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Saw Doctor salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a saw doctor is $75,400 per annum, before tax, up $15,700 since 2018.
Pay rises with the level of the trade qualification and with the range of blades you can work on, so a saw doctor who can tension large band saws or handle complex re-tipping usually earns more than one doing routine sharpening. The sector matters as well: mills, specialist sharpening businesses and mobile services set their own rates. Full-time hours average 42 a week, and overtime in busy periods or during a mill breakdown adds to the base rate in many workshops.
Roles that pay more than saw doctor
The largest typical pay rise is $18,200 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineering Technician.
- Mechanical Engineering Technician+$18,200/yr
- Sawmill Operator+$100/yr
How to negotiate a higher saw doctor salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time saw doctor salary is $75,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Saw Doctors are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Fabrication and finishing and Hand and power tool work tend to command a premium over general saw doctor experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechanical Engineering Technician pays a typical $18,200 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."
Saw Doctor salary questions
How much do saw doctors earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a saw doctor is $75,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is saw doctor pay rising or falling?
The median saw doctor salary is up $15,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than saw doctor?
Mechanical Engineering Technician pays a typical $18,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to saw doctor.