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Occupational Hygienist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an occupational hygienist is $111,800 per annum, before tax, up $23,300 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay follows the industry more than the job title: mining and heavy manufacturing employers pay above community health, local government and university work, and remote site rotations usually come with allowances on top.
- Postgraduate qualifications and certification as an occupational hygienist both shift the figure, and consultants with a client base of their own tend to sit at the top of the range.
The median salary rose by $23,300 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 occupational hygienist
The largest typical pay rise is $12,100 a year, moving into Work Health and Safety Inspector.
- Work Health and Safety Inspector+$12,100/yr
- Safety Consultant+$7,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher occupational hygienist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time occupational hygienist salary is $111,800; 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 Risk assessment and Regulatory compliance tend to command a premium over general occupational hygienist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Work Health and Safety Inspector pays a typical $12,100 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."
Occupational Hygienist salary questions
How much do occupational hygienists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an occupational hygienist is $111,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is occupational hygienist pay rising or falling?
The median occupational hygienist salary is up $23,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than occupational hygienist?
Work Health and Safety Inspector pays a typical $12,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to occupational hygienist.
Related salaries
- Environment, Health and Safety Manager salary
- Safety Consultant salary
- Work Health and Safety Inspector salary
- Work Health and Safety Officer salary
- Chemist salary
- Environmental Scientist 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.