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Archaeologist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an archaeologist is $88,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,400 since 2018.
What you earn depends mostly on the sector: private heritage consultancies set their own rates above the award for experienced field staff, while government agencies and universities pay on fixed classification scales. Field work is often contracted by the day or the project, so a year's earnings move with how much work is approved. Remote and interstate projects usually come with travel allowances or living-away-from-home payments, which add to a field season's income.
How to negotiate a higher archaeologist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time archaeologist 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 Field research and sampling and Laboratory analysis tend to command a premium over general archaeologist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- 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."
Archaeologist salary questions
How much do archaeologists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an archaeologist is $88,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is archaeologist pay rising or falling?
The median archaeologist salary is up $18,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.