How Much Do FIFO Workers Really Earn in WA?
Ask what FIFO workers earn in Western Australia and the answer depends on whose numbers you use. Jobs and Skills Australia puts median weekly earnings in mining at $2,832, or roughly $147,000 a year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has mining as the highest-paying industry in the country, at around $3,224 a week in ordinary time earnings for full-time adults, which annualises to roughly $168,000. Published industry guides put the Australian mining average at roughly $130,000 to $140,000.
What none of those numbers can tell you is what you would be paid. The realistic spread across WA FIFO work runs from around $75,000 in a first year to $220,000 and beyond in senior technical and leadership roles, and where you sit within it depends on your role, your tickets, your roster and the site. This guide breaks that range down role by role, then covers the allowances and deductions that change the total.
The Average, and Why It Varies So Much
Five things drive the spread: the role itself, how many hours your roster puts you on site, how much production experience you have built up, the commodity, and how remote the operation is. Iron ore in the Pilbara pays differently to gold in the Goldfields, and a specialist contractor pays differently to a tier-one miner.
The range sits within single job titles as much as between them. SEEK’s advertised salary data has boilermakers in Perth averaging around $100,000 to $120,000, against more than $180,000 in the Pilbara, a gap of over $60,000 for the same trade. An average sitting in the middle of a range that wide is best treated as a starting point for a conversation rather than an indication of what you would earn.
The figures in this guide were checked in October 2026 and move month to month. Most advertised numbers are base plus site allowances, quoted either before or after superannuation depending on the employer. Provided flights, camp accommodation and meals sit on top of that, and they’re worth real money even though they don’t appear in the salary line.
Entry-Level and Operator Roles
These are the realistic starting points for people coming into the industry without site experience.
Trades assistants and general labourers: Around $75,000 to $85,000 a year in WA on advertised salary ranges. This is the most common way in, and the pay reflects the low barrier to entry.
Dump truck operators: Around $115,000 to $135,000 a year in WA on advertised ranges, which is higher than most people expect. New-to-industry operator roles start below that, and it typically takes a season or two of production hours on large-format equipment to reach the average.
Driller’s offsiders: Around $123,000 a year across WA on advertised ranges, although entry-level and trainee offsider ads commonly sit a fair way below that. It’s physically demanding work, and one of the faster paths from no experience to a six-figure package.
Trades and Technicians
Demand for trades in WA has been strong for years, and it keeps rates high across the board.
Heavy diesel and mobile plant fitters: Experienced diesel fitters in Perth average around $145,000 to $165,000, with field service and shutdown work paying higher again.
Boilermakers and mining electricians: Boilermaker pay depends heavily on location, with site-based mining roles at the top of the range. Specialist tickets such as high-voltage switching lift electricians’ rates further, and A-grade electricians are among the hardest roles in the state to fill.
For a tradesperson already earning well, moving below the surface is one of the more reliable ways to lift a rate. Underground specialists typically earn 15 to 25 per cent more than their equivalents in surface roles, reflecting both the scarcity of qualified people and the nature of the work.
Supervisors and Superintendents
Pay steps up considerably once you’re accountable for other people’s safety and for production targets.
Shift and mining supervisors: Around $200,000 to $220,000 a year in WA on advertised ranges, with underground supervision at the upper end.
Superintendents and project managers: Superintendent roles in WA average a similar $200,000 to $220,000 across all industries, and major project or shutdown management runs higher again.
Statutory tickets account for a good part of that step up. Supervisor and mine manager certifications carry weight in a negotiation, because a site can’t legally operate without them.
Technical and Professional Roles
Mining engineers: Around $155,000 to $175,000 a year in WA, with underground planning and drill and blast experience attracting the strongest premiums.
Geologists and metallurgists: Geologists in WA average around $115,000 to $135,000, and metallurgists a step higher at around $135,000 to $155,000, with battery metals and hydrometallurgical experience currently attracting the best rates.
It’s worth noting that on advertised averages, a degree-qualified geologist earns less than an experienced diesel fitter. The difference between the two is the ceiling rather than the starting point. Principal, superintendent and management roles in these disciplines sit well above those averages, and demand for technical specialists continues to grow as operations move deeper and become more knowledge-driven.
What Lifts, and What Reduces, Your Take-Home
Roster is the part most commonly misunderstood. A longer swing doesn’t usually mean a higher hourly rate, it means more paid hours. A 2:1 roster works out at roughly 2,250 paid hours a year against about 1,950 on an even-time 14:14, so an identical rate can annualise around 15 per cent higher on the longer swing. The extra money comes from the hours worked rather than a premium for the time away.
Allowances and extras make up the rest. Site and district allowances, travel payments, safety and production bonuses, tool allowances and retention payments can all add a meaningful amount to a package. Even which flights an employer pays for varies by hub, roster and contract, so it’s worth having the inclusions confirmed in writing.
There are also costs that don’t appear in a job ad. A higher gross doesn’t translate neatly into a higher net, and FIFO workers generally can’t claim the zone tax offset, because eligibility depends on where you live rather than where you work. It’s worth getting advice from a registered tax agent on your own circumstances.
So is FIFO worth it? On money alone, for most people in most roles, yes. The qualifier is that the premium compensates for time away from home, missed weekends and a lifestyle that suits some people better than others. Working out what a package is worth per day away, rather than per year, tends to make the comparison clearer.
What Could You Be Earning?
Whether you’re weighing up a first swing, holding a trade and wondering what it’s worth on site, or experienced and due for a review, the more useful question is what someone with your tickets is being paid right now, on the rosters you would actually accept.
As one of Perth’s leading mining recruitment agencies, we work with employers across Western Australia and can give you a clear read on where your experience sits in the current market. Browse our current mining roles or submit your CV, and one of our specialist consultants will be in touch.
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Related reading: In-Demand Mining Jobs for 2026–2030
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