Quantity Surveyor

A Quantity Surveyor manages the financial and contractual aspects of construction projects in Australia, from tender stage through to final account. They prepare cost estimates, monitor expenditure against budgets, manage variations and claims, and ensure compliance with building contracts and relevant standards such as those set by the Australian Standard AS 4000-1997 or NEC contracts. Working across residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors, they act as the financial custodian of a project, reporting to project managers, architects, and clients.

Prepare detailed cost estimates and bills of quantities based on architectural drawings and specifications using take-off software and industry rates. Analyse tender documents and manage the procurement process, including preparing tender schedules and evaluating contractor bids. Monitor project expenditure against approved budgets using project management systems and financial tracking tools, issuing monthly financial reports to stakeholders. Assess and process variation orders and change requests, calculating cost impacts and ensuring documentation complies with contract terms. Manage contractual claims from contractors, validating supporting documentation and negotiating settlements in accordance with the building contract. Conduct interim valuations of work completed on site, certifying payment claims and reconciling against contract rates. Prepare final accounts and settle disputes through cost analysis, negotiation, and reference to contract conditions and relevant Australian standards. Review and verify material and labour costs, obtaining quotations from suppliers and subcontractors to validate budget assumptions.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll need a degree and professional certification (AIQS or equivalent) to be taken seriously, which takes time and money. The real grind is that you're often caught between contractors pushing for more money and clients wanting to spend less. Disputes and claims can drag on for months, and if you get a calculation wrong early on, it haunts the whole project. Work is project-dependent, so you might face quiet spells between jobs.

Practically speaking, commercial and infrastructure projects dominate in capital cities and their outer suburbs. Some regional work exists on mines and large infrastructure, but it's sparse. Remote work is limited because you need to be on site for valuations and inspections.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2332, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiencycore
• Negotiationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Policy Interpretation
• Process Documentation
• Process Improvement Identification
• Reporting and Analytics
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Quantity Surveyor workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026