Caretaker salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a caretaker is $71,900 per annum, before tax, up $15,100 since 2018.
- Pay moves with the employer and the agreement that covers the job.
- Caretakers in schools, hospitals and government buildings are often on enterprise agreements with set increments, while commercial and residential roles are negotiated individually, so two jobs with the same title can pay differently.
- Live-in roles may add accommodation or an on-call allowance, which is worth weighing against the hours the arrangement asks for.
The median salary rose by $15,100 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 caretaker
The largest typical pay rise is $27,900 a year, moving into Maintenance Planner.
- Maintenance Planner+$27,900/yr
- Handyman+$8,100/yr
- Caravan Park Manager+$7,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher caretaker salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time caretaker salary is $71,900; 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 Cleaning and grounds maintenance and Hand and power tool work tend to command a premium over general caretaker experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Maintenance Planner pays a typical $27,900 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."
Caretaker salary questions
How much do caretakers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a caretaker is $71,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is caretaker pay rising or falling?
The median caretaker salary is up $15,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than caretaker?
Maintenance Planner pays a typical $27,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to caretaker.
Related salaries
- Cleaner salary
- Greenkeeper salary
- Handyman salary
- Caravan Park Manager salary
- Maintenance Planner salary
- Gardener 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.