Average Utility Operator Salary in Australia for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Utility Operator salary for 2024 in Australia and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Australian dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the AUD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Utility Operator Make in Australia?

A Utility Operator working in Australia will typically earn around 43,800 AUD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 23,500 AUD to the highest average salary of 67,900 AUD.

Average Annual Salary
43,800 AUD
Average Monthly Salary
3,650 AUD

Lowest Annual Salary
23,500 AUD
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,958 AUD

Highest Annual Salary
67,900 AUD
Highest Monthly Salary
5,658 AUD

These are average salaries for a Utility Operator in Australia and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Utility Operator to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Utility Operator salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Utility Operator Salaries in Australia

So we've looked at the average salaries a Utility Operator will earn in Australia. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Utility Operator can earn between 23,500 AUD and 67,900 AUD on average in Australia. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Utility Operator in Australia is 41,000 AUD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 41,000 AUD, and 50% of the population earn more than 41,000 AUD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Utility Operator salary in Australia, 25% of the population are earning less than 30,800 AUD while 75% of the population earn more than 30,800 AUD.

75% of the population earn less than 49,300 AUD, and 25% of the population earn more than 49,300 AUD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Utility Operator Salary by Experience Level in Australia

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average utility operator salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Utility Operator in Australia that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 27,300 AUD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Utility Operator salary would increase to 32,900 AUD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Utility Operator, the average salary would be 48,200 AUD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 55,100 AUD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Utility Operator with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 60,000 AUD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Utility Operator with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 62,300 AUD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
27,300 AUD
2-5 Years +23%
32,900 AUD
5-10 Years +42%
48,200 AUD
10-15 Years +17%
55,100 AUD
15-20 Years +10%
60,000 AUD
20+ Years +6%
62,300 AUD

Utility Operator Salary by Education Level in Australia

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Utility Operator in Australia based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Utility Operator in Australia with a high school education can earn an average salary of 36,000 AUD.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Utility Operator in Australia with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 58,600 AUD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
36,000 AUD
Certificate or Diploma +61%
58,600 AUD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Australia is around 37,800 to 114,000 AUD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Utility Operator Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Australia, a male utility operator will earn an average of 46,300 AUD, while a female utility operator will earn around 43,500 AUD.

This means that a male utility operator earns approximately 6% more than a female utility operator for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Australia

Male
46,300 AUD
Female -6%
43,500 AUD

Utility Operator Average Pay Raise in Australia

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Utility Operator in Australia is around 11% every 14 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Australia is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 14 ) × 12  = 9%

What this means is that a Utility Operator in Australia can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Australia for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Australia.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Utility Operator Bonus and Incentive Rates in Australia

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Utility Operator is a low bonus based job, with 27% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

73% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3%.

Received Bonus
27%
No Bonus
73%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Australia earn approximately 5% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
92,500 AUD
Private Sector -5%
87,900 AUD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Utility Operator

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Utility Operator in Australia.

Job Title Category Salary
Assistant Yard Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 80,400 AUD
Associate Analyst Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 95,500 AUD
Associate Landman Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 38,000 AUD
Auxiliary Equipment Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 35,300 AUD
Biomass Plant Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 45,300 AUD
Biomass Power Plant Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 116,400 AUD
Chemical Plant Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 69,700 AUD
Chief Contract Compliance Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 85,500 AUD
Completions Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 78,900 AUD
Cost Controller Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 63,900 AUD
Cost Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 86,800 AUD
Crude Oil Marketing Representative Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 95,400 AUD
Dispatcher Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 36,000 AUD
Distribution Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 117,100 AUD
Dragline Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 41,100 AUD
Driller Offsider Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 29,100 AUD
Dump Truck Driver Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 34,000 AUD
Electric and Gas Operations Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 193,200 AUD
Energy Advisor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 130,400 AUD
Energy Analyst Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 127,700 AUD
Energy Auditor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 114,600 AUD
Energy Dispatch Director Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 150,100 AUD
Energy Technical Assistant Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 53,500 AUD
Energy Technical Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 102,700 AUD
Energy Technical Support Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 103,600 AUD
Energy Technical Trainer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 73,500 AUD
Engineering Geologist Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 146,900 AUD
Exploration Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 152,900 AUD
Field Safety Auditor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 98,700 AUD
Fluids Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 83,700 AUD
Fuel Cell Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 86,800 AUD
Fuel Cell Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 41,500 AUD
Fuels Handler Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 42,400 AUD
Gas Compressor Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 35,000 AUD
Gas Distribution Plant Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 66,400 AUD
Gas Supply Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 138,700 AUD
Geologist Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 146,900 AUD
Geophysicist Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 161,300 AUD
Geothermal Production Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 151,800 AUD
Geothermal Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 63,000 AUD
HSE Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 88,300 AUD
HSE Officer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 54,100 AUD
HSE Supervisor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 61,800 AUD
HSEQ Administrator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 58,400 AUD
Inspector Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 80,000 AUD
Instructor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 73,200 AUD
Instrument Designer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 71,000 AUD
Lead Technical Field Advisor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 114,600 AUD
Logistics and Tool Coordinator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 73,100 AUD
Maintenance Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 84,300 AUD
Maintenance Superintendent Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 81,300 AUD
Material Controller Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 61,400 AUD
Mine Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 80,000 AUD
Mine Surveyor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 99,600 AUD
Mining Project Administrator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 76,000 AUD
Mining Project Assistant Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 63,100 AUD
Mining Project Controls Consultant Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 98,900 AUD
Mining Project Coordinator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 76,900 AUD
Mining Project Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 80,400 AUD
Mining Project Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 111,700 AUD
Mining Site Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 109,700 AUD
Mining Team Leader Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 95,100 AUD
NDT Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 50,700 AUD
Oil Service Unit Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 45,400 AUD
Oil Trader Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 114,600 AUD
Oilwell Pumper Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 32,200 AUD
Petroleum Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 95,300 AUD
Petroleum Geologist Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 152,700 AUD
Petroleum Pump System Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 50,300 AUD
Petroleum Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 51,900 AUD
Pipeline Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 34,000 AUD
Power Coordinator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 53,300 AUD
Power Plant Operations Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 172,100 AUD
Power Plant Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 71,200 AUD
Radio Operator Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 36,800 AUD
Reliability Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 85,500 AUD
Reservoir Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 80,500 AUD
Risk Analyst Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 102,700 AUD
Roughneck Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 91,900 AUD
Scaffolder Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 54,700 AUD
Shutdown Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 69,700 AUD
Solar Energy Installation Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 119,700 AUD
Solar Energy Systems Engineer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 86,600 AUD
Solar Photovoltaic Installer Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 55,700 AUD
Solar Thermal Technician Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 51,800 AUD
Supply Operations Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 147,900 AUD
Sustainability Specialist Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 134,100 AUD
System Development Advisor Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 94,400 AUD
Tanker Truck Driver Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 33,000 AUD
Wind Energy Project Manager Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining 116,400 AUD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Australia, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Adelaide 45,000 AUD
Brisbane 45,300 AUD
Canberra-Queanbeyan 45,200 AUD
Gold Coast-Tweed 45,400 AUD
Gosford 43,500 AUD
Melbourne 46,700 AUD
Newcastle 43,800 AUD
Perth 48,600 AUD
Sunshine Coast 42,700 AUD
Sydney 52,300 AUD
Wollongong 43,400 AUD

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