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Choreographer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a choreographer is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,500 since 2018.
Who employs you shapes the money: a salaried position with a dance company or a school is steadier than freelance contracts, and screen or commercial work often pays better per day than a small stage production. Freelancers quote per project or per rehearsal week, so annual income depends on how much work they book. Teaching, movement direction and workshop programs are common ways to bridge the gaps between contracts.
Roles that pay more than choreographer
The largest typical pay rise is $54,600 a year, moving into Artistic Director.
- Artistic Director+$54,600/yr
- Theatre Director+$20,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher choreographer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time choreographer salary is $65,000; 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 Teaching and instruction and Project management tend to command a premium over general choreographer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Artistic Director pays a typical $54,600 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."
Choreographer salary questions
How much do choreographers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a choreographer is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is choreographer pay rising or falling?
The median choreographer salary is up $13,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than choreographer?
Artistic Director pays a typical $54,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to choreographer.