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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.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- 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.
The median salary rose by $15,700 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 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.
Related salaries
- Mechanical Engineering Technician salary
- Toolmaker salary
- Sawmill Operator salary
- Metal Trades Assistant salary
- Fibreglass Laminator salary
- Boat Builder 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.