Home Merchandise Planner Salary
Merchandise Planner salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a merchandise planner is $92,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,100 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends heavily on the size of the retailer and the complexity of the category, so someone planning a large grocery or department store range usually earns more than a planner on a small specialty range.
- Roles covering both stores and online, or a national network of stores, tend to sit higher again.
- Most head office planning jobs are salaried above the retail award, which means annual reviews and bonuses tied to sales and margin are what move pay once you are in the role.
The median salary rose by $19,100 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 merchandise planner
The largest typical pay rise is $17,200 a year, moving into Financial Analyst.
- Financial Analyst+$17,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher merchandise planner salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time merchandise planner salary is $92,000; 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 Data analysis and Financial analysis and modelling tend to command a premium over general merchandise planner experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Financial Analyst pays a typical $17,200 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."
Merchandise Planner salary questions
How much do merchandise planners earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a merchandise planner is $92,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is merchandise planner pay rising or falling?
The median merchandise planner salary is up $19,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than merchandise planner?
Financial Analyst pays a typical $17,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to merchandise planner.
Related salaries
- Category Manager salary
- Retail Buyer salary
- Demand Planner salary
- Supply Chain Analyst salary
- Financial Analyst salary
- Merchandiser 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.