Shearer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a shearer is $64,500 per annum, before tax, up $13,700 since 2018.
Shed pay is usually a rate per sheep rather than an hourly wage, so a shearer's earnings follow their tally and the condition of the mob in front of them. The Pastoral Award sets minimum rates for shed work, and what a contractor pays on top of that, along with whether board and lodgings are part of the deal, changes the take-home figure. Shearers travelling with a crew often have accommodation and meals arranged on the property, which affects what the season costs them week to week.
Roles that pay more than shearer
The largest typical pay rise is $10,900 a year, moving into Sheep Farmer.
- Sheep Farmer+$10,900/yr
- Agricultural Machinery Operator+$10,900/yr
- Wool Classer+$8,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher shearer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time shearer salary is $64,500; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Shearers are on the skills shortage list for regional areas, 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 Hand and power tool work and Animal care and handling tend to command a premium over general shearer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Sheep Farmer pays a typical $10,900 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."
Shearer salary questions
How much do shearers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a shearer is $64,500 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is shearer pay rising or falling?
The median shearer salary is up $13,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than shearer?
Sheep Farmer pays a typical $10,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to shearer.