Australian Call Centre Salaries for 2025
A 3.5% increase to the minimum wage was announced on the 29th May, 2025 and came into effect on 1 July, 2025.
Minimum Award Rates & Industry Pressures in 2025
The minimum for Australian Call Centre Salaries in 2025 is determined by the Contract Call Centre Award set by the Fair Work Commission, Australia’s national workplace tribunal.
The Commission is responsible for setting the minimum pay rates, working conditions, and entitlements for employees in call centre roles — and plays a central role in shaping industry-wide remuneration expectations.
On 1 July 2025, the national minimum wage was increased by 3.5%, following a 3.75% increase in 2024 and a 5.75% increase in 2023 — continuing a three-year trend of steady annual rises.
With Australian contact centre salaries already considered high on a global scale, this has historically encouraged offshoring to reduce costs. Some companies saved millions by relocating roles to countries where labour was 40–75% cheaper.
However, when COVID disrupted offshore delivery — particularly in the Philippines — many Australian companies quickly brought roles back onshore to regain control, reliability, and service consistency.
This created intense demand for talent. Record-low unemployment, combined with the “Great Resignation” in 2023, left many contact centres struggling to hire. Those shortages continued throughout 2024 and remain a challenge in 2025.
Truth is, recruitment in the contact centre sector has always been tough. As of 2025, the average attrition rate is 29% — meaning nearly a third of staff turn over annually, forcing centres to constantly juggle recruitment and retention strategies.
As a result, most employers now pay well above award rates to attract and retain quality agents — especially in competitive metro areas where demand exceeds supply.
You’ll find the latest local salary benchmarking data for 2025 at the bottom of this page, thanks to insights from Smaart Recruitment, a leading specialist in Australian contact centre hiring.
This section also includes award classifications, weekly and hourly rates, penalty and overtime entitlements, superannuation obligations, and how roles are structured under the Call Centre Award in 2025.
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Minimum Australian Call Centre Salaries 2025
The minimum Australian Call Centre Salaries are determined by the Contract Call Centres Award, which outlines a range of different classifications that we’ve listed below.
These rates are current as of 01 July 2025.
Minimum award rates are typically reviewed each year, and a pay rise of between 1% and 3% is considered normal.
2025 Australian Contact Centre Salaries – Award Classification Rates
| Classification | Minimum Weekly Rate (Full-Time) | Equivalent Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Contact Trainee | $982.40 | $25.85 |
| Customer Contact Officer Level 1 | $1,014.40 | $26.70 |
| Customer Contact Officer Level 2 | $1,068.40 | $28.12 |
| Principal Customer Contact Specialist | $1,136.40 | $29.91 |
| Customer Contact Team Leader | $1,165.70 | $30.68 |
| Principal Customer Contact Leader | $1,250.10 | $32.90 |
| Contract Call Centre Industry Technical Associate | $1,350.90 | $35.55 |
Penalty Rates
In addition to a base salary, Australian Call Centre Salaries are also impacted by the shift times a contact centre agent is expected to work. It can be a bit tricky to work out, but the following is a general guide as a percentage of the minimum rate.
For non-designated shift workers, the following penalty rates apply:
- Normal shift – 100%
- Working outside your normal spread of hours – 125%
- Saturday – 125%
- Sunday 7 am to 7 pm – 150%
- Sunday 12 am to 7 am and 7 pm to 12 am – 175%
- Public Holiday – 250%
For designated shift workers:
- Ordinary hours – 100%
- Afternoon and Night shift – 115%
- Permanent night shift – 130%
- Public Holiday – 200%
There are many permutations and interpretations, so refer directly to the award or contact Fair Work for more information.
Leave Loading
In addition to the penalty rates mentioned above, some employees are also entitled to leave loading — an additional payment made when taking annual leave.
Leave loading is typically calculated at 17.5% of your base pay for the duration of your leave, and is designed to offset the loss of overtime and penalties that might otherwise have been earned.
It is most commonly seen in the public sector or within legacy enterprise agreements, and isn’t always included by default in private sector contact centre contracts.
Standard Hours of Work
The Australian Call Centre Award Rates for 2025 apply to full-time, part-time and casual employees, with definitions for each employment type outlined below.
Full-Time Employees
The Award defines a full-time employee as someone engaged to work an average of 38 hours per week.
Part-Time Employees
- Are engaged to work less than 38 ordinary hours per week.
- Have reasonably predictable hours of work.
- Receive, on a pro-rata basis, award pay and conditions equivalent to those of full-time employees, based on the 38-hour full-time standard.
Casual Employees
Given the dynamic nature of contact centre operations — with defined peaks and troughs — many Australian centres rely on casual staff to maintain flexibility.
