Diesel mechanic salary in Australia
Quick answer
The government's Your Career profile lists average earnings for diesel motor mechanics of about $1,405 a week (around $73,000 a year), but that is an average: mining and FIFO heavy diesel roles pay far more, and overtime moves the number a lot. Apprentice pay is set by your award, year and age, so check it on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.
Diesel mechanic pay has one of the widest spreads of any trade, because the same qualification covers a bloke servicing rigids in a suburban workshop and a FIFO fitter keeping haul trucks alive on a Pilbara iron ore mine. Averages hide that spread, so treat every single figure you read (including ours) as a starting point and check the live numbers at the sources.
What you get paid as an apprentice
Always check your official rate with the Fair Work Pay Calculator (opens in a new tab). These are minimum award rates for full-time apprentices who started on or after 1 January 2014. Your pay can be higher under an enterprise agreement or your contract, and it depends on your age, your year, whether you finished Year 12 and the work you do.
Workshop diesel and heavy vehicle apprentices are covered by the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award. On mine sites the Mining Industry Award applies instead, and many large employers pay under enterprise agreements.
Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award (MA000089). Minimum pay for a full-time apprentice from 1 July 2026.
| Year | Junior, no Year 12 | Junior, finished Year 12 | Adult (21+ at start) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $559.55/wk$14.73/hr | $615.51/wk$16.20/hr | $895.28/wk$23.56/hr |
| 2nd year | $671.46/wk$17.67/hr | $727.42/wk$19.14/hr | $978.10/wk$25.74/hr |
| 3rd year | $839.33/wk$22.09/hr | $839.33/wk$22.09/hr | $1,004.90/wk$26.44/hr |
| 4th year | $984.81/wk$25.92/hr | $984.81/wk$25.92/hr | $1,029.10/wk$27.08/hr |
How these rates work, and what can change yours +
Junior apprentices (under 21): percentage of the Vehicle industry RS&R tradesperson or equivalent Level R6 rate (shown in the pay guide as 'Vehicle industry RS&R tradesperson or equivalent level 1'), award cl. 16.9(b). Adult apprentices (over 21 when commencing): 1st year 80% of Level R6, then fixed classification rates (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3), award cl. 16.10(b). Progression is by stage of competency (agreed training plan) or by year of service, cl. 16.8.
- •Apprentices who started before 1 January 2014: the pay guide says to use the FWO Pay and Conditions Tool; not covered here.
- •Progression can be by competency stage under an agreed training plan or by year of service (cl. 16.8), so 'year' is also 'stage'.
- •Adult apprentice: an apprentice over 21 when commencing (cl. 16.10(a)). Someone already employed in the vehicle industry by the same employer cannot have their pay reduced by becoming an apprentice (cl. 16.10(c)).
- •Tool allowance where the employer requires the apprentice to supply their own tools (cl. 19.6(b)): 1st year $5.88, 2nd $7.59, 3rd $10.46, 4th $12.14 per week.
- •Employer must reimburse prescribed course fees and textbooks (cl. 13.3) and excess reasonable travel costs for block release training requiring an overnight stay (cl. 13.4). Training time counts as time worked.
- •School-based apprentices: Schedule D of the award.
- •Under-18s cannot work unsupervised 7pm to 9pm or at all 9pm to 6.30am; under-16s cannot work afternoon or night shifts (pay guide note).
- •Coverage: the award covers businesses principally connected with selling, repairing, servicing, maintaining etc. motor vehicles of all kinds, expressly including trucks, caravans, motorcycles and agricultural machinery (cl. 4.2(a)), and installing, servicing, maintaining or repairing engines and agricultural machinery (cl. 4.2(f)). Apprenticeship trades listed in cl. 13.2 include Automotive electrician, Motor mechanic/automotive technician, Plant mechanic, Brake mechanic, Panel beater, Fitter and/or turner, Welder. So diesel / heavy vehicle mechanic apprentices in truck dealerships, independent truck and diesel workshops and fleet service workshops are generally under this award.
