How Much Do Full Time Cleaners Make in Australia?

Full-time general or office cleaners in Australia earn between $48,000 and $70,000 per year on average, depending on their Award classification level, employer, industry sector, location, and whether their roster includes evening shifts, weekend work, or public holidays. Specialist and supervisory roles, or positions covered by enterprise agreements in healthcare and government, can earn significantly more.

The Cleaning Services Award 2020, administered by the Fair Work Commission, sets the legal minimum for most full-time cleaning employees in Australia. However, actual earnings frequently exceed Award minimums due to penalty rates, allowances, and enterprise agreements — making the Award baseline only the starting point for understanding full-time cleaner income.

Full-Time Cleaner Earnings by Role and Sector: Quick Reference

Role / Classification	Hourly Rate	Annual Base Salary	Total Remuneration (incl. super)	Key Factor
Level 1 — General Cleaner (FT)	$24.10/hr	$47,716	$53,368	Award minimum; weekday ordinary hours only
Level 1 — Evening shift roster	$28.32/hr	$56,154	$62,812	17.5% evening loading applied; common in offices
Level 1 — Mixed weekday + Sat/Sun	$28–$32/hr	$55,000–$63,000	$61,000–$70,000	Hospitals, airports, shopping centres
Level 2 — Specialist equipment	$25.20/hr	$49,882	$55,750	Floor care, APVMA-grade chemicals
Level 3 — Leading hand / team leader	$26.50/hr	$52,468	$58,603	+leading hand allowance; supervisory duties
Level 4 — Site supervisor	$27.80/hr	$55,042	$61,472	Multi-room / multi-team oversight
Level 5 — Senior supervisor	$29.20/hr	$57,811	$64,572	Contract management; quality assurance
Healthcare (enterprise agreement)	$28–$35/hr	$55,000–$69,000	$61,000–$77,000	Queensland Health, NSW Health EAs; above-award
Airport / aviation facilities	$30–$38/hr	$59,000–$75,000	$66,000–$84,000	Sydney Airport, Melbourne Airport; EA-covered

The Award minimum of $47,716 per year (Level 1, 38 ordinary hours, weekday rates only) represents the legal floor — not the typical income. Most full-time cleaners earn $55,000 to $70,000 once evening shift loadings, weekend penalty rates, and allowances are applied to their actual roster.

What the Cleaning Services Award 2020 Says About Full-Time Pay

The Cleaning Services Award 2020 defines full-time employment in the cleaning industry as a minimum of 38 ordinary hours per week. A full-time employee is entitled to paid annual leave of four weeks per year, 10 days of paid personal and carer’s leave, community service leave, and long service leave under applicable state legislation.

The Award classifies cleaners from Level 1 through to Level 5 based on the skills, equipment, and responsibilities associated with their role. Level 1 covers entry-level general cleaning duties performed with minimal supervision. Level 2 applies where the employee uses specialised equipment or chemical products, including industrial floor scrubbers and APVMA-registered disinfectants. Levels 3 through 5 cover leading hands, supervisors, and senior supervisors with progressively broader team management and quality assurance responsibilities.

Each level carries a corresponding minimum hourly rate that is reviewed and updated annually by the Fair Work Commission through the Annual Wage Review process, typically effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July each year. Employers who do not update their payroll following each Annual Wage Review are in ongoing underpayment of their employees and subject to Fair Work Ombudsman enforcement.

The Cleaning Services Award 2020 is a safety net, not a recommended rate. Employers in competitive labour markets — particularly healthcare, aged care, airports, and government facilities — routinely pay above Award rates through enterprise agreements to attract and retain reliable staff. Award compliance is the minimum; market rates often sit 10 to 30 percent higher.

How Penalty Rates Affect Annual Income

Penalty rates are the most significant driver of above-Award income for full-time cleaners. Because commercial and institutional cleaning predominantly occurs outside standard business hours — early morning, late evening, and weekends — most full-time cleaners work rosters that attract penalty loadings on a regular basis.

