YOUR TRADE CALCULATOR
Compare Trade Careers in Australia: Costs, Training Time, and Pay
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Choosing a trade comes with trade-offs. One pathway may get you qualified sooner. Another may cost less to qualify, offer higher apprentice wages or lead to stronger earnings once qualified. Your priorities may differ depending on whether you’re starting your first career or considering a change.
To help Australians weigh up those options, BizCover has pulled together published figures and estimates on qualification costs, training time, apprentice wages, qualified earnings and completion rates. We then used that data to build two interactive tools comparing 19 trades, with qualification-cost information across Australia’s eight states and territories where available.
See how the trades stack up in the Trade Career Leaderboard, then use the Trade Career Calculator to explore a specific trade, location and starting point in more detail.
Key Findings
- Five of the 19 trades have qualified earnings of at least $100,000 a year (before tax) without requiring a university degree.
- Electrician has the highest occupation-specific completion rate among the trades in this comparison (71.7%), and annualised qualified earnings of around $113,932 per year (before tax). Source: NCVER 2025.
- Arborist, baker, hairdresser and landscaper or horticulturist have the shortest indicative qualification time in the comparison, at three years.
- Nine of the 19 trades have a $0 course fee under at least one subsidised apprenticeship pathway. Other training and qualification costs may still apply, subject to eligibility.
- Among the publicly available full-fee prices in the dataset, the modelled builder pathway has the highest qualification cost at $67,750 in Victoria. Hairdresser has the lowest at $11,700 in the ACT.
Figures are indicative. Sources and assumptions are set out in the Methodology below.
Trade Career Leaderboard
Which trades pay the most? Which are quickest to qualify for, and where might fee-free training options available?
Explore 12 comparison categories, covering qualification costs, training time, apprentice wages, completion rates and qualified earnings. Open any category to reveal the full leaderboard.
Not sure which trade to explore first? Try the Trade Career Quiz to discover options worth researching based on your priorities.
Each ranking covers one measure only. A trade’s position in one category does not determine whether it is the right fit for you.
Trade Career Leaderboard – Highest paying trades in Australia
All 19 trades covered
We compared 19 trades to see which offer the quickest path to qualification, the highest pay once qualified, and the lowest apprenticeship completion rates. Data correct as of September 2026.
Which trade comes out on top depends on what matters most to you. Explore the leaders in qualified earnings, training costs, time to qualify, apprentice pay and apprenticeship completion rates.
- Qualified earnings above $100k a yearElectrician
- Shortest training time4 trades tied at 3 years
- Spend the least on trainingHairdresser
- Earn the most while trainingCarpenter and Tiler
- Highest apprenticeship completion rateElectrician
- Biggest gap between apprentice and qualified payElectrician
See the full ranking
- 1= Arborist, Baker, Hairdresser, Landscaper/horticulturist: 3 years
- 5= Carpenter, Chef/cook, Glazier, Motor mechanic: 3–4 years
See the full ranking
- 1 Builder: ~6 years
- 2= Bricklayer, Cabinetmaker, Diesel mechanic, Electrician, Gasfitter, Plasterer, Plumber, Refrigeration/AC mechanic, Tiler, Welder: 4 years
See the full ranking
- 1 Builder: $67,750
- 2 Plumber: $45,809
- 3 Gasfitter: $34,117
- 4 Cabinetmaker: $29,850
- 5 Electrician: $29,783
See the full ranking
- 1 Hairdresser: $11,700
- 2 Chef/cook: $13,005
- 3 Tiler: $13,717
- 4 Glazier: $14,017
- 5 Plasterer: $14,125
See the full ranking
- 1 Electrician: 71.7%
- 2= Builder, Carpenter: 63.7%
- 4= Diesel mechanic, Motor mechanic: ~62%
- 6 Welder: 61.9%
- 7 Refrigeration/AC mechanic: 56.9%
- 8 Hairdresser: 47.6%
- 9 Chef/cook: 40.6%
See the full ranking
- 1 Chef/cook: 40.6%
- 2 Hairdresser: 47.6%
- 3 Refrigeration/AC mechanic: 56.9%
- 4 Welder: 61.9%
- 5= Diesel mechanic, Motor mechanic: ~62%
- 7= Builder, Carpenter: 63.7%
- 9 Electrician: 71.7%
See the full ranking
- 1 Electrician: $113,932/yr
- 2 Refrigeration/AC mechanic: $109,200/yr
- 3= Gasfitter, Plumber: $103,480/yr
- 5 Plasterer: $95,732/yr
See the full ranking
- 1 Cabinetmaker: $60,996/yr
- 2 Hairdresser: $62,868/yr
- 3 Landscaper: $72,701/yr
- 4 Baker: $73,684/yr
- 5 Chef/cook: $74,464/yr
See the full ranking
- 1 Electrician: +$78,428/yr
- 2 Refrigeration/AC mechanic: +$73,696/yr
- 3 Builder: +$69,502/yr
- 4= Gasfitter, Plumber: +$67,703/yr
See the full ranking
- 1= Carpenter, Tiler: $723.88/wk
- 3 Plasterer: $716.76/wk
- 4 Bricklayer: $711.92/wk
- 5 Glazier: $692.55/wk
Want to explore your options? Use the Trade Career Calculator to compare costs, training time and pay by trade, state or territory, and whether you’re leaving school or changing careers.
