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Abalone Diver salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an abalone diver is $96,200 per annum, before tax, up $19,900 since 2018.
How a diver is engaged matters more than anything else: quota holders take the value of the catch less fuel, air, maintenance and licence costs, while crew are usually paid a share of the catch or a day rate. Catch quality, the price paid for live abalone and the number of fishable days all move earnings, and a run of bad weather or a closed area can cut a season short.
Roles that pay more than abalone diver
The largest typical pay rise is $18,200 a year, moving into Commercial Diver.
- Commercial Diver+$18,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher abalone diver salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time abalone diver salary is $96,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Plant and equipment operation and Environmental assessment tend to command a premium over general abalone diver experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Commercial Diver pays a typical $18,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Abalone Diver salary questions
How much do abalone divers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an abalone diver is $96,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is abalone diver pay rising or falling?
The median abalone diver salary is up $19,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than abalone diver?
Commercial Diver pays a typical $18,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to abalone diver.