A Level 1 cleaner working a standard Monday to Friday evening roster — cleaning commercial offices between 6pm and 9pm — earns the 17.5% evening shift loading under the Cleaning Services Award 2020. This increases their effective hourly rate from $24.10 to $28.32 and raises their annual income from $47,716 to approximately $56,154 — an increase of $8,438 per year from a single consistent loading.

Cleaners in 24-hour operations — including hospitals, aged care facilities, airports, and large shopping centres — work rosters that regularly include Saturday and Sunday shifts. Saturday work at 125% of the ordinary rate and Sunday work at 150% create substantial income uplifts. A full-time cleaner who works two Sunday shifts per month earns approximately $23,861 more per year than an identical cleaner on a weekday-only ordinary time roster.

Penalty Rate Impact on Annual Income — Level 1 Full-Time Cleaner

Shift Type	Rate %	Hourly (L1)	Est. Annual Salary	Impact on Income
Base rate only (weekdays, ord. hours)	100%	$24.10	$47,716	Award minimum; no loadings
+ Evening loading (Mon–Fri, after 6pm)	117.5%	$28.32	$56,154	+$8,438/yr vs base rate
+ Regular Saturday (25% loading)	125%	$30.13	$59,657	+$11,941/yr vs base rate
+ Regular Sunday (50% loading)	150%	$36.15	$71,577	+$23,861/yr vs base rate
Mixed roster (eve + 2 Sat per month)	~122%	$29.40	$58,204	Typical hospital or airport cleaner
Overtime (first 2 hrs, 150%)	150%	$36.15	Per event	Paid in addition to ordinary time
Public holiday (225%)	225%	$54.23	Per shift	13 public holidays nationally + state-specific

Public holiday work is the highest-paid cleaning shift available under the Award, at 225% of the ordinary rate. A Level 1 cleaner earning $24.10 per hour is paid $54.23 per hour on a public holiday. Australia observes approximately 13 national and state public holidays annually. A full-time cleaner who works all public holidays adds $3,800 to $5,500 to their annual income depending on the hours worked on each day.

Industry Sector and Income Variation

The industry sector in which a full-time cleaner is employed has a more significant impact on earnings than Award classification alone. Sectors with regulated hygiene requirements, 24-hour operations, or government-negotiated enterprise agreements consistently pay above Award minimums.

Industry Sector	Annual Salary Range	Total Remuneration (incl. super)	Key Driver
Commercial offices	$47,000 – $58,000	$52,000 – $65,000	Cleaning Services Award; evening shifts typical
Retail and shopping centres	$48,000 – $60,000	$53,000 – $67,000	Weekend shifts common; penalty rates boost income
Healthcare — public hospital	$55,000 – $70,000	$61,000 – $78,000	State EA; above-award; infection control premium
Healthcare — private hospital	$50,000 – $65,000	$56,000 – $73,000	Enterprise agreement; Ramsay, Healthscope operators
Aged care	$49,000 – $63,000	$55,000 – $70,000	Aged Care Award or Cleaning Award; some EAs apply
Airport / aviation	$59,000 – $75,000	$66,000 – $84,000	EA-covered; 24-hr operations; high penalty access
Education (schools/unis)	$48,000 – $62,000	$54,000 – $69,000	State government EAs for school cleaners
Industrial / manufacturing	$52,000 – $70,000	$58,000 – $78,000	Hazmat allowances; confined space premium rates
Government facilities	$53,000 – $72,000	$59,000 – $80,000	Federal/state EAs; above-award; salary packaging

Healthcare Sector

Full-time cleaners employed in public hospitals under state health department enterprise agreements — including Queensland Health and NSW Health — typically earn above-Award base rates, reflecting the specialised infection control responsibilities and the consistent bargaining power of healthcare unions including the Health Services Union (HSU).

