Carpenter salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a carpenter is $91,500 per annum, before tax, up $19,200 since 2018.
Most employed carpenters are paid under the Building and Construction General On-site Award or a project enterprise agreement, so rates depend on your classification, the state or territory, and whether the site is residential or commercial. Subcontractors set their own rates but carry their own tools, insurance, super and unpaid time between jobs, so take-home pay swings with how much work they win. Moving into supervision, a builder's registration or running your own business generally shifts earnings more than staying on wages does.
Roles that pay more than carpenter
The largest typical pay rise is $103,600 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$103,600/yr
- Builder+$22,900/yr
- Construction Estimator+$7,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher carpenter salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time carpenter salary is $91,500; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Carpenters 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 Reading plans and specifications and Hand and power tool work tend to command a premium over general carpenter experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $103,600 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."
Carpenter salary questions
How much do carpenters earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a carpenter is $91,500 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is carpenter pay rising or falling?
The median carpenter salary is up $19,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than carpenter?
Construction Manager pays a typical $103,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to carpenter.