Zookeeper salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a zookeeper is $66,400 per annum, before tax, up $13,900 since 2018.
- Pay depends heavily on who employs you: large public zoos and aquariums generally pay under enterprise agreements with graded keeper levels, while smaller wildlife parks and sanctuaries often pay less.
- Weekend, public holiday and shift penalties make up a real part of the annual figure on a seven-day roster, and senior or specialist keeper positions sit at higher grades again.
- Where you work matters less than which organisation you work for.
The median salary rose by $13,900 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 zookeeper
The largest typical pay rise is $20,300 a year, moving into Veterinary Nurse.
- Veterinary Nurse+$20,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher zookeeper salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time zookeeper salary is $66,400; 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 Animal care and handling and Health education and advice tend to command a premium over general zookeeper experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $20,300 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."
Zookeeper salary questions
How much do zookeepers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a zookeeper is $66,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is zookeeper pay rising or falling?
The median zookeeper salary is up $13,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than zookeeper?
Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $20,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to zookeeper.
Related salaries
- Veterinary Nurse salary
- Animal Attendant salary
- Snake Catcher salary
- Shearer salary
- Wool Classer salary
- Animal Husbandry Technician 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.