Cleaners in public hospital settings are required to follow infection prevention and control protocols consistent with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines, use APVMA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants, and in some cases hold a Working with Vulnerable People clearance. These additional obligations justify higher pay classifications and are reflected in enterprise agreement rates.

Private hospital operators, including Ramsay Health Care and Healthscope, also operate enterprise agreements for cleaning staff, though rates may differ from the public sector. Both public and private hospital cleaning roles offer greater employment stability than commercial cleaning, as demand is continuous and linked to patient occupancy rather than tenant discretion.

Salary packaging — available to employees of public hospitals, aged care facilities, and some not-for-profit organisations — allows full-time cleaners to receive a portion of their remuneration as non-cash benefits exempt from fringe benefits tax (FBT). This effectively increases take-home pay by $3,000 to $5,000 per year for eligible employees without increasing the employer’s wage cost.

Airport and Aviation Facilities

Cleaning contracts at major Australian airports — including those managed by Sydney Airport Corporation, Melbourne Airport (Australian Pacific Airports Corporation), and Brisbane Airport Corporation — are typically covered by enterprise agreements that exceed Award minimums. The 24-hour, 365-day operation of airports means cleaning staff regularly access public holiday and weekend penalty rates, substantially increasing annual income.

Airport cleaning roles also typically include additional allowances for shift penalties, unsociable hours, and in some cases airside security clearance requirements that further differentiate remuneration from standard commercial cleaning.

Government and Education Sector

Full-time cleaners employed directly by federal and state government agencies, universities, and TAFE institutions under public sector enterprise agreements often receive the most comprehensive employment conditions available in the industry. These agreements may include above-Award base rates, five weeks of annual leave, enhanced redundancy provisions, and access to flexible work arrangements not available under the Cleaning Services Award.

For example, school cleaners employed by state education departments in New South Wales and Victoria are covered by state public sector agreements that provide above-Award rates, additional leave, and other entitlements negotiated through the relevant public sector unions.

Supervisory and Leading Hand Roles

Career advancement within the cleaning industry produces meaningful salary increases at each classification level. Leading hand and supervisory roles attract higher Award rates plus leading hand allowances payable in addition to the base rate. The Cleaning Services Award 2020 provides a leading hand allowance of approximately $0.65 per hour for employees supervising one to three staff, rising to approximately $1.00 per hour for those supervising four to ten staff.

Site supervisors managing multiple cleaning teams or large commercial sites often operate at Level 4 or Level 5 under the Award, or are employed under enterprise agreements or individual flexibility arrangements that place their remuneration above the Award structure entirely. At this level, the role transitions from hands-on cleaning to operational management — scheduling staff, conducting quality audits, managing client relationships, and reporting to contract managers.

The transition from Level 1 cleaner to site supervisor can realistically occur within three to five years in a commercial cleaning company with structured career development. The income difference between a Level 1 cleaner on Award minimums and a Level 4 site supervisor on a reasonable enterprise agreement rate is $15,000 to $25,000 per year — a meaningful return on career investment without requiring a university degree.

Superannuation and Total Remuneration

Superannuation is a compulsory employer contribution paid in addition to wages, at a rate of 11.5% of ordinary time earnings for the 2024–25 financial year. This rate is legislated to increase to 12% from 1 July 2025 under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. For a full-time Level 1 cleaner on the Award minimum, the employer’s superannuation contribution adds approximately $5,487 per year to the value of total remuneration.

Total remuneration — the combined value of base wages, superannuation, and annual leave loading — for a full-time Level 1 cleaner on Award minimums is approximately $53,000 to $55,000 per year. For a cleaner on a regular evening and weekend roster, total remuneration rises to $63,000 to $72,000 or more depending on shift composition.

