How Much Does a Cert IV Ageing Support Worker Earn in Melbourne in 2026?

A Certificate IV in Ageing Support worker in Melbourne earns a rate set by their award classification and experience rather than by the certificate alone: under the Fair Work pay guides effective 1 September 2026, aged care award minimums run from $27.77 an hour at the lowest level to $33.65 an hour at level 7, while the home care and disability award starts its aged care introductory classification at $32.61 an hour. Victorian government data puts median full-time earnings for ageing and disability carers at about $75,000 a year.

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 Effective 1 September 2026

Under the Aged Care Award 2010 pay guide published by the Fair Work Ombudsman on 31 August 2026 and applying from the first full pay period on or after 1 September 2026, full-time aged care employee rates are $27.77 an hour at level 1 ($1,055.40 a week), $29.98 at level 3, $31.36 at level 5 and $33.65 an hour at level 7 ($1,278.60 a week).

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

Base rate is only part of the answer in aged care, because the work runs around the clock. Under the Aged Care Award, level 1 employees receive $41.66 an hour on a Saturday (150 per cent), $48.60 an hour on a Sunday (175 per cent) and $69.43 an hour on a public holiday (250 per cent). At level 7 those become $50.48, $58.89 and $84.13 an hour. Overtime from Monday to Friday is paid at time and a half for the first two hours and double time after that.

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 sit below what many Melbourne employers advertise, particularly in suburbs where vacancies are hardest to fill and in roles involving complex behaviour support or night shifts. Victorian government health sector data for 2025 into 2026 reports median annual earnings of $75,000 for full-time ageing and disability carers, which is a more useful planning number than any single award line because it reflects the mix of classifications, hours and penalties that workers actually experience.

The reliable way to size up a specific offer is to compare it against three references: the award minimum for your classification, the Victorian median for the occupation, and current Melbourne 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 the senior direct-care qualification in the aged care pathway. Holding it is what allows employers to classify you above introductory and junior levels, and it is the standard requirement for team leader, senior carer and resident liaison style roles that sit above general support work. Victorian training data reports an 83 per cent job-outcome rate for Certificate IV in Ageing Support graduates in 2025 and lists the qualification as Free TAFE, so the credential is both in demand and, for eligible students, low cost to obtain.

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?

Victorian government data puts median full-time earnings for ageing and disability carers at about $75,000 a year. Individual offers vary with classification, employer, shift pattern and experience, so check current Melbourne job advertisements for the specific role.

What is the hourly rate for aged care workers in Melbourne in 2026?

Award minimums effective 1 September 2026 start at $27.77 an hour under the Aged Care Award and $32.61 an hour for the introductory classification under the home care and disability award, before penalties.

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?

Yes. Under the Aged Care Award, Saturdays are paid at 150 per cent, Sundays at 175 per cent and public holidays at 250 per cent of the base rate, with overtime on top for hours outside ordinary work.

Is Free TAFE available for CHC43015?

Certificate IV in Ageing Support is listed as a Free TAFE course in the Victorian Skills Plan. Eligibility depends on your circumstances, so confirm current eligibility with your provider before enrolling.

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.