Drainer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a drainer is $80,600 per annum, before tax, up $17,100 since 2018.
Drainers are usually paid under the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award or a project enterprise agreement, which sets the base rate for the qualification level held. Pay moves with the sector, since major civil and infrastructure projects generally pay more than residential drainage work, and overtime plus allowances for confined space or night work add to the total. Holding your registration and a current licence matters as well, because it opens up the jobs that require a qualified drainer on site.
Roles that pay more than drainer
The largest typical pay rise is $22,900 a year, moving into Plumber.
- Plumber+$22,900/yr
- Mechanical Services Plumber+$15,600/yr
- Roof Plumber+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher drainer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time drainer salary is $80,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Drainers 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 Reading plans and specifications and Installation and maintenance tend to command a premium over general drainer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Plumber pays a typical $22,900 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."
Drainer salary questions
How much do drainers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a drainer is $80,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is drainer pay rising or falling?
The median drainer salary is up $17,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than drainer?
Plumber pays a typical $22,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to drainer.