by your classification, duties and employer. Ask your employer how your classification is set.
Do aged care workers get penalty rates?
Penalty rates for weekends and public holidays are set by the award or agreement that covers you and differ by employment type. Check your award, agreement or the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool.
Do I need to complete a placement for Cert IV in Ageing Support?
Work placement is a standard component of the qualification. Confirm the hours and requirements with your provider, and see work placement requirements for CHC43015 for detail.
Ready to take the next step? Explore ALIT’s Certificate IV in Ageing Support or check available course dates in West Melbourne.
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