Arborist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an arborist is $72,800 per annum, before tax, up $15,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay follows the award or enterprise agreement you work under, so a council or utility arborist on a graded scale usually earns more than someone doing domestic tree work for a small contractor.
- Qualifications shift it as well: a Certificate III is the entry point, while a Diploma in Arboriculture or a higher-duties role brings supervisory work and a higher classification.
- Storm response, on-call rosters and travel loading are where the extra money usually sits.
The median salary rose by $15,500 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 arborist
The largest typical pay rise is $4,200 a year, moving into Tree Faller.
- Tree Faller+$4,200/yr
- Greenkeeper+$3,500/yr
- Irrigation Technician+$2,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher arborist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time arborist salary is $72,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Arborists 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 Hand and power tool work and Worksite safety management tend to command a premium over general arborist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Tree Faller pays a typical $4,200 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."
Arborist salary questions
How much do arborists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an arborist is $72,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is arborist pay rising or falling?
The median arborist salary is up $15,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than arborist?
Tree Faller pays a typical $4,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to arborist.
Related salaries
- Forestry Worker salary
- Tree Faller salary
- Gardener salary
- Greenkeeper salary
- Irrigation Technician salary
- Demolition Worker 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.