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Poultry Farmer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a poultry farmer is $78,000 per annum, before tax, up $16,200 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends heavily on whether you own the farm or work for someone else.
- Owner-operators on a processor contract are paid per bird or per kilogram grown, so income tracks performance, feed costs and the price set in the contract rather than a weekly wage, while farm managers and supervisors earn a salary.
- Overtime and weekend loadings are common because the flock is checked every day, and on-farm housing often forms part of the package in remote locations.
The median salary rose by $16,200 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 poultry farmer
The largest typical pay rise is $28,100 a year, moving into Bulk Materials Handling Operator.
- Bulk Materials Handling Operator+$28,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher poultry farmer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time poultry farmer salary is $78,000; 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 Animal care and handling and Operations management tend to command a premium over general poultry farmer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Bulk Materials Handling Operator pays a typical $28,100 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."
Poultry Farmer salary questions
How much do poultry farmers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a poultry farmer is $78,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is poultry farmer pay rising or falling?
The median poultry farmer salary is up $16,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than poultry farmer?
Bulk Materials Handling Operator pays a typical $28,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to poultry farmer.
Related salaries
- Pig Farmer salary
- Dairy Farmer salary
- Beef Cattle Farmer salary
- Bulk Materials Handling Operator salary
- Orchardist salary
- Farm Worker 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.