Now that’s a difficult question to answer, not only for tradies but anyone from any industry, for a number of reasons.
But just because your tradie friend won’t give you an exact figure doesn’t mean you can bury your curiosity. Other than being nosy, there can be a number of good reasons that you want to know how much a tradie can earn.
Maybe you want to know the average earnings of an Australian tradie because you’re thinking about shifting your work industry. Or maybe you want to how much trades jobs pay in Australia to see if it’s worth the effort to learn a trade. And let me tell you, it’s worth it.
Trades jobs in Australia are among the highest paid jobs in the country. And the gap in demand and the availability of tradesmen in Australia makes sure trades jobs pay better and better every year.
Now the average pay for trades jobs might vary from city to city. For example, tradies jobs in Melbourne suburb Carrum Downs have an average of $100,000 per year, whereas tradie jobs in Sydney Western Suburbs NSW have an average $70,000 per year. Taking in per hour terms, average hourly wage for tradies jobs in Melbourne VIC is reported to be $37.52. And tradies jobs in Sydney have an average hourly wage of $33.87.
Do keep in mind that these averages include several trades and several cities. Not every tradie job in Sydney pays $33 per hour. Some pay significantly higher some lower. For example, the average Air conditioning technician in Sydney makes an average of $42 per hour. Whereas the average hourly rate of a plumber in Sydney is $90.
Here’s what you came for, the figures.
Construction or Site Manager – $132,221
A construction manager, as the name signifies, manages construction projects. construction manager is one the top-tier trades and is one the highest paying trades jobs in Australia. The duties of a construction manager are given based on their experience. For example, a newer and less experienced construction manager might not be given purchasing duties. Whereas a senior construction manager can be responsible for purchasing and keeping track of material. Construction managers therefore can expect to be paid higher compared to almost any other trade.
Plumber – $110,000
Plumbing is among the highest paid tradies jobs in Australia. The average hourly wage for trades jobs in Sydney is $33.87 whereas an average of $90/hour is charged for plumbing tradies jobs in Sydney.
Boilermaker – $108,947
Have you ever seen a boilermaker at work? If you have, it won’t be surprising to see they make 6-figures a year. An entry-level boilermaker’s salary is close to an experienced Carpenter. Where the more experienced tradies make above $100,000 in Australia. The average hourly wage for a boilermaker trades job in Sydney is above $44.
Concreter – $107,500
Mostly working in the Construction Industry, concreters are made to feel their importance by paying unexpected amounts. If a concreter has messes up his job but somehow does a good job hiding it, the whole project can be a disaster. No wonder Full-time workers earn around $21,00 per week.
Flooring tradesperson – $103,125
The average hourly wage for a flooring installer trades job in Sydney is $53.67. Although there are significantly lower paying categories of this trade. A Flooring tradesperson’s lower side of the scale can be as low as $25. That’s quite a big difference between the two extreme ends for this trade job in Australia.
Landscaper-$88,750
Landscapers can make $32.50 – $37 per hour for their trade skill job in Australia. A landscaper is paid a good amount as they not only have to perform physical work but at the same time have a good aesthetic sense and the ability to express it with their trade skill. A Landscaper’s yearly income averages between $63,375 – $88,750depending on experience, types of trades jobs taken, and city or state they operate in.
Electrician – $87,707
Average hourly wage for an electrician in Brisbane is $75-$110. Whereas $90 to $130 is the range of hourly wage for the same tradies job in Sydney. But as in every other trade, there are different categories of Electrician. Mainly 2 categories, level 1 and level 2 Electrician. Where level 2 electricians are qualified to not only maintain and repair but also do installations.
Carpenter – $77,000
Although the average yearly income for an average carpenter is around $77,000, a master carpenter in Australia can have a yearly income of up to $81,000. Obviously, such is the case with all trades. The more experience and skilled you are the more you charge for the same trades job.
And here are some additional figures of avg salaries for tradies jobs in Sydney, Australia.
- Earthworks contractor $94,167
- Bricklayer $92,000
- Renderer $87,500
- Tiler $86,048
Air Conditioning Technician $80,00
Tradies do make a lot of money, especially doing trades jobs in Sydney, Perth, Canberra and other major Australian cities pay pretty top-notch wages. But these are all salaries for the tradies that find good jobs on the regular.
What about the ones that aren’t employed by the country’s biggest names in the industry? What about the sole traders that find work for themselves, do the work themselves, and still find time to live life?
Yes, it can all be pretty intimidating, but not to worry. There are plenty of trades jobs out there. In fact, there is a big gap between the number of tradies available in Australia and the number of trades jobs popping up every day. People book appointments weeks before they get an actual tradie knocking on their door. If you’re a tradie who wants to find jobs and work them himself, try going online and looking for online job posting platforms for trade work. Although I should warn you that most of them do make things a little inconvenient for the tradie.
Although, there’s this one called Fixezi – The app of all trades that is by far the most tradie friendly app I have ever come across. If you’re in need for more work and virtually zero effort to get it, you should definitely check it out.
