Milliner salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a milliner is $54,600 per annum, before tax, up $11,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most milliners are self-employed or work in very small studios, so income depends on the order book rather than an award rate.
- Retail and bridal work brings steadier money, while bespoke and racing commissions can pay more per piece but arrive in seasonal bursts.
- Reputation and repeat clients move earnings more than location does, though a studio near a busy racing or theatre scene has more occasions to sell into.
The median salary rose by $11,500 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 milliner
The largest typical pay rise is $23,400 a year, moving into Textile Designer.
- Textile Designer+$23,400/yr
- Clothing Patternmaker+$10,400/yr
- Costume Maker+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher milliner salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time milliner salary is $54,600; 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 Craft and handmade production and Visual design tend to command a premium over general milliner experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Textile Designer pays a typical $23,400 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."
Milliner salary questions
How much do milliners earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a milliner is $54,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is milliner pay rising or falling?
The median milliner salary is up $11,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than milliner?
Textile Designer pays a typical $23,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to milliner.
Related salaries
- Textile Designer salary
- Fashion Designer salary
- Clothing Patternmaker salary
- Costume Maker salary
- Sewing Machinist salary
- Tailor 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.