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Blacksmith salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a blacksmith is $72,800 per annum, before tax, up $15,000 since 2018.
Award or enterprise agreement rates set the base for blacksmiths employed in a workshop, and overtime or penalty rates apply when a job runs past the usual day. Self-employed blacksmiths earn from commissions, so income moves with the type of work, the materials bill and how accurately each piece was quoted. Specialising in heritage restoration or architectural ironwork changes both what you can charge and how long each piece takes.
Roles that pay more than blacksmith
The largest typical pay rise is $62,700 a year, moving into Metal Machinist.
- Metal Machinist+$62,700/yr
- Fitter+$18,200/yr
- Metal Fabricator+$15,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher blacksmith salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time blacksmith salary is $72,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Blacksmiths 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 Fabrication and finishing tend to command a premium over general blacksmith experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Metal Machinist pays a typical $62,700 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."
Blacksmith salary questions
How much do blacksmiths earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a blacksmith is $72,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is blacksmith pay rising or falling?
The median blacksmith salary is up $15,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than blacksmith?
Metal Machinist pays a typical $62,700 a year more and draws on similar skills to blacksmith.