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INSurveying Award Pay Calculator
Work out what a week under the Surveying Award actually pays — the right wage group, Sunday and public holiday rates, overtime, casual loading and super, calculated the way the award says.
How the Surveying Award is applied
- Minimum rates are set per wage group as a relativity to the Level 10 base rate — the calculator uses the adult weekly/hourly rates from clause 17.1, current from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.
- Casuals get a 25% loading on ordinary hours, and the Sunday/public-holiday percentages already include it.
- There is no evening or Saturday penalty in this award at all — Sunday and public holiday work are the only premium-rated ordinary-hours windows, both paid "until the employee is relieved from duty" (clause 21.4) rather than as a standard shift penalty.
- Weekday overtime runs on a two-tier structure: 150% for the first 3 hours, 200% after (casuals: 187.5% and 250%, since the loading is added before the multiplier).
- Superannuation (12%) applies to ordinary-time earnings, including the Sunday and public-holiday penalty payments — but not to overtime.
- The trap: because a single base-rate movement cascades through every level (they’re all relativities to Level 10), a rate review at any one level should prompt a check of the whole ladder, not just the level being changed.
Who the award covers
- Employers of professional surveyors, in respect of employees in the Schedule A classifications
- Survey assistants and survey technicians supporting field and office survey work
- Graduate, licensed and registered surveyors
- On-hire and group-training arrangements placing staff into surveying work
Local government employees already covered by another award aren’t covered here, nor are employees covered by an enterprise award, enterprise instrument, or a State reference public sector award. This is an occupational award — it covers professional surveyors and their support staff to the exclusion of any other modern award once it applies.
Which level is your team member?
The Surveying Award runs a single 12-level ladder — Level 12 (lowest) to Level 1 (highest) — expressed as relativities to the Level 10 base rate. It spans three broad bands: Survey Assistant (Levels 12–10), Survey Technician (Levels 9–7) and Surveyor (Levels 6–1), so classify by qualification and independence, not job title alone.
| Level | Per hour | Per week (38h) | Typical roles | The test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 12 (82%) | $26.44 | $1004.90 | Survey Assistant Level I | No relevant qualification required — capable of working in a team, aware of safe work practices, assisting the surveyor or technician with field work and basic equipment care under supervision. |
| Level 11 (90%) | $27.55 | $1046.90 | Survey Assistant Level II | Has completed a Certificate II or equivalent — sets up instruments, reduces levels and takes on more office duties than Level 12, under supervision. |
| Level 10 (100%) | $29.45 | $1119.10 | Survey Assistant Level III | The award’s base relativity level — around 85% toward a Certificate III, showing initiative on field surveys, measuring accurately and maintaining equipment under supervision. |
| Level 9 (110%) | $31.30 | $1189.40 | Survey Technician Level I | Around 40% toward an Advanced Diploma (or equivalent) — basic understanding of downloading field data and EDM measurement, working in a team or under regular supervision. |
| Level 8 (125%) | $33.77 | $1283.10 | Survey Technician Level II · entry-point Professional Surveyor (3-year graduate) | Uses survey-based computer programmes with an overall knowledge of the systems and equipment involved — around 50% toward an Advanced Diploma, or a graduate surveyor entry point. |
| Level 7 (130%) | $34.46 | $1309.50 | Surveying Technician Level III · Professional Surveyor (4-year degree, or 3-year plus 1 year experience) | Holds a Diploma or equivalent, with a basic knowledge of civil engineering, geology and environmental disciplines relevant to surveying practice. |
| Level 6 (135%) | $35.38 | $1344.50 | Surveyor Level I | The first level formally called "Surveyor" — around 80% of an Advanced Diploma or a degree with experience, leading groups under controlled supervision and checking their own work. |
| Level 5 (145%) | $37.24 | $1415.00 | Surveyor Level II · Party-Leader | Works without day-to-day supervision but remains responsible to a more senior surveyor — performs surveys to required accuracy, with guidance available on unusual features. |
| Level 4 (150%) | $38.16 | $1450.20 | Surveyor Level III | Holds a 3- or 4-year degree (or equivalent) — works without detailed supervision on more complex assignments requiring substantial judgment. |
| Level 3 (160%) | $39.83 | $1513.70 | Surveyor Level IV · Licensed/Registered Surveyor (registration not mandatory at this level) | A mature, independent approach to survey projects — maintains knowledge of relevant law and technology, mentors junior staff and runs quality-control checks. |
| Level 2 (180%) | $43.54 | $1654.40 | Surveyor Level V | A senior surveyor applying mature knowledge to complex, responsible projects — manages difficult assignments, coordinates other staff and takes on some business development. |
| Level 1 (210%) | $49.09 | $1865.60 | Surveyor Level VI | The award’s top level — considerable independence and judgment across more than one field of surveying, plus strategic business management, staff supervision and complex-project liaison without supervision. |
- Levels 12–10 (Survey Assistant) track qualification and initiative from "no relevant qualification" up to 85% towards a Certificate III — Level 10 is the base (100%) rate the rest of the ladder is priced against.
