Home Respiratory and Sleep Scientist Salary
Respiratory and Sleep Scientist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a respiratory and sleep scientist is $94,600 per annum, before tax, up $19,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most respiratory and sleep scientists work for public hospital and health services, so pay follows the relevant state enterprise agreement and its classification levels.
- Overnight sleep studies attract shift and on-call loadings, which lift take-home pay above the base rate, and senior scientists who take on reporting, quality or training responsibilities sit on higher bands.
- Private sleep clinics and diagnostic providers set their own rates, and these vary more than the public sector.
The median salary rose by $19,500 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 respiratory and sleep scientist
The largest typical pay rise is $12,300 a year, moving into Medical Laboratory Scientist.
- Medical Laboratory Scientist+$12,300/yr
- Neurophysiology Scientist+$6,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher respiratory and sleep scientist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time respiratory and sleep scientist salary is $94,600; 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 Patient care and support and Clinical assessment and treatment tend to command a premium over general respiratory and sleep scientist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Medical Laboratory Scientist pays a typical $12,300 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."
Respiratory and Sleep Scientist salary questions
How much do respiratory and sleep scientists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a respiratory and sleep scientist is $94,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is respiratory and sleep scientist pay rising or falling?
The median respiratory and sleep scientist salary is up $19,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than respiratory and sleep scientist?
Medical Laboratory Scientist pays a typical $12,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to respiratory and sleep scientist.
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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.