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Beef Cattle Farmer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a beef cattle farmer is $61,400 per annum, before tax, up $13,000 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Cattle prices, seasonal conditions and the scale of the herd drive income more than anything else, so a good year and a dry year can look very different.
- Owners and sharefarmers generally keep more than managers working for wages, and selling finished steers rather than weaners changes the return per head.
- Off-farm work is common in lean years and adds to household income.
The median salary rose by $13,000 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 beef cattle farmer
The largest typical pay rise is $40,500 a year, moving into Truck Driver.
- Truck Driver+$40,500/yr
- Sheep Farmer+$14,000/yr
- Deer Farmer+$14,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher beef cattle farmer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time beef cattle farmer salary is $61,400; 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 beef cattle farmer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Truck Driver pays a typical $40,500 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."
Beef Cattle Farmer salary questions
How much do beef cattle farmers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a beef cattle farmer is $61,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is beef cattle farmer pay rising or falling?
The median beef cattle farmer salary is up $13,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than beef cattle farmer?
Truck Driver pays a typical $40,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to beef cattle farmer.
Related salaries
- Dairy Farmer salary
- Sheep Farmer salary
- Deer Farmer salary
- Truck Driver salary
- Pig Farmer salary
- Station Hand 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.