Shearer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a shearer is $64,500 per annum, before tax, up $13,700 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Shed pay is usually a rate per sheep rather than an hourly wage, so a shearer's earnings follow their tally and the condition of the mob in front of them.
- The Pastoral Award sets minimum rates for shed work, and what a contractor pays on top of that, along with whether board and lodgings are part of the deal, changes the take-home figure.
- Shearers travelling with a crew often have accommodation and meals arranged on the property, which affects what the season costs them week to week.
The median salary rose by $13,700 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 shearer
The largest typical pay rise is $10,900 a year, moving into Sheep Farmer.
- Sheep Farmer+$10,900/yr
- Agricultural Machinery Operator+$10,900/yr
- Wool Classer+$8,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher shearer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time shearer salary is $64,500; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Shearers are on the skills shortage list for regional areas, 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 Hand and power tool work and Animal care and handling tend to command a premium over general shearer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Sheep Farmer pays a typical $10,900 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."
Shearer salary questions
How much do shearers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a shearer is $64,500 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is shearer pay rising or falling?
The median shearer salary is up $13,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than shearer?
Sheep Farmer pays a typical $10,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to shearer.
Related salaries
- Wool Classer salary
- Sheep Farmer salary
- Agricultural Machinery Operator salary
- Wool Handler salary
- Station Hand salary
- Farm Worker 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.