Home Vehicle Trimmer Salary
Vehicle Trimmer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a vehicle trimmer is $70,200 per annum, before tax, up $14,900 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- What you earn depends on the award or enterprise agreement covering your workplace and on how much overtime and penalty rate work you pick up.
- A trade qualification plus experience in high-end custom, restoration or marine trimming usually pays better than production line work, and small shops vary widely in what they can offer.
- Location matters mainly through the local mix of industries, whether that is a manufacturing plant or a steady stream of restoration jobs.
The median salary rose by $14,900 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 vehicle trimmer
The largest typical pay rise is $5,200 a year, moving into Vehicle Body Builder.
- Vehicle Body Builder+$5,200/yr
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician+$2,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher vehicle trimmer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time vehicle trimmer salary is $70,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Vehicle Trimmers 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 Craft and handmade production and Hand and power tool work tend to command a premium over general vehicle trimmer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Vehicle Body Builder pays a typical $5,200 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."
Vehicle Trimmer salary questions
How much do vehicle trimmers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a vehicle trimmer is $70,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is vehicle trimmer pay rising or falling?
The median vehicle trimmer salary is up $14,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than vehicle trimmer?
Vehicle Body Builder pays a typical $5,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to vehicle trimmer.
Related salaries
- Vehicle Accessories Fitter salary
- Vehicle Body Builder salary
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician salary
- Window Tinter salary
- Auto Glazier salary
- Car Detailer 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.