Deckhand salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a deckhand is $89,400 per annum, before tax, up $19,000 since 2018.
- What a deckhand takes home depends more on the sector and the roster than on the job title.
- Harbour ferry and tug work usually sits under an enterprise agreement with penalty rates for nights, weekends and public holidays, while fishing crews are often paid a share of the catch that swings with the season and the trip.
- Certificates such as Coxswain or Master lift pay, as do offshore and specialist roles that carry away-from-home allowances.
The median salary rose by $19,000 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 deckhand
The largest typical pay rise is $85,600 a year, moving into Ship Captain.
- Ship Captain+$85,600/yr
- Deck Officer+$45,800/yr
- Commercial Diver+$25,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher deckhand salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time deckhand salary is $89,400; 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 Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general deckhand experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Ship Captain pays a typical $85,600 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."
Deckhand salary questions
How much do deckhands earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a deckhand is $89,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is deckhand pay rising or falling?
The median deckhand salary is up $19,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than deckhand?
Ship Captain pays a typical $85,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to deckhand.
Related salaries
- Deck Officer salary
- Ship Captain salary
- Fishing Hand salary
- Commercial Diver salary
- Defence Force Member salary
- Stevedore 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.