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Marine Engine Driver salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a marine engine driver is $98,800 per annum, before tax, up $20,400 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay rises with the grade of certificate of competency you hold, because a higher grade allows you to work on larger and more powerful vessels.
- Sector matters as well: defence, offshore and port operations generally pay above marine tourism and small charter work, and roster or away-from-home allowances add to the base rate.
- Enterprise agreements and shift penalties are common across the industry, so two drivers with the same certificate can be on noticeably different rates.
The median salary rose by $20,400 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 marine engine driver
The largest typical pay rise is $15,600 a year, moving into Marine Surveyor.
- Marine Surveyor+$15,600/yr
- Marine Engineer+$13,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher marine engine driver salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time marine engine driver salary is $98,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Marine Engine Drivers are on the national skills shortage list, 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 Installation and maintenance and Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general marine engine driver experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Marine Surveyor pays a typical $15,600 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."
Marine Engine Driver salary questions
How much do marine engine drivers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a marine engine driver is $98,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is marine engine driver pay rising or falling?
The median marine engine driver salary is up $20,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than marine engine driver?
Marine Surveyor pays a typical $15,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to marine engine driver.
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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.