Home Policy and Planning Manager Salary
Policy and Planning Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a policy and planning manager is $153,100 per annum, before tax, up $32,200 since 2018.
- Pay follows the classification and enterprise agreement of the employer, so a federal agency, a state health department and a private insurer can pay quite differently for similar work.
- Seniority within a band matters more than years served: a larger budget, more staff or direct responsibility for ministerial advice all move you up.
- Private and not-for-profit employers set their own ranges, which may sit above or below the public service bands.
The median salary rose by $32,200 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 policy and planning manager
The largest typical pay rise is $28,900 a year, moving into Chief Executive Officer.
- Chief Executive Officer+$28,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher policy and planning manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time policy and planning manager salary is $153,100; 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 Policy analysis and advice and Strategy development tend to command a premium over general policy and planning manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $28,900 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."
Policy and Planning Manager salary questions
How much do policy and planning managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a policy and planning manager is $153,100 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is policy and planning manager pay rising or falling?
The median policy and planning manager salary is up $32,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than policy and planning manager?
Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $28,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to policy and planning manager.
Related salaries
- Chief Executive Officer salary
- General Manager salary
- Organisational Development Consultant salary
- Project Manager salary
- Change Manager salary
- Policy Officer 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.