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Small Engine Mechanic salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a small engine mechanic is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay follows the award or enterprise agreement covering the workshop, so a dealership service centre and a small independent repair shop can sit at different points on the same scale.
- Overtime through the spring and pre-winter rush, a mobile servicing run, and work in agricultural or mining equipment hire all add to the base rate.
- Manufacturer training and experience with electronic fuel injection give you more room to negotiate than years alone.
The median salary rose by $13,800 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 small engine mechanic
The largest typical pay rise is $19,300 a year, moving into Motor Mechanic.
- Motor Mechanic+$19,300/yr
- Diesel Mechanic+$15,600/yr
- Marine Mechanic+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher small engine mechanic salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time small engine mechanic salary is $65,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Small Engine Mechanics 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 Hand and power tool work and Installation and maintenance tend to command a premium over general small engine mechanic experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Motor Mechanic pays a typical $19,300 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."
Small Engine Mechanic salary questions
How much do small engine mechanics earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a small engine mechanic is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is small engine mechanic pay rising or falling?
The median small engine mechanic salary is up $13,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than small engine mechanic?
Motor Mechanic pays a typical $19,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to small engine mechanic.
Related salaries
- Motorcycle Mechanic salary
- Marine Mechanic salary
- Motor Mechanic salary
- Agricultural Mechanic salary
- Diesel Mechanic salary
- Mechanic's Assistant 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.