Gardener salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a gardener is $59,800 per annum, before tax, up $12,700 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most employees are covered by the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award, so the setting matters more than the title: a council or government grounds crew typically pays better and more predictably than a small private maintenance round.
- Weekend and public holiday work attracts penalty rates, and a chemical spraying certificate, turf qualification or heavy vehicle licence can move you into a higher classification.
- Self-employed gardeners set their own rates, but pay their own insurance, equipment and super.
The median salary rose by $12,700 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 gardener
The largest typical pay rise is $16,500 a year, moving into Greenkeeper.
- Greenkeeper+$16,500/yr
- Arborist+$13,000/yr
- Horticulturist+$8,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher gardener salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time gardener salary is $59,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Gardeners 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 Hand and power tool work and Cleaning and grounds maintenance tend to command a premium over general gardener experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Greenkeeper pays a typical $16,500 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."
Gardener salary questions
How much do gardeners earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a gardener is $59,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is gardener pay rising or falling?
The median gardener salary is up $12,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than gardener?
Greenkeeper pays a typical $16,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to gardener.
Related salaries
- Greenkeeper salary
- Nurseryperson salary
- Arborist salary
- Horticulturist salary
- Landscaper salary
- Nursery Hand 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.