Home Civil Construction Labourer Salary
Civil Construction Labourer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a civil construction labourer is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,300 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most labourers are covered by the Building and Construction General On-site Award or by an enterprise agreement on the project, so pay depends on your classification level and the allowances that apply to the site.
- Overtime, penalty rates and travel or away-from-home allowances can add a lot to a base rate on large or remote jobs, and holding a Certificate III or a machinery competency usually moves you up a level.
- Casual and labour hire work often pays a loading instead of leave entitlements.
The median salary rose by $14,300 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 civil construction labourer
The largest typical pay rise is $35,400 a year, moving into Earthmoving Plant Operator.
- Earthmoving Plant Operator+$35,400/yr
- Truck Driver+$34,300/yr
- Excavator Operator+$31,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher civil construction labourer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time civil construction labourer salary is $67,600; 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 Hand and power tool work and Worksite safety management tend to command a premium over general civil construction labourer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Earthmoving Plant Operator pays a typical $35,400 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."
Civil Construction Labourer salary questions
How much do civil construction labourers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a civil construction labourer is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is civil construction labourer pay rising or falling?
The median civil construction labourer salary is up $14,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than civil construction labourer?
Earthmoving Plant Operator pays a typical $35,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to civil construction labourer.
Related salaries
- Earthmoving Plant Operator salary
- Truck Driver salary
- Excavator Operator salary
- Roller Operator salary
- Linemarker salary
- Builder's Labourer 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.