Jockey salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a jockey is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,400 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- A jockey's income combines a riding fee with a share of any prize money the horse wins, so it moves with the number of rides they get and how often they finish in the placings.
- Apprentice jockeys earn less but ride with a weight allowance that helps them attract mounts.
- Injury, suspension and the spread of race meetings across the year all shape how much work is available.
The median salary rose by $14,400 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 jockey
The largest typical pay rise is $19,100 a year, moving into Veterinary Nurse.
- Veterinary Nurse+$19,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher jockey salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time jockey salary is $67,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Animal care and handling tend to command a premium over general jockey experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $19,100 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."
Jockey salary questions
How much do jockeys earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a jockey is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is jockey pay rising or falling?
The median jockey salary is up $14,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than jockey?
Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $19,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to jockey.
Related salaries
- Animal Attendant salary
- Horse Riding Instructor salary
- Veterinary Nurse salary
- Track Rider salary
- Stablehand salary
- Harness Racing Driver 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.