Open the Trade Career Calculator →The calculator includes a sortable table of all 19 trades, useful if you want to rank by cost, wage or any other column yourself.
Thinking about becoming a tradie? Find out how long it typically takes, what it typically costs, and what you could earn along the way with our Trade Calculator, built with real, published data.
Trade Career Calculator – What trade should I do?
Thinking about becoming a tradie? Find out how long it typically takes, what it typically costs, and what you could earn along the way with our Trade Calculator, built with real, published data.
Where these numbers come from
All 19 trades at a glance
School-leaver / subsidised basis, cheapest published state for each trade. Click a column heading to sort. Use the calculator above for your own state, persona and trade.
| Trade | Time to qualify | Completion rate | Cheapest state, cost | Apprentice wage, Yr 1 | Qualified wage | Recoups cost, once qualified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arborist | 3 years | Not available | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $80,000/yrest. | nothing to repay |
| Baker | 3 years | Not available | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $73,684/yr | nothing to repay |
| Bricklayer | 4 years | Not available | NT ($31) | $712/wk | $120,484/yrest. | within days |
| Builder | ~6 years | 63.7% (carpentry base) | NSW ($998) | $683/wk | $105,000/yrest. | within days |
| Cabinetmaker | 4 years | Not available | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $60,996/yr | nothing to repay |
| Carpenter | 3-4 years | 63.7% (Carpenters & Joiners) | NT ($31) | $724/wk | $91,520/yr | within days |
| Chef / cook | 3-4 years | 40.6% (Cooks, 2019 cohort) | VIC/NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $74,464/yr | nothing to repay |
| Diesel mechanic (heavy vehicle) | 4 years | ~62% (Automotive & Engineering) | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $84,344/yr | nothing to repay |
| Electrician | 4 years | 71.7% (highest of all trades) | QLD ($217) | $683/wk | $113,932/yr | within days |
| Gasfitter | 4 years | Not available | NT ($47) | $688/wk | $103,480/yr | within days |
| Glazier | 3-4 years | Not available | NT ($31) | $693/wk | $82,500/yrest. | within days |
| Hairdresser | 3 years | 47.6% (Hairdressers, 2019 cohort) | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $62,868/yr | nothing to repay |
| Landscaper / horticulturist | 3 years | Not available | VIC/NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $72,701/yr | nothing to repay |
| Motor mechanic (light vehicle) | 3-4 years | ~62% (Automotive & Engineering) | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $84,344/yr | nothing to repay |
| Plasterer | 4 years | Not available | NT ($31) | $717/wk | $95,732/yrest. | within days |
| Plumber | 4 years | Not available | QLD ($369) | $688/wk | $103,480/yr | within days |
| Refrigeration/AC mechanic | ~4 years | 56.9% (2019 cohort) | NT ($120) | $683/wk | $109,200/yr | within days |
| Tiler | 4 years | Not available | NT ($31) | $724/wk | $82,500/yrest. | within days |
| Welder / metal fabricator | 4 years | 61.9% (Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers, 2019 cohort) | NSW/QLD/SA/NT (Free) | $616/wk | $91,520/yr | nothing to repay |
This information is general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as personal advice. The information displayed here has been collected from Fair Work award pay guides, ABS wage data, and state training-cost schedules.
