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Mechanic's Assistant salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a mechanic's assistant is $59,800 per annum, before tax, up $12,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay usually follows the award or enterprise agreement covering the workshop, with traineeship rates set lower in the first year and rising as each stage is completed.
- Dealerships and large fleet workshops generally pay more than small independent garages, and overtime in busy periods adds to weekly earnings.
- Average full-time hours sit at 44, above the standard week, so penalty rates can matter as much as the base rate.
The median salary rose by $12,800 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.
Roles that pay more than mechanic's assistant
The largest typical pay rise is $24,500 a year, moving into Motor Mechanic.
- Motor Mechanic+$24,500/yr
- Exhaust Fitter+$7,800/yr
- Vehicle Accessories Fitter+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher mechanic's assistant salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time mechanic's assistant salary is $59,800; 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 Hand and power tool work and Installation and maintenance tend to command a premium over general mechanic's assistant experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Motor Mechanic pays a typical $24,500 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."
Mechanic's Assistant salary questions
How much do mechanic's assistants earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a mechanic's assistant is $59,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is mechanic's assistant pay rising or falling?
The median mechanic's assistant salary is up $12,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than mechanic's assistant?
Motor Mechanic pays a typical $24,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to mechanic's assistant.
Related salaries
- Motor Mechanic salary
- Tyre Fitter salary
- Vehicle Accessories Fitter salary
- Exhaust Fitter salary
- Small Engine Mechanic salary
- Automotive Dismantler 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.