Landscaper salary in Australia
If you’re looking for a single figure for a landscaper salary, the official statistics are quiet. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for the occupation ‘Landscape Gardener’ (ANZSCO 362213) because it is a six‑digit occupation with a relative standard error too high to report reliably, according to. That means we cannot point to a typical landscaper’s pay from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey.
What we do have is the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award, which sets the legal minimums. Fair Work’s pay guide, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, lists seven classification levels for adult employees. The weekly rates range from $978.10 (Introductory) to $1,154.30 (Level 5). For a full‑time employee working 38 hours, that is an hourly rate of $25.74 to $30.38. Casual employees receive a 25 per cent loading, taking their hourly rate to $32.18 at the Introductory level and $37.98 at Level 5.
Because the award is the only published benchmark for this occupation, this article uses the award Level 1 rate ($1,004.90 per week, $52,255 per year) as a representative minimum. Actual landscaper salaries will vary by experience, employer, and location, and may be higher than the award.
How the award minimums compare to the national average
The national full‑time adult average ordinary‑time earnings stood at $2,083.70 per week in May 2026, according to the. That works out to about $108,352 per year. The award minimum for a Level 1 landscaper is less than half that: $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year. Even the top award level (Level 5, $1,154.30 per week, $60,024 per year) is only 55 per cent of the national average.
It is important to keep the different measures straight. The national average is a mean of all full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings, pulled up by high earners. The full‑time median – the middle point of all full‑time earners – is about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The award minimums sit well below both the mean and the median.
Take‑home pay sketch: landscaper vs national average
To see what these numbers mean in a resident’s pocket, we can apply the 2026–27 tax rates and the Medicare levy (2 per cent). The tax‑free threshold is $18,200; then 15 per cent up to $45,000; 30 per cent up to $135,000; 37 per cent up to $190,000; and 45 per cent above that.
Landscaper on award Level 1 ($52,255 per year)
- Tax: $6,197
- Medicare levy: $1,045
- Total deductions: $7,242
- Take‑home: $45,013
National full‑time average earner ($108,352 per year)
- Tax: $23,026
- Medicare levy: $2,167
- Total deductions: $25,193
- Take‑home: $83,159
The gap in take‑home pay is about $38,000 per year. That difference reflects not only the lower hourly rate but also the fact that the average earner is in the 30 per cent marginal bracket for most of their income, while the landscaper at minimum wage only reaches the 30 per cent bracket for a small portion.
State variations
Full‑time average earnings vary by state and territory, from $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the Australian Capital Territory. A landscaper working in a higher‑average state may have more room to negotiate above the award, but the award itself is national. The States and territories page shows how each region compares to the national line.
Where to go from here
If you are a landscaper or an employer trying to work out a fair salary, the award is the starting point. You can Place a salary on the line to see how any figure compares to the national full‑time average, the median, and the minimum wage. For a broader view of how different occupations stack up, visit Job medians.
The ABS releases Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, in May and November. The next update, for November 2026, will be published in February 2027. Until then, the May 2026 figures remain the most current official snapshot of average pay in Australia.