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Deck Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a deck officer is $135,200 per annum, before tax, up $27,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends heavily on the vessel and the sector, with offshore, resource-sector and international shipping work paying more than ferries and harbour operations.
- The certificate you hold matters too, since chief mate and master roles sit on higher pay scales, and longer swings away from home usually attract more.
- Sector enterprise agreements set much of the base rate, and allowances for sea time and remote ports add to it.
The median salary rose by $27,800 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 deck officer
The largest typical pay rise is $49,000 a year, moving into Defence Force Officer.
- Defence Force Officer+$49,000/yr
- Ship Captain+$39,800/yr
- Marine Pilot+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher deck officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time deck officer salary is $135,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Deck Officers 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 Operations management tend to command a premium over general deck officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Defence Force Officer pays a typical $49,000 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."
Deck Officer salary questions
How much do deck officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a deck officer is $135,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is deck officer pay rising or falling?
The median deck officer salary is up $27,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than deck officer?
Defence Force Officer pays a typical $49,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to deck officer.
Related salaries
- Ship Captain salary
- Marine Pilot salary
- Defence Force Officer salary
- Vessel Traffic Service Operator salary
- Deckhand salary
- Defence Force Member 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.