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Marine Surveyor salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a marine surveyor is $114,400 per annum, before tax, up $23,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends heavily on who you survey for: a classification society, a government regulator, an insurer and an independent practice each set rates on a different basis.
- Surveyors accredited for larger vessels or specialist cargoes can quote for work that pays more, and rates typically reflect travel and offshore assignments.
- Independent surveyors charge by the day or by the job, so what they earn across a year follows how much work they take on.
The median salary rose by $23,800 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.
How to negotiate a higher marine surveyor salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time marine surveyor salary is $114,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Marine Surveyors 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 Regulatory compliance and Risk assessment tend to command a premium over general marine surveyor experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- 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 Surveyor salary questions
How much do marine surveyors earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a marine surveyor is $114,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is marine surveyor pay rising or falling?
The median marine surveyor salary is up $23,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
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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.