Key considerations for casual employment include:
- Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of the minimum award rate.
- Each shift worked must be paid for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Employment can be terminated by either party with just 1 hour’s notice — or equivalent pay in lieu.
- Casual employees are not entitled to annual leave.
Working Overtime
If a contact centre employee works beyond their scheduled shift hours, overtime loadings apply as outlined below:
- Monday to Saturday (first 3 hours): 150% loading
- Monday to Saturday (after 3 hours): 200% loading
- Sunday (all day): 200% loading
Superannuation
In addition to the minimum award rates, employers are required to pay superannuation — a compulsory retirement savings fund designed to support employees beyond their working years.
As of 1 July 2025, the superannuation guarantee rate in Australia is 12.0%.
While employers must pay this contribution on top of base wages, employees are also encouraged to contribute additional amounts voluntarily. These extra contributions often come with tax benefits and can significantly improve long-term retirement outcomes.
Australian Contact Centre Classifications
As the Australian contact centre industry does not have any formal accreditation standards, the Contract Call Centres Award defines a set of classifications used to determine the appropriate salary level based on duties and qualifications.
These classifications don’t change often, so we’ve listed them below for your reference. For the most current version, always refer to the Fair Work Australia Contract Call Centres Award page >
That said, some of the classifications are admittedly loose — with qualifications like an “Advanced Diploma in Telecommunications Computer Systems” not exactly a prerequisite for career success in the contact centre industry.
In reality, good contact centre practices are global. Whether you’re just starting on the phones or stepping into leadership, practical training aligned to real-world contact centre best-practices is what matters.
You can explore a wide range of contact centre training options — including frontline, Team Leader, Manager and Specialist courses — at CX Skills, Australia’s dedicated training platform for the contact centre and CX industry.
Customer Contact Officer Level 1
Role Definition
A Customer Contact Officer Level 1 is employed to perform a prescribed range of functions involving known routines and procedures and some accountability for the quality of outcomes. Such an employee will:
● receive calls;
● use common call centre telephone and computer technology;
● enter and retrieve data;
● work in a team; and
● manage their own work under guidance.
Such an employee provides at least one specialised service to customers such as sales and advice for products or services, complaints or fault enquiries or data collection for surveys.
Indicative Tasks
An employee at this level would normally perform the following indicative tasks:
● follow work health and safety policy and procedures;
● communicate in a customer contact centre;
● work in a customer contact centre environment;
● respond to inbound customer contact;
● conduct outbound customer contact;
● use basic computer technology;
● use an enterprise information system; and
● provide quality customer service.
An employee at this level would also normally perform some of the following indicative tasks:
● fulfil customer needs;
● process sales;
● action customers’ fault reports;
● resolve customer complaints;
● process low-risk credit applications;
● process basic customer account enquiries; and
● conduct data collection.
Qualifications
An employee who holds a Certificate II in Telecommunications (Customer Contact) or equivalent would be classified at this level when employed to perform the functions in the role definition and taking into account the indicative tasks.
Customer Contact Officer Level 2
Role Definition
A Customer Contact Officer Level 2 is employed to perform a defined range of skilled operations, usually within a range of broader related activities involving known routines, methods and procedures, where some discretion and judgment is required in the selection of equipment, services or contingency measures and within known time constraints. Such a person will:
● receive calls;
● use common call centre telephone and computer technology;
● enter and retrieve data;
● work in a team; and
● manage their own work under guidance.
An employee at this level performs a number of functions within a customer contact operation requiring a diversity of competencies including:
● provide multiple specialised services to customers such as complex sales and service advice for a range of products or services, difficult complaint and fault inquiries, deployment of service staff;
● use multiple technologies such as telephony, internet services and face-to-face contact; and
● provide a limited amount of leadership to less experienced employees.
Indicative Tasks
An employee at this level would normally perform the following indicative tasks:
● follow work health and safety policy and procedures;
● communicate in a customer contact centre;
● work in a customer contact centre environment;
● respond to inbound customer contact;
● conduct outbound customer contact;
● use basic computer technology;
● use an enterprise information system; and
● provide quality customer service.
An employee at this level would also normally perform some of the following indicative tasks:
● send and retrieve information over the internet using browsers and email;
● manage work priorities and professional development;
● manage workplace relationships in a contact centre;
● use multiple information systems;
● manage customer relationships;
● deploy customer service staff;
● conduct a telemarketing campaign;
● provide sales solutions to customers;
● negotiate with customers on major faults;
● resolve complex customer complaints;
● process high-risk credit applications; and
● process complex accounts, service severance and defaults.
