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Policy Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a policy officer is $113,000 per annum, before tax, up $23,400 since 2018.
- Pay follows the classification level in the enterprise agreement that covers the employer, so a policy officer in a state department can sit on a different scale from one in the Australian Public Service.
- Specialist areas such as economics, health financing or law often sit at a higher level, and a short-term contract or secondment can pay more than an ongoing position while offering less security.
The median salary rose by $23,400 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 officer
The largest typical pay rise is $40,100 a year, moving into Policy and Planning Manager.
- Policy and Planning Manager+$40,100/yr
- Economist+$35,800/yr
- Organisational Development Consultant+$14,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher policy officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time policy officer salary is $113,000; 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 Data analysis tend to command a premium over general policy officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $40,100 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."
Policy Officer salary questions
How much do policy officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a policy officer is $113,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is policy officer pay rising or falling?
The median policy officer salary is up $23,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than policy officer?
Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $40,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to policy officer.
Related salaries
- Policy and Planning Manager salary
- Organisational Development Consultant salary
- Economist salary
- Project Manager salary
- Intelligence Analyst salary
- Electorate 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.