Healthcare workers — nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, paramedics and aged care staff — have unique super needs. Shift work, salary packaging, and industry-specific default funds all shape which super fund delivers the best outcome. Many healthcare employers default to HESTA or Aware Super, but that does not mean they are automatically the best fit for every worker in the sector.
The best super fund for nurses and healthcare workers should offer competitive fees on typical healthcare salaries ($60k-$120k), strong long-term returns, solid insurance options that account for the physical demands of the job, and ideally an understanding of salary sacrifice arrangements common in public hospitals.
Top 5 Super Funds for Nurses & Healthcare Workers
Ranked at a typical balance of $75,000. Data current as of April 2026.
8.30% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $573/year (0.76% of balance) at $75,000. 1.0M members. $75B in assets under management. sector alignment: nurses-healthcare-workers, aged-care-workers.
- Purpose-built for health and community services workers
- Strong long-term returns — 8.3% over 10 years
- Insurance designed for healthcare occupation risks
8.10% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $637/year (0.85% of balance) at $75,000. 1.2M members. $175B in assets under management. sector alignment: healthcare, healthcare.
- Strong performer — Growth option consistently above median over 10 years
- Socially conscious investment option available
- Good insurance through AIA with competitive premiums
7.20% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $603/year (0.80% of balance) at $75,000. 0.09M members. $14B in assets under management. sector alignment: community-services.
- One of Australia's oldest funds — established 1947
- Strong Victorian local government heritage
- Defined benefit products still available
8.50% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $390/year (0.52% of balance) at $75,000. 0.65M members. $130B in assets under management.
- Among the lowest fees of any major fund — $245 on $50k balance
- Strong 10-year returns of 8.5% — excellent fee-adjusted performance
- 16 investment options including sustainable and ethical choices
8.90% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $520/year (0.69% of balance) at $75,000. 3.4M members. $365B in assets under management.
- Consistently strong long-term returns — top quartile over 10 years
- Low total fees relative to fund size ($285 p.a. on $50k)
- Largest fund in Australia with $365 billion in assets
Fee Comparison at $75,000
How the top 5 funds compare on total annual fees at a $75,000 balance:
| # | Fund | Admin Fee | Inv. Fee | Total $/yr | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HESTA | $78 | 0.48% | $573 | 0.76% |
| 2 | Aware Super | $52 | 0.52% | $637 | 0.85% |
| 3 | Vision Super | $78 | 0.48% | $603 | 0.80% |
| 4 | UniSuper | $60 | 0.36% | $390 | 0.52% |
| 5 | AustralianSuper | $137 | 0.46% | $520 | 0.69% |
Use our comparison calculator to see how these funds stack up at your actual balance and contribution level over 10, 20 or 30 years.
How We Ranked These Funds
Our ranking considers multiple factors relevant to nurses & healthcare workers:
- Fees: Total annual cost (admin fee + investment fee + indirect costs) at a $75,000 balance
- Performance: 10-year and 5-year annualised returns on the default MySuper option
- Sector alignment: Whether the fund has specific expertise or tailoring for this segment
- APRA heatmap: The fund's fee and return ratings on APRA's MySuper Product Heatmap
- Fund size and stability: Total assets under management and member numbers
No fund pays for placement. Rankings are based on publicly available data from APRA, ATO, and individual fund disclosures.
Read Full Reviews
- HESTA Review
The super fund for health and community services workers.
- Aware Super Review
Major industry fund formed from the merger of First State Super and VicSuper.
- Vision Super Review
Industry fund for Victorian local government and community sector workers.
- UniSuper Review
The super fund for Australia's higher education and research sector.
- AustralianSuper Review
Australia's largest super fund by membership and assets under management.