NDIS providers — find out the actual margin you make per billable hour, factoring in worker on-cost, travel, non-billable time, and admin overhead.
Built for NDIS support providers, support coordinators, and allied health. Uses indicative NDIS price guide rates and SCHADS Award benchmarks.
NDIS Provider Margin Calculator
Effective margin per billable hour, factoring in SCHADS, non-billable time, and admin overhead.
Service & rate
Worker cost (SCHADS)
Operational overhead
Three steps, sixty seconds
Pick the service
Choose from common NDIS line items or enter a custom rate. The price guide rate auto-loads for the time of week.
Set worker cost
Pick your worker’s SCHADS classification, casual or permanent, and any travel.
Add overheads
Non-billable % (training, documentation, no-shows) and admin overhead — see your true margin per billable hour.
The numbers that really matter
| Driver | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Worker classification | Each SCHADS pay-point step adds 5–10% to your worker cost — and the NDIS rate doesn’t move. |
| Casual loading (25%) | Most NDIS providers run casual workforces — that 25% loading compounds with super and on-costs. |
| Time-of-week penalty | Sundays and PH multiply worker cost by 2× and 2.5× — but NDIS rates only multiply by ~1.8× and ~2.2×. PH shifts can be loss-making. |
| Non-billable time | 15% is typical (documentation, training, no-shows). Above 20% = your business model isn’t viable. |
| Admin overhead | NDIS registration, audits, rostering, payroll, insurance, supervision — typically 15–25% of revenue. |
| Cancellations | Short-notice cancellations are claimable from the NDIS plan, but only up to 12 hours each year per participant. Manage carefully. |
Questions we hear a lot
Are these NDIS rates current?
The rates pre-loaded are indicative FY25 prices for NSW/VIC/QLD/TAS metro areas. NDIS publishes a new Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document each 1 July — always verify against the current version on ndis.gov.au. Higher rates apply for remote (MMM 6-7) and very remote (MMM 8-9) areas.
What’s SCHADS?
Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award — the modern award covering most NDIS support work. Pay rates depend on classification level (1–8) and pay point (1–4). The 2022 SCHADS variations introduced shift conditions including broken shifts and 24-hour care.
How does the day-of-week comparison work?
The tool re-calculates your margin for the same service delivered on different days. Often weekends look great on the NDIS rate but margin tightens because worker penalties scale faster than NDIS rates. PH shifts are often the worst margin of the week.
What if I use unregistered providers / contractors?
If your workers are bona fide contractors with their own ABN/insurance, your “worker cost” is whatever you pay them per hour — drop the SCHADS rate and on-costs from the calculation. But be careful — the ATO and Fair Work scrutinise sham contracting in the NDIS sector.
Where does my data go?
Nowhere. The tool runs entirely in your browser.
What about therapy line items (OT, Psychology)?
The tool includes OT and Psychology line items at the standard hourly rate. For therapy services, your worker cost is typically the clinician’s salary (often $80–$120k pa fully loaded for an OT). Margin on therapy is generally healthier than support work, but driven by clinician productivity and supervision overhead.
Can Trinity help with NDIS audit prep?
Yes — Trinity supports NDIS providers through quality audits, internal controls, financial systems setup, and ongoing accounting. NDIS providers face annual or 3-yearly audits depending on registration class.
