Toolmaker salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a toolmaker is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay follows the trade qualification and the precision of the work, so toolmakers who program CNC machines, build micro-tooling or hold specialist die and mould skills tend to earn more than those doing routine maintenance.
- Shift work, overtime and enterprise agreements in larger manufacturing plants lift the total, and with average full-time hours around 42 a week, some of that difference shows up as penalties rather than base rate.
- A small general engineering shop and a tool room supplying medical or aerospace customers also pay on different scales.
The median salary rose by $13,500 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 toolmaker
The largest typical pay rise is $70,500 a year, moving into Metal Machinist.
- Metal Machinist+$70,500/yr
- Fitter and Turner+$20,800/yr
- Engineering Patternmaker+$17,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher toolmaker salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time toolmaker salary is $65,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Toolmakers 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 Reading plans and specifications and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general toolmaker experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Metal Machinist pays a typical $70,500 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."
Toolmaker salary questions
How much do toolmakers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a toolmaker is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is toolmaker pay rising or falling?
The median toolmaker salary is up $13,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than toolmaker?
Metal Machinist pays a typical $70,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to toolmaker.
Related salaries
- Metal Machinist salary
- Precision Instrument Maker salary
- Engineering Patternmaker salary
- Foundry Moulder salary
- Fitter and Turner salary
- Metal Trades 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.