What is the typical salary for a site manager in Australia?

There is no single published figure for a site manager salary in the provided sources. However, the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) reports that all employees in the Managers occupation earn an average of $2,800.90 per week, or about $145,647 per year. Site managers are a subset of construction managers, so actual pay depends on experience, location, and whether the role is covered by an award or individual agreement.

How does a site manager salary compare to the national full-time average?

The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The Managers category average is well above that. Even the median full-time earnings for all occupations is about $90,532 per year, so a site manager would typically earn more than the median. State averages also vary: for example, the full-time average in New South Wales is $109,658, while in Western Australia it is $115,825.

Which award covers site managers in construction?

Site managers in the building and construction industry are often covered by the Building and Construction General On-site Award [MA000020]. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a pay guide for this award, which sets minimum rates for classifications such as supervisor and leading hand. However, the exact classification for a site manager depends on duties and responsibilities. Many site managers are paid above the award rate through individual agreements or enterprise bargains.

Site manager salary: How it compares to the national average

How the site manager salary compares to the national average

If you are a site manager or considering the role, you probably want to know how the pay stacks up against the typical Australian full-time wage. The national benchmark is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings figure for full-time adults: $2,083.70 per week in ordinary time, or about $108,352 a year (using a 52-week year). This is the line that Average line uses as its reference point.

A precise site manager salary is not published in the available sources, but we can draw on broader ABS data and award information to give you a picture. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) shows that all employees in the Managers occupation earn an average of $2,800.90 per week in total cash earnings. That works out to roughly $145,647 a year. Site managers fall under construction managers, which is part of the Managers group, so this figure gives a useful indication. However, it includes all managers, from chief executives to retail managers, so it is not specific to construction.

Using the Building and Construction Award

Site managers in the building industry are often covered by the Building and Construction General On-site Award [MA000020]. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guide for this award (effective from 24 February 2026) sets minimum hourly rates for various classifications. While the pay guide does not list a specific “site manager” rate, it includes classifications such as supervisor and leading hand. The award minimums rose by 4.75% from 1 July 2026, in line with the national wage case. Many site managers are employed under individual agreements or enterprise bargains that pay above the award minimum.

Take-home pay sketch

To understand what a site manager might take home after tax, we can use the 2026–27 resident tax rates. The tax-free threshold is $18,200, then 15% up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above that. The Medicare levy adds 2% (before any reductions). For a site manager earning around the Managers average of $145,647, the tax would be roughly:

$0 on first $18,200
15% on $26,800 = $4,020
30% on $90,000 = $27,000
37% on $10,647 = $3,939
Plus Medicare levy 2% on $145,647 = $2,913
Total tax and Medicare: about $37,872
Net income: about $107,775 per year, or $2,073 per week.

This is a rough calculation; actual tax depends on deductions, offsets, and whether you have private health insurance. The national full-time average of $108,352 would yield a net of about $83,500 after similar tax and Medicare, so a site manager at the Managers average would have significantly higher take-home pay.

State and territory comparisons

The national full-time average masks differences across Australia. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings (May 2026) gives state full-time averages (annualised):

New South Wales: $109,658
Victoria: $106,137
Queensland: $106,064
South Australia: $102,450
Western Australia: $115,825
Tasmania: $96,008
Northern Territory: $103,173
Australian Capital Territory: $119,090

Site managers in Western Australia and the ACT tend to earn more, reflecting higher demand and cost of living. You can see how your state compares on our States and territories page.

Medians and minimums

It is also helpful to know the median earnings. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) reports a full-time median of about $90,532 per year and an all-employees median of about $74,100. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums for construction supervisors are higher than the national minimum, but still well below the typical site manager salary.

Where to find more information

For a detailed breakdown of earnings by occupation, see our Job medians page. If you want to compare your own salary against the national average, you can Place a salary on the line using our tool. For more about how the figures are set, visit How the figures are set.

In summary, while we do not have an exact published figure for a site manager salary, the available data suggests it is comfortably above the national full-time average of $108,352. The broad Managers category average of $145,647 provides a useful reference, and actual pay will vary by location, experience, and whether you are covered by an award or an individual agreement.