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Lighting Technician salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a lighting technician is $70,200 per annum, before tax, up $14,600 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on how you are engaged, because casual and freelance technicians are usually paid hourly or by the day, so earnings move with how much work you take on and whether you travel. Larger venues and touring productions covered by enterprise agreements tend to pay above the award, and night work, load-ins and public holidays attract penalty rates. The sector matters as well, with corporate events and broadcast often paying more reliably than small theatre.
Roles that pay more than lighting technician
The largest typical pay rise is $44,200 a year, moving into Technical Director.
- Technical Director+$44,200/yr
- Sound Engineer+$25,700/yr
- Pyrotechnician+$13,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher lighting technician salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time lighting technician salary is $70,200; 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 Plant and equipment operation and Worksite safety management tend to command a premium over general lighting technician experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Technical Director pays a typical $44,200 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."
Lighting Technician salary questions
How much do lighting technicians earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a lighting technician is $70,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is lighting technician pay rising or falling?
The median lighting technician 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 lighting technician?
Technical Director pays a typical $44,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to lighting technician.