Home Nurseryperson Salary
Nurseryperson salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a nurseryperson is $59,800 per annum, before tax, up $12,700 since 2018.
Pay follows the Horticulture Award classification you are employed under, so your level and the duties you take on matter more than the size of the nursery. Production nurseries, retail garden centres and local government depots each sit at different points, and casual or seasonal work is usually paid an hourly rate with a casual loading instead of a salary. Weekend and public holiday shifts in a retail nursery attract penalty rates.
Roles that pay more than nurseryperson
The largest typical pay rise is $16,500 a year, moving into Greenkeeper.
- Greenkeeper+$16,500/yr
- Landscaper+$5,200/yr
- Flower Grower+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher nurseryperson salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time nurseryperson salary is $59,800; 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 nurseryperson experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Greenkeeper pays a typical $16,500 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."
Nurseryperson salary questions
How much do nurserypersons earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a nurseryperson is $59,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is nurseryperson pay rising or falling?
The median nurseryperson salary is up $12,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than nurseryperson?
Greenkeeper pays a typical $16,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to nurseryperson.