Builder salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a builder is $114,400 per annum, before tax, up $23,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Builders who run their own jobs carry both the risk and the upside: a fixed-price contract pays well when the job goes to plan, and a bad one can wipe out the margin.
- Working for a larger construction firm usually means steadier income, paid leave and a vehicle, with less say over which jobs you take.
- Ask how any salary is made up, including whether allowances and overtime are built in or paid separately, and whether you would be hired as a subcontractor, because that changes super, insurance and tax.
The median salary rose by $23,600 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 builder
The largest typical pay rise is $80,700 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$80,700/yr
- Building Inspector+$4,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher builder salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time builder salary is $114,400; 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 Reading plans and specifications and Project management tend to command a premium over general builder experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $80,700 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."
Builder salary questions
How much do builders earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a builder is $114,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is builder pay rising or falling?
The median builder salary is up $23,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than builder?
Construction Manager pays a typical $80,700 a year more and draws on similar skills to builder.
Related salaries
- Construction Manager salary
- Construction Estimator salary
- Building Inspector salary
- Carpenter salary
- Bricklayer salary
- Site Supervisor 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.