Qualifications
An employee who holds a Certificate III in Telecommunications (Customer Contact) or equivalent would be classified at this level when employed to perform the functions in the role definition and taking into account the indicative tasks.
Principal Customer Contact Specialist
Role Definition
A Principal Customer Contact Specialist is employed to perform a broad range of skilled applications and provide leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills. Such an employee will:
● receive calls;
● use common call centre telephone and computer technology;
● enter and retrieve data;
● work in a team; and
● manage their own work.
The employee works with a high degree of autonomy with the authority to make decisions in relation to specific customer contact matters and provides leadership as a coach, mentor or senior staff member.
An employee at this level performs a number of functions within a customer contact operation requiring a diversity of competencies including:
●providing services to customers involving a high level of product or service knowledge, often autonomously acquired;
●using multiple technologies such as telephony, internet services and face-to-face contact;
●taking responsibility for the outcomes of customer contact and rectifying complex situations involving emergencies, substantial complaints and faults, disruptions or disconnection of service or customer dissatisfaction; and
An employee at this level may provide on the job training instead of customer contact and assist with developing training programs where they are not receiving calls.
Customer Contact Team Leader
Role Definition
A Customer Contact Team Leader is employed to perform a broad range of skilled applications including evaluating and analysing current practices, developing new criteria and procedures for performing current practices and providing leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills. Such an employee will:
● receive calls;
● use common call centre telephone and computer technology;
● enter and retrieve data;
● work in a team; and
● manage their own work.
The employee works with a high degree of autonomy with the authority to make decisions in relation to specific customer contact matters and provide leadership in a team leader role.
This employee performs a number of functions within a customer contact operation requiring a diversity of competencies including:
● providing services to customers involving a high level of product or service knowledge, often autonomously acquired;
● using multiple technologies such as telephony, internet services and face-to-face contact; and
● taking responsibility for the outcomes of customer contact and rectifying complex situations involving emergencies, substantial complaints and faults, disruptions or disconnection of service or customer dissatisfaction.
Indicative Tasks
An employee at this level would normally perform the following indicative tasks:
● follow work health and safety policy and procedures;
● communicate in a customer contact centre;
● work in a customer contact centre environment;
● respond to inbound customer contact;
● conduct outbound customer contact;
● use basic computer technology;
● use an enterprise information system;
● provide quality customer service; and
● provide leadership in a contact centre.
An employee at this level would also normally perform some of the following indicative tasks:
● lead operations in a contact centre;
● monitor safety in a contact centre;
● implement continuous improvement in a contact centre;
● lead innovation and change in a contact centre;
● administer customer contact telecommunications technology;
● implement customer service strategies in a contact centre;
● implement information systems in a contact centre;
● acquire product or service knowledge;
● gather, collate and record information;
● analyse information;
● lead teams in a contact centre;
● develop teams and individuals in a contact centre; and
● develop and lead on the job training.
Qualifications
An employee who holds a Certificate IV in Telecommunications (Customer Contact) or equivalent would be classified at this level when employed to perform the functions in the role definition and taking into account the indicative tasks.
Principle Customer Contact Leader
Role Definition
A Principal Customer Contact Leader is employed in the application of a significant range of fundamental principles and complex techniques across a wide and often unpredictable variety of functions in either varied or highly specific functions.
Contribution to the development of a broad plan, budget or strategy is involved and accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the outcomes is involved.
A Principal Customer Contact Leader would co-ordinate the work of a number of teams within a call centre environment, and would typically have a number of specialists/supervisors reporting to them.
Indicative Tasks
The following tasks are indicative of those performed by an employee at this level:
● manage personal work priorities and professional development;
● provide leadership in the workplace;
● establish effective workplace relationships;
● facilitate work teams;
● manage the operational plan;
● manage workplace information systems;
● manage quality customer service;
● ensure a safe workplace;
● promote continuous improvement;
● facilitate and capitalise on change and innovation; and
● develop a workplace learning environment.
Qualifications
An employee who holds a Diploma—Front Line Management or equivalent would be classified at this level when employed to perform the functions in the role definition and taking into account the indicative tasks.
Contract Call Centre Industry Technical Associate
Role Definition
A Contract Call Centre Industry Technical Associate performs work involving the application of a significant range of fundamental principles and complex techniques across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts in relation to either varied or highly specific functions.
Contribution to the development of a broad plan, budget or strategy is involved and accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the outcomes is involved.
An employee in this role is involved in:
- design, installation and management of telecommunications computer equipment and systems; and
- design, installation and management of data communications equipment.
This role includes assessing installation requirements, designing systems, planning and performing installations, testing installed equipment and fault finding. It involves a high degree of autonomy and may include some supervision of others.
