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Commercial Diver salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a commercial diver is $114,400 per annum, before tax, up $24,100 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay is set largely by the project and the depth of the work.
- Offshore oil and gas, saturation diving and defence contracts pay more than inshore construction and maintenance, and enterprise agreements or project rates often add allowances for travel and remote rosters.
- Certification matters too, so divers who add deeper-diving qualifications, underwater welding or non-destructive testing tend to earn more.
The median salary rose by $24,100 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.
How to negotiate a higher commercial diver salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time commercial diver salary is $114,400; 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 Installation and maintenance tend to command a premium over general commercial diver experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- 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."
Commercial Diver salary questions
How much do commercial divers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a commercial diver is $114,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is commercial diver pay rising or falling?
The median commercial diver salary is up $24,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
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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.