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Animal Health Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an animal health officer is $78,000 per annum, before tax, up $16,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay follows public sector classification, so the state or territory you work for and the qualifications you are hired into affect it more than performance does.
- Regional and remote postings often attract additional allowances, and outbreak responses with on-call or after-hours work add to the total.
- Specialist disease surveillance or veterinary roles sit at a higher classification again.
The median salary rose by $16,600 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.
Roles that pay more than animal health officer
The largest typical pay rise is $13,000 a year, moving into Biosecurity Officer.
- Biosecurity Officer+$13,000/yr
- Water Inspector+$13,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher animal health officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time animal health officer salary is $78,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Animal Health Officers are on the skills shortage list for regional areas, 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 Animal care and handling and Field inspection and testing tend to command a premium over general animal health officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Biosecurity Officer pays a typical $13,000 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."
Animal Health Officer salary questions
How much do animal health officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an animal health officer is $78,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is animal health officer pay rising or falling?
The median animal health officer salary is up $16,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than animal health officer?
Biosecurity Officer pays a typical $13,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to animal health officer.
Related salaries
- Biosecurity Officer salary
- Water Inspector salary
- Council Ranger salary
- Animal Attendant salary
- Animal Husbandry Technician salary
- Stock and Station Agent salary
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.