Home Builder's Labourer Salary
Builder's Labourer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a builder's labourer is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most sites pay under the Building and Construction General On-site Award, though large commercial and infrastructure projects often set higher rates through enterprise agreements.
- Casual loading, overtime, travel and site allowances can add a lot to a week's earnings, which is why casual labourers sometimes take home more than permanent ones in a busy period.
- Rates also vary by state and by whether the project is residential, commercial or civil.
The median salary rose by $13,600 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's labourer
The largest typical pay rise is $130,100 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$130,100/yr
- Concreter+$49,900/yr
- Truck Driver+$36,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher builder's labourer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time builder's labourer salary is $65,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Builder's Labourers 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 builder's labourer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $130,100 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's Labourer salary questions
How much do builder's labourers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a builder's labourer is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is builder's labourer pay rising or falling?
The median builder's labourer salary is up $13,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than builder's labourer?
Construction Manager pays a typical $130,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to builder's labourer.
Related salaries
- Carpenter salary
- Truck Driver salary
- Civil Construction Labourer salary
- Concreter salary
- Construction Manager salary
- Loader Operator 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.