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Horticulturist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a horticulturist is $68,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay varies most by employer: councils and government agencies set their own enterprise agreements, often with penalty rates and overtime, while production nurseries, orchards and landscape contractors generally pay award rates for the season.
- Supervisory and technical roles sit above the entry level, and chemical, irrigation or turf accreditation is usually what opens those up.
- Location matters less than sector, though the mix of full-time, part-time and seasonal work shifts from one region to the next.
The median salary rose by $14,600 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 horticulturist
The largest typical pay rise is $22,400 a year, moving into Irrigation Designer.
- Irrigation Designer+$22,400/yr
- Greenkeeper+$7,700/yr
- Arborist+$4,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher horticulturist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time horticulturist salary is $68,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Horticulturists 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 Environmental assessment and Field research and sampling tend to command a premium over general horticulturist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Irrigation Designer pays a typical $22,400 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."
Horticulturist salary questions
How much do horticulturists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a horticulturist is $68,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is horticulturist pay rising or falling?
The median horticulturist salary is up $14,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than horticulturist?
Irrigation Designer pays a typical $22,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to horticulturist.
Related salaries
- Bush Regenerator salary
- Landscaper salary
- Arborist salary
- Irrigation Designer salary
- Greenkeeper salary
- Gardener 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.