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Antique Dealer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an antique dealer is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,700 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- What you earn depends on whether you are selling stock you own or taking commission on someone else's, since consignment and auction work pays a fee rather than the full margin.
- Dealers who specialise in one field, such as clocks, jewellery or Australian art, tend to hold better margins than those selling mixed stock.
- Rent, insurance, restoration and stand fees come out of that margin, which is why many dealers trade online or from a market stall before taking on a lease.
The median salary rose by $13,700 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 antique dealer
The largest typical pay rise is $14,800 a year, moving into Retail Buyer.
- Retail Buyer+$14,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher antique dealer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time antique dealer salary is $65,000; 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 Selling and negotiation and Inventory management tend to command a premium over general antique dealer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Retail Buyer pays a typical $14,800 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."
Antique Dealer salary questions
How much do antique dealers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an antique dealer is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is antique dealer pay rising or falling?
The median antique dealer salary is up $13,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than antique dealer?
Retail Buyer pays a typical $14,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to antique dealer.
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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.