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Engineering Average Salaries in Australia 2024

How much money does a person working in Engineering make in Australia?


Average Yearly Salary
77,000 AUD
( 6,420 AUD monthly)

LOW
24,300
AUD
AVERAGE
77,000
AUD
HIGH
162,000
AUD
All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working in Engineering in Australia typically earns around 77,000 AUD. Salaries range from 24,300 AUD (lowest average) to 162,000 AUD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).


Salary Variance

The provided figure represents the median compensation that encompasses housing, transportation, and other perks. The salaries within the Engineering domain in Australia exhibit significant discrepancies across various professions. In case you seek information about the remuneration of a specific position, please refer to the salaries listed below for respective job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Engineering
3D Printing Engineer77,300 AUD
Acoustics Engineer80,600 AUD
Assembly Engineering Technician66,300 AUD
Assistant Chief Engineer88,200 AUD
Associate Engineer75,300 AUD
AutoCAD Drafter49,300 AUD
Autocad Operator54,000 AUD
Automation Engineer92,200 AUD
Automation Engineer89,300 AUD
Avionic System Support Engineer79,200 AUD
Biochemical Engineer73,500 AUD
BMS Engineer77,700 AUD
Bridge and Lock Tender43,700 AUD
Broadcast Engineer79,100 AUD
CAD Design Engineer83,900 AUD
CAD Designer51,600 AUD
CAE Engineer85,100 AUD
Ceramics Engineer73,100 AUD
Chemical Engineer85,600 AUD
Civil Drafter53,000 AUD
Civil Engineer83,700 AUD
Civil Site Engineer85,500 AUD
Civil Technician51,100 AUD
Cognitive Engineer79,300 AUD
Commissioning Engineer77,400 AUD
Communications Engineer88,500 AUD
Condition Monitoring Engineer68,100 AUD
Contract Associate Engineer74,900 AUD
Contract Engineer75,900 AUD
Control Systems Engineer81,100 AUD
Controls Engineer80,700 AUD
Controls Software Engineer73,600 AUD
Corrosion Engineer78,700 AUD
Design Engineer84,100 AUD
Director of Engineering162,000 AUD
Drafter49,800 AUD
Drafting Manager92,800 AUD
Drilling Engineer81,000 AUD
Drilling Foreman25,600 AUD
Electrical Draughtsman42,900 AUD
Electrical Engineer92,800 AUD
Electrical Engineering Manager123,000 AUD
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist87,300 AUD
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler43,200 AUD
Energy Engineer85,400 AUD
Engine Assembler35,800 AUD
Engineer91,500 AUD
Engineering Account Manager92,400 AUD
Engineering Chief Designer92,300 AUD
Engineering Consultant111,000 AUD
Engineering Key Account Manager121,000 AUD
Engineering Lab Technician76,700 AUD
Engineering Manager113,000 AUD
Engineering Planning Manager117,000 AUD
Engineering Production Manager147,000 AUD
Engineering Project Analyst98,300 AUD
Engineering Project Coordinator 93,000 AUD
Engineering Project Director166,000 AUD
Engineering Project Leader106,000 AUD
Engineering Project Manager120,000 AUD
Engineering Research and Development Manager128,000 AUD
Engineering Safety Coordinator62,900 AUD
Engineering Sales Manager117,000 AUD
Engineering Technician66,700 AUD
Engineering Technologist64,900 AUD
Environmental Engineer77,800 AUD
Equipment Engineer73,400 AUD
Equipment Engineering Manager107,000 AUD
Estimator69,400 AUD
Fabrication Specialist60,800 AUD
Fabricator39,600 AUD
Facade Engineer77,700 AUD
Fiber Analyst47,100 AUD
Field Engineer85,900 AUD
Field Engineering Manager141,000 AUD
Fire Engineer83,100 AUD
Fitter and Turner26,900 AUD
Forestry Strategic Planner101,000 AUD
Generation Engineer84,000 AUD
Genetic Engineer90,600 AUD
Geological Engineer82,900 AUD
Geotechnical Engineer90,300 AUD
Heavy Equipment Mechanic44,100 AUD
Highway Engineer85,600 AUD
HSE Professional74,000 AUD
Human Machine Interface Engineer75,900 AUD
HVAC Engineer92,600 AUD
HVAC Supervisor74,900 AUD
Industrial Engineer76,800 AUD
Industrial Engineering Technologist80,400 AUD
Instrument Engineer82,100 AUD
Instrument Technician43,900 AUD
Instrumentation and Control Engineer80,000 AUD
Instrumentation Designer69,300 AUD
Instrumentation Engineer86,000 AUD
Instrumentation Manager82,200 AUD
Irrigation Engineer78,500 AUD
Licensed Aircraft Engineer92,300 AUD
Locomotive Engineer78,800 AUD
Maintenance Engineer76,800 AUD
Maintenance Fitter28,600 AUD
Maintenance Manager84,300 AUD
Manufacturing Engineer79,900 AUD
Marine Engineer84,500 AUD
Materials Engineer83,400 AUD
Materials Researcher77,600 AUD
Materials Technician60,000 AUD
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer92,100 AUD
Mechanical Design Engineer88,800 AUD
Mechanical Designer72,900 AUD
Mechanical Engineer91,800 AUD
Mechanical Engineering Manager111,000 AUD
Mechanical Inspector81,500 AUD
Mechatronics Engineer91,200 AUD
Mining Engineer80,700 AUD
Nanotechnology Engineer87,800 AUD
Natural Language Processing Engineer93,500 AUD
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer88,400 AUD
Optical Engineer83,400 AUD
Optical Instrument Assembler44,100 AUD
PCB Assembler30,600 AUD
Photonics Engineer89,500 AUD
Photonics Technician73,900 AUD
Pipeline Engineer77,500 AUD
Piping Designer46,500 AUD
Piping Engineer79,500 AUD
Planning Engineer87,900 AUD
Pressure Vessel Inspector38,900 AUD
Principal Cost Engineer86,000 AUD
Principal Engineer84,200 AUD
Principal Support Engineer85,300 AUD
Process Engineer81,300 AUD
Process Operator47,100 AUD
Product Development Engineer86,600 AUD
Product Development Technician61,600 AUD
Product Engineer87,700 AUD
Product Safety Engineer78,000 AUD
Production Engineer86,400 AUD
Project Engineer90,300 AUD
Proposal Manager111,000 AUD
Purchasing Engineer78,000 AUD
Quality Assurance Engineer85,500 AUD
Rail Engineer79,700 AUD
Regional Field Engineer92,000 AUD
Remote Sensing Engineer81,500 AUD
Robotics Engineer93,200 AUD
Robotics Technician68,300 AUD
Safety Engineer80,100 AUD
Safety Inspector61,900 AUD
Safety Manager94,600 AUD
Safety Officer43,500 AUD
Sales Engineer92,700 AUD
Scheduling Engineer75,600 AUD
Security Engineer86,100 AUD
Service Engineer84,500 AUD
Smart Home Engineer86,100 AUD
Solar Engineer89,800 AUD
Staff Engineer81,700 AUD
Static Equipment Engineer81,000 AUD
Stationary Engineer77,300 AUD
Stress Engineer75,400 AUD
Structural Analysis Engineer80,600 AUD
Structural Designer73,100 AUD
Structural Engineer81,600 AUD
Structural Technician54,200 AUD
Subsea Engineer105,000 AUD
Supply Chain Specialist79,800 AUD
Surveyor59,800 AUD
Technical Affairs Officer41,400 AUD
Technical Assistant43,000 AUD
Technical Engineer72,900 AUD
Technical Support Engineer68,100 AUD
Tender Engineer76,900 AUD
Test Development Engineer78,500 AUD
Test Engineer80,300 AUD
Transportation Engineer77,100 AUD
Urban Engineer84,100 AUD
Validation Engineer76,800 AUD
Verification Engineer75,300 AUD
Wastewater Engineer85,400 AUD
Wind Energy Engineer87,600 AUD
Wind Energy Operations Manager105,000 AUD
Wireless Engineer89,700 AUD
Work Planner56,900 AUD


