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Metal Machinist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a metal machinist is $135,500 per annum, before tax, up $28,500 since 2018.
- Most machinists are paid under the manufacturing award or, in larger plants and mine sites, an enterprise agreement that sets rates by classification and shift.
- Overtime and shift penalties make a real difference to weekly earnings, and rates climb with CNC programming, setup and first-class trade skills.
- Small jobbing shops generally pay less than heavy manufacturing, mining and defence work.
The median salary rose by $28,500 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 metal machinist
The largest typical pay rise is $400 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer+$400/yr
How to negotiate a higher metal machinist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time metal machinist salary is $135,500; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Metal Machinists 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 Reading plans and specifications and Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general metal machinist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $400 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."
Metal Machinist salary questions
How much do metal machinists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a metal machinist is $135,500 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is metal machinist pay rising or falling?
The median metal machinist salary is up $28,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than metal machinist?
Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $400 a year more and draws on similar skills to metal machinist.
Related salaries
- Metal Fabricator salary
- Mechanical Engineering Technician salary
- Maintenance Planner salary
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Toolmaker salary
- Metal Trades Assistant 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.