- Levels 9–7 (Survey Technician) require progressively more formal qualification — up to a full Diploma at Level 7 — plus growing computer and field-data skills.
- "Surveyor" formally starts at Level 6 — the award’s own definition: an employee classified at Level 6 or above.
- Registration matters most at Level 3 and above: a Licensed/Registered Surveyor sits at Level 3, though registration isn’t mandatory at that level — it becomes a legal requirement only for specific regulated work (cadastral, mining, hydrographic) under Schedule A.
Allowances that can apply on top
Base rates and penalties aren’t the whole pay picture. The Surveying Award adds allowances for particular duties and situations — being the designated first aid officer, working overtime without notice, using your own car. They’re small lines individually, but they’re legal entitlements and they add up. The common ones (1 July 2026 amounts):
The calculator below doesn’t include allowances — add the ones that apply to your team on top of the result. The full list lives in the award’s allowances clause.
Break entitlements under the Surveying Award
Breaks are part of the award too — and missed or worked-through breaks usually carry a penalty rate, so they belong in the roster, not just the tea room. Here’s what the Surveying Award requires:
From the award’s breaks clause. Verify the current award text before relying on it.
Calculate a week under the Surveying Award
Enter the week as it’s actually rostered. Weekend, evening and public-holiday hours are paid at the award’s penalty rates; anything beyond 38 hours is priced as overtime; super is applied to ordinary-time earnings only.
Rates current as of 1 July 2026 (adult minimums, MA000066) — first full pay period on or after that date.
This week’s numbers
Nothing is stored or sent — the maths runs on this page.
Are these the exact legal rates?
The wage-group minimums are the adult rates from clause 17.1, current at 1 July 2026. Junior rates (17–20 years) are a percentage of the Level 10 rate, and phasing-in rates apply to qualified employees without relevant work experience. Treat the result as a planning number and confirm against the award or your payroll adviser.
Do I owe a weekend penalty for Saturday work?
Not as a penalty rate — Saturday work is treated the same as any weekday for ordinary hours. Only Sunday and public holiday work attract the higher rates shown here, both payable until the employee is relieved from duty.
Why is the Sunday rate so much higher than a typical weekend penalty?
Because it isn’t a standard shift-style penalty — clause 21.4 pays Sunday and public holiday work at 200%/250% (casual) and 250%/312.5% (casual) respectively, for as long as the employee remains on duty, which is a steeper rate than the tiered weekday overtime.
Does super apply to Sunday and public holiday pay?
Yes — Sunday and public holiday penalty payments on ordinary hours are ordinary-time earnings, so the 12% super guarantee applies. True overtime under clause 21.1/21.2 is excluded. The calculator applies exactly that split.
This is a general calculator, not legal advice. It applies the award’s published adult minimums to the hours you enter — it can’t see your enterprise agreement, allowances or individual arrangements, and junior, apprentice and shiftwork rates differ. Always confirm pay against the award, your agreement or your adviser. If you believe something here is materially wrong or out of date, please contact us — we’ll review it promptly.
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Tommy applies the right award rates to every shift as you roster — penalties, loading and super included. Start with your email and your numbers come along.