Full Remuneration Breakdown — Level 1 Full-Time Cleaner (2024–25)

Remuneration Component	Amount (AUD, pa)	Notes
Ordinary time wages (38 hrs/wk, 52 wks)	$47,716	Level 1 Award minimum; no penalty rates
Evening shift loading (full-time roster)	+$8,438	17.5% on all shifts after 6pm; common in offices
Superannuation (11.5% of ord. time)	+$5,487	Employer contribution; paid quarterly to super fund
Annual leave loading (17.5% of 4 wks)	+$1,353	Payable when annual leave is taken
Estimated workers’ compensation levy	+$1,200	Employer cost; not direct income but part of remuneration
Total estimated cost to employer (FT L1)	~$64,194	All-in employment cost; not take-home pay
Employee take-home (after tax, incl. eve.)	~$47,000–$52,000	After income tax and Medicare levy; varies by deductions

The distinction between gross salary, total remuneration, and employer cost is important for both employees and employers. An employee who negotiates a salary of $50,000 per year is receiving less than $50,000 in take-home pay — income tax, Medicare levy, and any salary sacrifice arrangements reduce the net amount. An employer paying a $50,000 salary is paying approximately $57,000 to $60,000 in total employment cost once superannuation and workers’ compensation are included.

Enterprise Agreements vs Cleaning Services Award

A registered enterprise agreement is a collective agreement between an employer and a group of employees, approved by the Fair Work Commission under the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT). An enterprise agreement may vary Award conditions — including base rates, shift structures, leave entitlements, and allowances — provided the employee is overall better off than under the Award.

Enterprise agreements are most common in large-scale cleaning operations covering government facilities, hospitals, airports, and large corporate cleaning contracts. They provide both the employer and the workforce with stable, predictable employment conditions and reduce the administrative complexity of applying Award provisions across large teams with varied rosters.

Condition	Cleaning Services Award 2020	Typical Enterprise Agreement	Notes
Base hourly rate	$24.10 (L1)	$26–$34 (typical range)	EA rates vary by employer and sector
Annual leave	4 weeks	4–5 weeks	Some EAs provide an extra week
Sick / personal leave	10 days	10–15 days	Government EAs often more generous
Salary packaging	Not available	Available (govt / health)	Reduces taxable income; significant benefit
Uniform / PPE allowance	Award rate (~$1.70/wk)	Often fully supplied	EA may provide full uniform supply
Travel allowance	ATO cents-per-km	Fixed site or zone allowance	Particularly common in government EAs
Redundancy provisions	NES minimum	Enhanced redundancy pay	Government EAs often exceed NES minimums
Career development	Not specified	Training plans, study support	Larger enterprise EAs may include CPD funding

A full-time cleaner considering employment options should compare the total package — base rate, shift roster, super, leave entitlements, and any salary packaging available — rather than hourly rate alone. A hospital cleaning role paying $27 per hour with salary packaging and five weeks’ leave may be financially superior to a commercial cleaning role paying $30 per hour with no additional entitlements.

Job Security and Labour Market Demand

Full-time cleaning roles in Australia offer strong and consistent job security. Demand for cleaning services is structural — driven by healthcare, education, retail, commercial property, and government sectors that cannot reduce cleaning to zero regardless of economic conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for commercial and healthcare cleaning increased significantly, with many cleaning workers reclassified as essential services.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) occupational data consistently identifies cleaning and laundry workers as a large and stable employment category. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data on the construction, plumbing, and services training package — under which cleaning qualifications are accredited — shows consistent enrolment levels, indicating ongoing workforce entry.

Workforce shortages in the cleaning industry, particularly in healthcare and aged care, have placed upward pressure on wages above Award minimums in some markets. Regional areas and states with lower migration intake often experience more acute shortages, which further supports above-Award rates for experienced cleaners willing to relocate or work in underserviced areas.

Career Progression and Qualifications

The cleaning industry in Australia offers a structured career pathway from entry-level cleaner to operations manager, achievable without a university degree. Career advancement is driven by experience, formal qualifications, and the willingness to take on supervisory responsibilities.