Weighing Up the Trade-offs
Comparing costs and pay can help you explore your options, but the figures are only part of the decision. Your interests, existing commitments and the opportunities available locally also matter.
Kanika Sharma, Head of People & Culture at BizCover, says the same training pathway can raise different questions for people at different stages of their working lives.
“Having these figures side by side gives people a starting point for thinking about their options and starting the conversation. The next step is finding out what the pathway would look like: what training is available locally, what an apprenticeship involves and how the working arrangements would fit into their lives.”
A qualification can also lead to different directions over time. BizCover’s trade customers include sole traders starting out and established businesses employing others and training apprentices.
“Running your own business also brings new responsibilities, from working with customers to supporting a team. That’s another part of the journey to explore if the idea of working for yourself appeals to you.”
Starting or Running a Trade Business
If your trade career leads to working for yourself or running a business, learn more about insurance for tradies and compare available cover options with BizCover.
Methodology
BizCover compared 19 trades using public information collected as of 1 September 2026.
For consistency, each trade was measured against its Certificate III or equivalent full trade qualification, plus any additional qualification included in the modelled pathway. Completing that pathway does not necessarily satisfy every requirement for licensing or independent work.
Estimated qualification costs combine the relevant course fee, additional qualifications included in the pathway modelled, mandatory certificates, and applicable licence or registration fees. Course fees use selected public providers in each jurisdiction and may differ elsewhere. Costs are shown on a subsidised apprenticeship basis and, where published, a full-fee basis. The research located usable public full-fee prices in Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania. A missing price does not mean training is unavailable or free.
Tools, equipment, PPE, vehicles, insurance, living expenses and income forgone during training are excluded.
Training time reflects the typical duration of the same qualification pathway. Where a range is recorded, the calculator uses its midpoint for calculations. Actual completion time may differ, and additional licensing steps may be required.
Apprentice wages use selected national award rates and applicable assumptions. The school-leaver results use the completed-Year-12 rate, while the career-changer results use the adult apprentice rate selected for the comparison. Actual entitlements depend on the relevant award and circumstances, including age at commencement, training stage and employment arrangements. Different rates may apply to apprentices who have not completed Year 12.
Qualified earnings mostly use ABS/JSA employee earnings figures matched to the occupation. Annual figures are calculated from weekly earnings multiplied by 52 where applicable. They are before tax, cover full-time employees and exclude the self-employed. They do not represent guaranteed earnings immediately after qualification.
Arborist, builder, glazier and tiler use SEEK advertised-salary estimates because a matching occupation-level ABS figure was unavailable in the research used for this dataset. Advertised-salary estimates and measured employee earnings are different types of information and should be read accordingly. Bricklayer and plasterer are marked as low reliability and excluded from highest-paid and lowest-paid findings.
Completion rates use NCVER six-year completion data for apprenticeships that started in 2019. Five trades have occupation-specific figures; four use broader occupation-group figures; and the remaining 10 use the all-trades average. These different types of figure are not directly comparable and do not predict an individual’s likelihood of finishing.
The earnings-equivalent calculation divides the estimated qualification cost by annual qualified earnings. The calculator then adds that period to the modelled training time. It uses gross earnings without deducting tax, living expenses or other spending, and does not subtract apprentice earnings from the qualification cost. It is not a repayment forecast or a measure of financial break-even.
Sources
- Course and licensing costs: public TAFEs and registered training organisations in each jurisdiction, state and territory licensing authorities, and the Australian Refrigeration Council where applicable.
- Apprentice wages: Fair Work modern award pay guides.
- Qualified earnings: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025; Jobs and Skills Australia; and SEEK advertised-salary estimates for the four trades identified above.
- Completion rates: NCVER Apprentice and trainee completion rates 2025, using six-year completion data for the 2019 commencing cohort.
This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording or Product Disclosure Statement (available on our website). Please consider whether the advice is suitable for you before proceeding with any purchase. Target Market Determination document is also available (as applicable). © 2026 BizCover Pty Limited, all rights reserved. ABN 68 127 707 975; AFSL 501769.
