How Much Are Landscapers Paid in Australia?

If you work with dirt, plants and concrete, you’ve probably asked it. How much does a landscaper really make in Australia? Not what a mate reckons, not what a job ad promises, but what actually shows up in your account after long days and sore hands. Landscaping can be a good trade, but it’s not always where the heaviest money lives.

Landscaping pulls people in because it’s outdoors, hands on and different every job. You’re not stuck in a shed or behind a screen. You build things people actually see and use. But it’s also hard on the body, and the money depends a lot on what kind of work you take and how you run it.

So it’s worth looking at the numbers without sugarcoating them.

What landscapers earn in the real world

Across Australia, junior or apprentice level landscapers usually sit in the lower pay bands of the trade world. The money is okay, but nothing wild. Once you’re experienced and fully qualified, the pay gets solid. You can live well, cover your bills and not stress every week.

The bigger jump comes if you become a lead hand, supervisor or run your own small crew. That’s when landscaping starts to feel properly profitable. But most landscapers stay in the middle of the tradie pack. Comfortable, not rich. You won’t be broke, but you won’t be buying jet skis just yet either.

It’s a trade where the floor is safe, but the ceiling depends on how smart you move.

When specialising changes the game

Basic landscaping pays basic money. Specialised landscaping pays different.

Stonework, retaining walls, decks, water features, high end design, eco builds. That kind of work lets you charge more because you’re not just labour anymore, you’re skill.

The problem is plenty of landscapers never make that jump. They quote too cheap, work too hard for it, and stay stuck doing low margin jobs. They don’t lose because they’re lazy. They lose because they keep underquoting and bleeding for someone else’s profit.

If you learn to specialise and learn to quote properly, landscaping becomes a very different trade.

Qualified Landscaper vs National Average

This graph represents the national construction trade pay average vs. the national landscaper pay average.

Where landscaping sits among other trades

Compared to other trades, landscaping usually lands in the middle of the table. It pays better than some low paid trades, but less than the ones that always stay in hot demand like electricians, plumbers and certain specialists.

That doesn’t make it a bad trade.It just puts it in its lane. Solid lane. Not slow, not flying. It’s a strong option if you like outdoor work and steady growth. It’s not the top pick if your only goal is to chase the biggest pay as fast as possible.

So is landscaping worth it?

That depends on what you want. If you like variety, physical work and seeing something real at the end of the day, landscaping is a solid trade with a future. If you specialise, quote well and build a name, you can make very good money.

But if your only goal is to max out your pay, there are other paths that hit harder. Landscaping can be a strong base. But if you want the top shelf money, you’ve got to build past the basics.