Home Exhaust Fitter Salary
Exhaust Fitter salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an exhaust fitter is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,200 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Where you work shapes pay more than the job title does: custom and performance shops that weld stainless pay above the award rate, while high-volume replacement outlets tend to pay closer to it.
- Penalty rates, overtime and shift allowances apply in some workplaces, particularly in heavy vehicle and fleet servicing where jobs run outside standard hours.
The median salary rose by $14,200 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 exhaust fitter
The largest typical pay rise is $28,500 a year, moving into Panel Beater.
- Panel Beater+$28,500/yr
- Motor Mechanic+$16,700/yr
How to negotiate a higher exhaust fitter salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time exhaust fitter salary is $67,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Exhaust Fitters 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 Hand and power tool work and Fabrication and finishing tend to command a premium over general exhaust fitter experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Panel Beater pays a typical $28,500 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."
Exhaust Fitter salary questions
How much do exhaust fitters earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an exhaust fitter is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is exhaust fitter pay rising or falling?
The median exhaust fitter salary is up $14,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than exhaust fitter?
Panel Beater pays a typical $28,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to exhaust fitter.
Related salaries
- Motor Mechanic salary
- Panel Beater salary
- Vehicle Accessories Fitter salary
- Metal Machinist salary
- Mechanic's Assistant salary
- Auto Electrician 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.