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Anaesthetist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an anaesthetist is $431,200 per annum, before tax, up $92,100 since 2018.
- Public hospital staff specialists sit on a state enterprise agreement with set bands, while private practice income comes from a fee for each procedure you do, so two anaesthetists in the same city can earn quite different amounts.
- Where you live counts as well, because rural and remote posts usually pay more and carry allowances for covering the call roster.
- If you take an offer from a private group, ask how the lists are billed, how fees are split, and whether time on call is paid separately or included in the share.
The median salary rose by $92,100 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
How to negotiate a higher anaesthetist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time anaesthetist salary is $431,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Anaesthetists are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Patient care and support and Medication management tend to command a premium over general anaesthetist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- 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."
Anaesthetist salary questions
How much do anaesthetists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an anaesthetist is $431,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is anaesthetist pay rising or falling?
The median anaesthetist salary is up $92,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
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Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.