Home Stablehand Salary
Stablehand salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a stablehand is $49,900 per annum, before tax, up $10,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay is set by the award or enterprise agreement covering the stable, with penalty rates for early mornings, weekends and public holidays lifting the hourly rate.
- Racing stables often provide accommodation and meals on site, which changes what the wage is worth in practice.
- Casual trackwork and barrier attendant shifts generally pay more per hour than routine yard work.
The median salary rose by $10,500 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 stablehand
The largest typical pay rise is $36,800 a year, moving into Veterinary Nurse.
- Veterinary Nurse+$36,800/yr
- Jockey+$17,700/yr
- Animal Attendant+$16,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher stablehand salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time stablehand salary is $49,900; 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 Animal care and handling and Cleaning and grounds maintenance tend to command a premium over general stablehand experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $36,800 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."
Stablehand salary questions
How much do stablehands earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a stablehand is $49,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is stablehand pay rising or falling?
The median stablehand salary is up $10,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than stablehand?
Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $36,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to stablehand.
Related salaries
- Animal Attendant salary
- Farm Worker salary
- Jockey salary
- Veterinary Nurse salary
- Horse Trainer salary
- Station Hand 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.