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Quantity Surveyor salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a quantity surveyor is $115,300 per annum, before tax, up $24,000 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on the sector and the size of the projects, with contractors and major infrastructure work generally paying more than small consultancies and government sitting somewhere in between. Chartership through RICS or full AIQS membership usually lifts what you can ask for, and remote or resources projects pay a premium to attract people. Experience on large civil or defence projects moves the figure further than years of service on its own.
Roles that pay more than quantity surveyor
The largest typical pay rise is $79,800 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$79,800/yr
- Procurement Manager+$32,100/yr
- Surveyor+$4,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher quantity surveyor salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time quantity surveyor salary is $115,300; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Quantity Surveyors are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Financial analysis and modelling and Budgeting and forecasting tend to command a premium over general quantity surveyor experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $79,800 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."
Quantity Surveyor salary questions
How much do quantity surveyors earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a quantity surveyor is $115,300 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is quantity surveyor pay rising or falling?
The median quantity surveyor salary is up $24,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than quantity surveyor?
Construction Manager pays a typical $79,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to quantity surveyor.