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Recreation Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a recreation officer is $75,400 per annum, before tax, up $15,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most recreation officers are employed by local councils, so pay follows a council enterprise agreement with bands for the level of the role and years of service.
- Larger metropolitan councils and state agencies tend to sit above small regional shires, and casual or program-tied contracts pay differently from permanent roles.
- Evening and weekend work may attract penalty rates or time off in lieu, depending on the agreement.
The median salary rose by $15,800 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 recreation officer
The largest typical pay rise is $72,500 a year, moving into Sports Administrator.
- Sports Administrator+$72,500/yr
- Project Manager+$35,400/yr
- Community Development Officer+$20,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher recreation officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time recreation officer salary is $75,400; 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 Community engagement and Event coordination tend to command a premium over general recreation officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Sports Administrator pays a typical $72,500 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."
Recreation Officer salary questions
How much do recreation officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a recreation officer is $75,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is recreation officer pay rising or falling?
The median recreation officer salary is up $15,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than recreation officer?
Sports Administrator pays a typical $72,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to recreation officer.
Related salaries
- Sports Administrator salary
- Community Development Officer salary
- Diversional Therapist salary
- Sports Centre Manager salary
- Project Manager salary
- Disability Support 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.