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Youth Justice Worker salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a youth justice worker is $91,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,100 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay is set by state and territory public sector agreements, so the figure differs between jurisdictions and shifts with each bargaining round.
- Shift work in custody usually attracts penalties and overtime, which is often where take-home pay pulls ahead of the base rate.
- Your classification level and whether you hold a relevant degree both move you up the scale.
The median salary rose by $19,100 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 youth justice worker
The largest typical pay rise is $4,900 a year, moving into Probation Officer.
- Probation Officer+$4,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher youth justice worker salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time youth justice worker salary is $91,000; 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 Casework and client support and Counselling and support work tend to command a premium over general youth justice worker experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Probation Officer pays a typical $4,900 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."
Youth Justice Worker salary questions
How much do youth justice workers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a youth justice worker is $91,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is youth justice worker pay rising or falling?
The median youth justice worker salary is up $19,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than youth justice worker?
Probation Officer pays a typical $4,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to youth justice worker.
Related salaries
- Probation Officer salary
- Family Violence Practitioner salary
- Drug and Alcohol Counsellor salary
- Residential Youth Worker salary
- Family Support Worker salary
- Youth Worker 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.