Diesel Mechanic Salary: What the Data Shows
If you are looking for a single, official figure for a diesel mechanic salary in Australia, you will not find one. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not break down average earnings by 6-digit occupation codes, and Jobs and Skills Australia reports that median weekly earnings for Diesel Motor Mechanics (ANZSCO 321212) are not available. That is because the occupation is too fine-grained for the survey sample. This page explains what we do know: the award minimums, the national averages, and how to think about a diesel mechanic’s pay in terms of a year, a week, and an hour.
The National Full-Time Average: A Benchmark
The most useful benchmark is the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings, published by the ABS in its Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That figure is $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, it comes to about $108,352 a year. On a standard 38-hour week, that is roughly $54.83 per hour. This is the average across all full-time adult employees, not a median and not specific to any occupation. It is the line that Average line uses as its reference point.
For comparison, the full-time median (the middle point of all full-time earnings) is about $90,532 a year, and the all-employees median (including part-time) is about $74,100. These medians come from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year on 38 hours.
Award Minimums for Diesel Mechanics
Diesel mechanics are covered by the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award (MA000089). The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a pay guide with weekly and hourly rates for each classification level. The rates effective from 1 July 2025 (the latest available) are:
- Level 1: $922.70 per week ($24.28 per hour)
- Level 2: $948.00 per week ($24.95 per hour)
- Level 3: $982.40 per week ($25.85 per hour)
- Level 4: $1,014.70 per week ($26.70 per hour)
- Level 5: $1,038.90 per week ($27.34 per hour)
- Level 6: $1,068.40 per week ($28.12 per hour)
- Level 7: $1,168.90 per week ($30.76 per hour)
These are minimum rates. Most diesel mechanics would be classified at Level 3 or above, depending on their qualifications and experience. Even the highest award rate ($1,168.90 per week) is well below the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week. That gap reflects that the award sets a floor, not a typical wage. Many mechanics earn above the award through enterprise agreements, over-award payments, or overtime.
Reading the Same Pay as a Year, a Week, and an Hour
Average line lets you enter a yearly salary and see it as a weekly and hourly figure, plus how far it sits from the national full-time average. For a diesel mechanic earning at the award Level 5 rate ($1,038.90 per week, that is about $54,023.80 a year (52 weeks) or $1,038.90 × 52 = $54,022.80). On a 38-hour week, that is $27.34 per hour. Compared to the national average of $2,083.70 per week, that is about $1,044.90 less per week, or about $54,328 less per year. The gap is large.
If you have a specific salary from a job offer, you can Place a salary on the line to see the exact distance.
State and Territory Differences
State full-time averages from the ABS show that full-time adult average weekly earnings vary. The highest is the Australian Capital Territory at $2,290.20 per week ($119,090 a year, the lowest is Tasmania at $1,846.30 ($96,008 a year). The national average is $2,083.70 per week. For a diesel mechanic, a mechanic in Tasmania would be even further below the national average than one in the ACT. States and territories page shows the full breakdown.
Where to Find More Data
For occupation-specific medians, the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey provides medians for broader groups. Diesel mechanics fall under the occupation group "Motor Mechanics (3212) which includes general motor mechanics. The median for that group is not published for 6-digit, but the 4-digit median is about $1,200 per week (about $62,400 a year). That is still below the national full-time average. The all-employees median is about $1,425 per week ($74,100 a year). Job medians page lists available medians.
Summary
While there is no single diesel mechanic salary figure, the award minimums provide a floor, and the national full-time average provides a ceiling for comparison. Most diesel mechanics likely earn between the award rates and the national average, with experienced mechanics in high-paying states like Western Australia or the ACT potentially reaching or exceeding the national average. The key takeaway: the award minimums are significantly below the national average, but actual earnings can be higher.