Career Pathway: Income and Timeline

Role	Award Level	Typical Timeline	Salary Range	Key Requirements
Entry-level Cleaner	Level 1	0 – 12 months	$47,000 – $54,000	General cleaning; no prior experience required
Experienced Cleaner	Level 2	1 – 2 years	$50,000 – $60,000	Specialist equipment; chemical handling cert
Leading Hand	Level 3	2 – 4 years	$55,000 – $68,000	CPP30116 or equivalent; supervises 1–10 staff
Site Supervisor	Level 4–5	3 – 6 years	$60,000 – $78,000	Multi-team; quality audits; client liaison
Contract Manager	Above Award	5 – 10 years	$75,000 – $100,000+	CPP40116; manages multiple contracts or sites
Operations / Branch Manager	Above Award	8 – 15 years	$90,000 – $130,000+	Business unit P&L; team of supervisors

The Certificate III in Cleaning Operations (CPP30116) is the nationally recognised qualification for commercial cleaners. It covers cleaning procedures, equipment operation, chemical handling under WHS and GHS frameworks, infection control, and workplace health and safety. Completion of CPP30116 supports Award classification at Level 2 and above and demonstrates formal competency to employers and commercial clients.

The Certificate IV in Cleaning Management (CPP40116) is the qualification pathway for cleaners moving into supervisory and contract management roles. It covers operational management, quality systems, human resources basics, client relationship management, and compliance frameworks. Completion of CPP40116 justifies Level 4 and Level 5 Award classifications and positions the individual for contract manager and operations manager roles.

Qualifications That Support Career Advancement and Higher Pay

Qualification	Code / Credential	Career Stage	Relevance
Certificate III in Cleaning Operations	CPP30116	Entry to mid-level cleaner	Cleaning procedures, equipment, WHS, infection control
Certificate IV in Cleaning Management	CPP40116	Supervisor to manager	Contract management, HR, quality systems, compliance
Confined Space Entry	RIIWHS202E	Industrial / specialist	Required for confined space cleaning under WHS Regs
Chemical Handling Certificate	State-based	Level 2+ cleaners	Hazardous substances; GHS; SDS documentation
High-Risk Work Licence	HRW licence	Industrial operators	Issued by SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Vic, WHSQ, etc.
IICRC Carpet Cleaning Technician	CCT	Carpet specialists	Internationally recognised; commands higher rates
IICRC Water Damage Restoration	WRT / ASD	Specialist restorers	IICRC S500 standard; post-flood and leak response
Working with Vulnerable People	State-based	Aged care / schools	Mandatory in aged care, education, and childcare

The Certificate III (CPP30116) and Certificate IV (CPP40116) in cleaning are accredited under the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package managed by AISC (Australian Industry and Skills Committee). They can be delivered by registered training organisations (RTOs) and may be fully funded through state government programs including Smart and Skilled (NSW), Skills First (Vic), and the Queensland Certificate III Guarantee — reducing the cost of qualification to zero for eligible workers.

How Location Affects Full-Time Cleaner Income

Location affects full-time cleaner income through two mechanisms: the cost of living (which influences award rates indirectly through Annual Wage Reviews), and the concentration of high-paying industries in specific geographic areas.

Sydney and Melbourne have the highest concentration of commercial office buildings, hospitals, airports, and government facilities — all of which offer above-Award rates and enterprise agreements. A full-time cleaner in central Sydney or Melbourne is significantly more likely to access an enterprise agreement or high-penalty-rate roster than an equivalent cleaner in a regional area.

Conversely, regional and remote areas often struggle with cleaning workforce shortages, which creates above-Award rates through market pressure rather than collective bargaining. Mining accommodation facilities in Western Australia and Queensland, for example, have historically paid cleaning rates well above the Award due to remote location allowances and genuine labour scarcity. cleaning rate depend on the different cleaning tasks and skills as well.

The cost of living differential between major cities and regional areas must also be considered when comparing incomes. A full-time cleaner earning $60,000 in a regional Queensland town may have greater effective purchasing power than a cleaner earning $68,000 in inner-city Sydney, once housing and transport costs are accounted for.