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Farmer salary in Australia

The median full-time salary for a farmer is $54,600 per annum, before tax, up $11,400 since 2018.

• Farm income swings with commodity prices, seasonal conditions and the scale of the property, so a good year and a poor one can look very different.
• Whether you own, lease or share-farm the land often matters more to the figure than the type of farming does, and many farm households also draw on off-farm work.

Roles that pay more than farmer

The largest typical pay rise is $28,600 a year, moving into Grain Grower.

• Grain Grower+$28,600/yr
• Agricultural Machinery Operator+$20,800/yr
• Orchardist+$18,200/yr

How to negotiate a higher farmer salary

• Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time farmer salary is $54,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
• Use demand as leverage. Farmers are on the skills shortage list for regional areas, 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 Budgeting and forecasting and Operations management tend to command a premium over general farmer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
• Bring a real alternative to the table. Grain Grower pays a typical $28,600 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."

Farmer salary questions

Related salaries

• Grain Grower salary
• Orchardist salary
• Beef Cattle Farmer salary
• Agricultural Machinery Operator salary
• Farm Worker salary
• Station Hand salary