Get Into a TradeUpdated September 2026

Plasterer salary in Australia

Quick answer

The government occupation profile for plasterers lists median full time earnings of about 1,841 dollars a week, with wide variation because so much of the trade runs on square metre piecework. Apprentice pay has no single figure: it depends on the award, your year and your age, so check the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Plastering money is misunderstood in both directions. People hear about gun sheeting crews clearing big weeks and assume everyone earns that, or they see award minimums and assume the trade is broke. The truth is that plastering has one of the widest pay spreads of any trade because piecework is so common: what you produce per day, not just the hours you clock, drives the number. Here is what the actual data says and what moves you up the range.

What qualified plasterers earn

The Australian Government's Jobs and Skills Australia profile for plasterers (ANZSCO group 3332, covering fibrous and solid plasterers) lists median full time weekly earnings of around 1,841 dollars, across roughly 31,600 workers. That is a median for employees: half earn more, half less, and it says nothing about your first years or about subcontractor profits. These figures update as new data lands, and the linked Your Career pages for fibrous and solid plasterer carry the current occupation stats, so treat the number here as a snapshot and check the live profile before you rely on it.

Piecework: the plastering wildcard

A huge share of residential sheeting and stopping is priced per square metre. For subcontractors that means speed and finish quality translate directly into income: a fast, clean two person crew on volume housing can out earn most wage tradies, while a slow week or a rain delayed site earns nothing. Apprentices are employees and must be paid their lawful wage regardless of the crew's rates, so if anyone tries to pay a first year 'on the metres', that is a Fair Work problem, not a normal arrangement.

What else moves the number

•Award versus enterprise agreement: commercial fit-out on EBA sites generally pays above award, with allowances on top
•Location: capital city commercial work and busy growth corridors pay more than thin regional markets, though regional costs are lower
•Which side of the trade: specialist solid and heritage work is scarce enough to command strong rates
•Overtime, ladder of allowances and multi skilling (ceilings tickets, EWP licence) all add to a wage
•Self-employment: many plasterers end up subcontracting with an ABN, where turnover looks big but insurance, gear, a ute, super and slow payers all come out of it

Apprentice pay, explained without figures

Apprentice rates are set as a percentage of a tradesperson's rate under the relevant award, usually the Building and Construction General On-site Award, and the percentage climbs each year (or each competency stage) of the apprenticeship. Adult apprentices, 21 or over at the start, get higher minimums, and whether you completed year 12 can also change the rate. If your job is covered by an enterprise agreement instead, the agreement's rates apply. The only reliable way to know your number is the Fair Work Pay Calculator at https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/, which asks your award, year and age and gives the current legal minimum.

How it stacks up against other trades

On the government medians, plasterers sit in the same broad band as most building completion trades, below licensed electricians and above general labouring. The honest comparison is about ceilings and floors: plastering has a lower barrier to going out on your own than the licensed trades, so the jump from wages to running a crew comes earlier, but piecework also means the floor is less protected when housing slows. If you want steady pay, chase commercial EBA work; if you want upside, build speed and a reputation and take on your own metres.

Sources and official links

Straight from the source. These open in a new tab.

Plastering Apprentice Hub How much do tradies actually earn in Australia?

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General guidance only

Answers here are general guidance to point you in the right direction - always check official sources and ask your supervisor for your specific situation.