Home Operations Manager Salary
Operations Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an operations manager is $114,400 per annum, before tax, up $23,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- A transport depot, a hospital support service and a food manufacturer all pay differently, and health and government employers usually work to an enterprise agreement with set increments.
- Bonuses are common in commercial operations, so ask how yours is calculated and which targets it hinges on.
- If an advertised figure includes a car allowance or shift loadings, ask what the base salary is.
The median salary rose by $23,600 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 operations manager
The largest typical pay rise is $85,800 a year, moving into Chief Operating Officer.
- Chief Operating Officer+$85,800/yr
- Corporate Services Manager+$38,100/yr
- Transport Manager+$23,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher operations manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time operations manager salary is $114,400; 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 Operations management and Process improvement tend to command a premium over general operations manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $85,800 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."
Operations Manager salary questions
How much do operations managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an operations manager is $114,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is operations manager pay rising or falling?
The median operations manager salary is up $23,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than operations manager?
Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $85,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to operations manager.
Related salaries
- Chief Operating Officer salary
- Corporate Services Manager salary
- Production Manager salary
- Transport Manager salary
- Facilities Manager salary
- Customer Service Manager 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.