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School Laboratory Technician salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a school laboratory technician is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,100 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on the school sector, because government, Catholic and independent schools each negotiate their own enterprise agreement and classifications. Some positions are part-time or term-time only, which lowers annual earnings even when the hourly rate is similar. Experience and a higher qualification, such as a Certificate IV, can move you up a classification within a school.
Roles that pay more than school laboratory technician
The largest typical pay rise is $46,500 a year, moving into Chemist.
- Chemist+$46,500/yr
- Non-destructive Testing Technician+$33,800/yr
- Laboratory Technician+$25,700/yr
How to negotiate a higher school laboratory technician salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time school laboratory technician salary is $67,600; 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 Laboratory analysis and Regulatory compliance tend to command a premium over general school laboratory technician experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chemist pays a typical $46,500 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."
School Laboratory Technician salary questions
How much do school laboratory technicians earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a school laboratory technician is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is school laboratory technician pay rising or falling?
The median school laboratory technician salary is up $14,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than school laboratory technician?
Chemist pays a typical $46,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to school laboratory technician.