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Motor Mechanic salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a motor mechanic is $84,300 per annum, before tax, up $17,500 since 2018.
- Most motor mechanics are covered by the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award, and weekend or shift work in dealerships and fleet workshops usually attracts penalty rates.
- Sector moves pay more than anything else: heavy vehicle, diesel and mining fleet work sits above general light vehicle servicing, and a separate auto electrical qualification adds another step.
- Apprentices earn a training wage that rises each year of the trade, and mechanics who open their own workshop are setting their own margin rather than drawing a wage.
The median salary rose by $17,500 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 motor mechanic
The largest typical pay rise is $66,500 a year, moving into Mine Deputy.
- Mine Deputy+$66,500/yr
- Auto Electrician+$61,700/yr
- Mechanical Engineer+$51,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher motor mechanic salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time motor mechanic salary is $84,300; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Motor Mechanics 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 Hand and power tool work and Reading plans and specifications tend to command a premium over general motor mechanic experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mine Deputy pays a typical $66,500 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."
Motor Mechanic salary questions
How much do motor mechanics earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a motor mechanic is $84,300 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is motor mechanic pay rising or falling?
The median motor mechanic salary is up $17,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than motor mechanic?
Mine Deputy pays a typical $66,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to motor mechanic.
Related salaries
- Maintenance Planner salary
- Auto Electrician salary
- Mine Deputy salary
- Mechanical Engineering Technician salary
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Mechanic's 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.