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Aquaculture Farmer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an aquaculture farmer is $81,100 per annum, before tax, up $17,000 since 2018.
Species, the size of the operation and the system used all shift pay, and night or weekend work in hatcheries and harvest seasons usually attracts penalty rates. Because many operations are small owner-run businesses, income can follow the harvest and market price rather than a fixed wage. Remote and coastal sites sometimes come with housing or allowances that are worth weighing against the base rate.
Roles that pay more than aquaculture farmer
The largest typical pay rise is $8,300 a year, moving into Deckhand.
- Deckhand+$8,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher aquaculture farmer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time aquaculture farmer salary is $81,100; 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 Animal care and handling and Operations management tend to command a premium over general aquaculture farmer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Deckhand pays a typical $8,300 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."
Aquaculture Farmer salary questions
How much do aquaculture farmers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an aquaculture farmer is $81,100 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is aquaculture farmer pay rising or falling?
The median aquaculture farmer salary is up $17,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than aquaculture farmer?
Deckhand pays a typical $8,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to aquaculture farmer.