Engineering Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in Australia

Median and salary distribution Australia Engineering yearly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
81,000 AUD or more
10% of people earn
67,000 to 81,000 AUD
20% of people earn
36,100 AUD or less
65% of people earn
36,100 to 67,000 AUD
Minimum Salary
24,300 AUD
Median
70,500 AUD
Maximum
162,000 AUD




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries in Engineering in Australia range from 24,300 AUD (starting average salary) to 162,000 AUD (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). To clarify, the number presented is not the legally mandated minimum wage. Rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that involved thousands of participants and professionals from across the entire country.

  • Median Salary

    The median income in the field of Engineering is 70,500 AUD, implying that half of the workforce in Australia earns less than this figure, and the other half earns more. It represents the central value of salaries. As a rule of thumb, you would prefer to be part of the group earning above the median wage, situated on the right-hand side of the salary distribution chart.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Two values that are highly correlated with the median are the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution diagram, it is possible to determine that 25% of individuals employed in Engineering in Australia earn less than 52,800 AUD, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 87,200 AUD, while 25% earn more than that.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    Data was regrouped into brackets to provide a better understanding of what salaries can be expected. This approach was deemed more accurate than relying solely on the average salary, as it offers greater insights into the distribution of salaries in the field of Engineering in Australia. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 36,100 AUD to 67,000 AUD. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 36,100 AUD mark, while 10% ranged from 67,000 AUD to 81,000 AUD. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 81,000 AUD or higher.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees in Engineering in Australia having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.
On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.


Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income?

We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degree levels across many jobs in Engineering in Australia, below are our findings.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Australia costs anywhere from 38,000 AUD to 114,000 AUD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

Employees can't expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming they already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on the situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if a person can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. Degree costs can be recovered roughly in a year or so.



Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Engineering / Australia

Salary comparison by gender Australia Engineering yearly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? In the field of Engineering in Australia, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 5%.

Male
79,100 AUD
Female-5%
75,400 AUD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in Australia for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender yearly Australia
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Engineering / Australia

How much are annual salary increments in Australia for individuals working in Engineering? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Engineering in Australia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 15 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate Australia Engineering
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

Australia / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate Australia
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Australia is 6%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Bonus and Incentive Rates / Engineering / Australia

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate Australia Engineering
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44% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 56% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
56%
No Bonus
44%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Hourly Average Wage / Engineering / Australia


37 AUD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Engineering in Australia is 37 AUD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working in Engineering in Australia is 12 AUD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Adelaide84,900 AUD
Brisbane88,100 AUD
Canberra-Queanbeyan81,800 AUD
Gold Coast-Tweed83,300 AUD
Gosford75,400 AUD
Melbourne89,700 AUD
Newcastle80,100 AUD
Perth86,500 AUD
Sunshine Coast78,600 AUD
Sydney91,200 AUD
Wollongong76,900 AUD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Australia is 5% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
89,000 AUD
Public Sector+5%
93,400 AUD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary in Engineering in Australia?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 70,500 AUD and 87,200 AUD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for jobs in Engineering in Australia ranges from 24,300 AUD to 52,800 AUD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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