Sculptor salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a sculptor is $59,800 per annum, before tax, up $12,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Sculpture income arrives in lumps rather than weekly, because most work is quoted per commission or paid on sale of a finished piece.
- Public art commissions usually come through competitive processes with long lead times, so sculptors commonly balance the studio with teaching, foundry or fabrication work and public art maintenance.
- Materials, casting, transport and studio rent come out of the fee before anything reaches you, which is why a quoted price can look healthy and leave little behind.
The median salary rose by $12,600 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 sculptor
The largest typical pay rise is $10,400 a year, moving into Jewellery Designer.
- Jewellery Designer+$10,400/yr
- Costume Designer+$10,400/yr
- Costume Maker+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher sculptor salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time sculptor salary is $59,800; 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 Craft and handmade production and Visual design tend to command a premium over general sculptor experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Jewellery Designer pays a typical $10,400 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."
Sculptor salary questions
How much do sculptors earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a sculptor is $59,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is sculptor pay rising or falling?
The median sculptor salary is up $12,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than sculptor?
Jewellery Designer pays a typical $10,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to sculptor.
Related salaries
- Visual Artist salary
- Ceramic Artist salary
- Costume Maker salary
- Jewellery Designer salary
- Costume Designer salary
- Jeweller 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.