Indicative Tasks
The following tasks are indicative of those performed by an employee at this level:
- undertake qualification testing of new or enhanced equipment and systems;
- undertake system administration;
- undertake network traffic management;
- undertake network performance analysis;
- create code for applicants; and
- prepare a detailed design for a communication network.
Qualifications
An employee who holds an Advanced Diploma in Telecommunications Computer Systems or equivalent would be classified at this level when employed to perform the functions in the role definition and taking into account the indicative tasks.
Average Australian Contact Centre Salaries for 2025
While the Contract Call Centre Award sets the minimum salary levels, most Australian contact centres pay well above these minimums in order to attract and retain quality employees.
Each year, the team at SMAART Recruitment conducts a comprehensive industry benchmarking report that covers salary data across all contact centre roles, as well as KPIs, technology adoption, absenteeism, attrition and more.
Access the full summary of the 2025 Australian Contact Centre Industry Best Practice Report >
2025 Australian Contact Centre Salaries – Frontline Customer Service
| State | 2024 | 2025 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Australia | $64,500 + super | $65,000 + super | +0.78% |
| Queensland | $61,998 + super | $63,028 + super | +1.66% |
| Victoria | $62,288 + super | $64,284 + super | +3.20% |
| New South Wales | $63,500 + super | $67,688 + super | +6.60% |
| Western Australia | $65,000 + super | $66,000 + super | +1.54% |
| National Average | $63,457 + super | $65,400 + super | +3.06% |
2025 Australian Contact Centre Salaries – Team Leaders and Specialists
Customer Service Team Leader salaries in 2024 remain unchanged at $89,500 + super, with an average bonus of $8,900. After strong growth in previous years, salaries have now plateaued, reflecting a period of stabilisation.
Outbound Sales Team Leaders continue to lead the team leader category with the highest bonuses, averaging $15,000 nationally.
Workforce Planning roles continue to pay well, with Workforce Managers earning a national average of $133,000 + super – and 1 in 3 roles now exceeding $150K.
Knowledge Managers remain highly valued, with national average salaries sitting at $130,000 + super. The wide range in reported salaries suggests significant variation in responsibilities and seniority across roles.
Learn more about the Call Centre Team Leader role, including KPIs, common duties and more >
💼 Contact Centre Leadership Salaries Snapshot (2025)
The salary data below remains consistent with the 2024 results, with no major changes reported for 2025 across leadership and management roles.
| Role | Ave Base Salary (nationally) | Average Bonus | % Receiving a Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Manager | $127,000 + super | $11,000 + super | 40% |
| Senior Operations Manager | $152,900 + super | $15,900 + super | 100% |
| Contact Centre Manager | $129,000 + super | $11,800 + super | 28% |
| Senior Contact Centre Manager | $153,800 + super | $20,900 + super | 63% |
| Head of Contact Centre | $179,500 + super | $25,600 + super | 50% |
| Head of Customer Service/CX | $198,800 + super | $24,625 + super | 67% |
| Customer Service/CX Manager | $136,000 + super | $12,500 + super | 66% |
| General Manager | $205,900 + super | $25,600 + super | 75% |
Summary
There’s no question the Australian contact centre industry saw a resurgence in 2022 and 2023 — largely as a by-product of post-COVID reshoring and a renewed focus on domestic service quality.
But the real story in 2025? It’s not the pandemic. It’s AI.
While offshore outsourcing once promised savings of 40% to 75%, many businesses brought roles back to Australia in recent years, prioritising control, quality, and local customer experience. Now, the pressure is back on — this time from rising operational costs, persistent talent shortages, and the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence.
AI is being touted as the magic bullet for driving down cost-to-serve, with chatbots, voice automation, and self-service flows claiming to reduce the need for expensive human labour.
But the reality on the ground? Results are mixed. Some businesses are seeing gains, others are facing customer backlash, increased churn, or expensive rework due to poor AI design and unrealistic vendor promises.
As a result, the “AI vs Offshore vs Onshore” equation is once again under review in boardrooms across the country.
Whether AI delivers enough operational value to protect local contact centre jobs — or whether we see a new wave of offshoring in response to margin pressure — remains one of the big questions for the Australian contact centre industry in the years ahead.
There’s a reason Human Resource professionals, Lawyers and Advisors specialise in Employment Awards — they’re complicated! We always encourage you to get specialist support if you aren’t sure what the right option is for your business.
ACXPA Members can also use Private Support Groups to ask other members what they’ve experienced, get some tips, and share information.
The Fair Work Commission can also be a great support —search here for their contact details >
