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Vessel Traffic Service Operator salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a vessel traffic service operator is $88,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay is set by the port authority or maritime agency you work for, so it varies between a large commercial port and a smaller regional harbour.
- Shift penalties and allowances for nights, weekends and public holidays usually add to the base rate, because the service runs around the clock.
- Experience and the level of responsibility on watch, including supervisor or watch manager roles, move pay further.
The median salary rose by $18,600 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 vessel traffic service operator
The largest typical pay rise is $46,800 a year, moving into Harbour Master.
- Harbour Master+$46,800/yr
- Deck Officer+$46,800/yr
- Marine Surveyor+$26,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher vessel traffic service operator salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time vessel traffic service operator salary is $88,400; 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 Operations management and Emergency response tend to command a premium over general vessel traffic service operator experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Harbour Master pays a typical $46,800 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."
Vessel Traffic Service Operator salary questions
How much do vessel traffic service operators earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a vessel traffic service operator is $88,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is vessel traffic service operator pay rising or falling?
The median vessel traffic service operator salary is up $18,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than vessel traffic service operator?
Harbour Master pays a typical $46,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to vessel traffic service operator.
Related salaries
- Harbour Master salary
- Deck Officer salary
- Marine Surveyor salary
- Train Driver salary
- Air Traffic Controller salary
- Railway Station 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.