Home Driller's Offsider Salary
Driller's Offsider salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a driller's offsider is $96,200 per annum, before tax, up $20,400 since 2018.
Pay in this job tracks the roster and the site more than the job title. Remote mining and exploration swings, night shift and site allowances lift what a swing is worth, while local water-bore or civil work pays less for the same hours. Full-time offsiders average 70 hours a week, and that long week is part of why the annual figure sits where it does.
Roles that pay more than driller's offsider
The largest typical pay rise is $81,200 a year, moving into Crane Operator.
- Crane Operator+$81,200/yr
- Driller+$55,000/yr
- Miner+$55,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher driller's offsider salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time driller's offsider salary is $96,200; 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 Hand and power tool work and Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general driller's offsider experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Crane Operator pays a typical $81,200 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."
Driller's Offsider salary questions
How much do driller's offsiders earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a driller's offsider is $96,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is driller's offsider pay rising or falling?
The median driller's offsider salary is up $20,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than driller's offsider?
Crane Operator pays a typical $81,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to driller's offsider.