- •Diesel mechanic apprentices are NOT under this award when the employer's business is in another industry: on mine sites employed by a mining employer the Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) applies (it has its own apprentice table as a % of the Level 3 rate for the classification); maintaining plant for a manufacturing or engineering employer, or training as an Engineering/Vehicle Tradesperson (Mechanical) in that industry, generally falls under the Manufacturing Award (MA000010). Where an employer is covered by more than one award, the classification most appropriate to the work and environment applies (cl. 4.7). Large employers (mining, dealership groups, councils, transport) often have enterprise agreements that override the award. Exact boundaries were not individually verified per scenario; treat as guidance and point readers to the FWO.
Source: Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award text (MA000089) (opens in a new tab).
What qualified diesel mechanics earn
The Australian Government's Your Career occupation profile for diesel motor mechanics lists average weekly earnings of $1,405, which is roughly $73,000 a year before tax, alongside a 93 per cent full time share and around 7,400 people in the occupation. That figure is an all settings average and gets updated as new data lands, so check the live profile rather than quoting an old number. Full timers in this trade also work longer weeks than the national average, and overtime is normal, so take home pay often beats the base.
The mining premium (and what FIFO costs you)
Mining is where this trade out earns most others. Heavy diesel fitters on mine sites are consistently among the best paid tradespeople in Australia: employers pay under enterprise agreements or salary packages well above award, and add site allowances, roster loadings and bonuses on top. Job ads for FIFO heavy diesel roles routinely advertise packages far above the occupation average.
The trade off is the life. FIFO means rosters away from home, camp living and long swings. Plenty of people do it for some years, bank hard and move to residential or town based roles. Go in with your eyes open: the premium pays for the time you give up.
What moves the number
- •Sector: mining and heavy plant at the top, OEM dealers and fleet workshops in the middle, small general workshops lower
- •Award vs enterprise agreement: EBA sites (mines, big fleets, bus operators) generally pay well above award minimums
- •Overtime, call out and shift loadings: breakdown and night shift work fattens pay packets in transport and mining alike
- •Location: remote and regional shortage areas pay more to attract people, and states with big mining sectors (WA, Queensland) lead
- •Extra tickets: HR licence, high risk work licences, air conditioning handling and OEM certifications all add value
- •Moving up: leading hand, workshop supervisor, maintenance planner and field service specialist roles all pay above the tools
Apprentice pay, explained without made up numbers
There is no single apprentice wage. Your minimum rate comes from the award or enterprise agreement covering your employer (commonly the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award in truck workshops), your year of apprenticeship or competency level, your age (adult apprentices who start at 21 or older get higher rates), and in some awards whether you finished year 12. Mining apprentices under EBAs typically earn well above award. Anyone quoting you one national apprentice wage figure is wrong: put your own details into the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool at calculate.fairwork.gov.au and get your actual minimum, including allowances.
How it compares with other trades
On raw averages, diesel mechanics sit ahead of light vehicle mechanics and roughly alongside the mid pack of trades. The comparison changes at the top end: a diesel fitter on a mining EBA out earns most electricians, plumbers and carpenters without needing to run a business to do it. If your goal is high employee wages (rather than self employment income), heavy diesel with a mining pathway is one of the strongest plays in the trades, and the shortage means you rarely hunt long for work.
Sources and official links
Straight from the source. These open in a new tab.
- Your Career: Diesel Motor Mechanic occupation profile (live earnings figure) (opens in a new tab)
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Diesel Motor Mechanics (ANZSCO 321212) (opens in a new tab)
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Apprentice and trainee pay rates (opens in a new tab)
- Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (opens in a new tab)
- Rio Tinto Future Skills: Apprentice heavy duty diesel fitter (example mining apprenticeship) (opens in a new tab)
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