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Engineering Average Salaries in New Zealand 2024

How much money does a person working in Engineering make in New Zealand?


Average Yearly Salary
82,500 NZD
( 6,870 NZD monthly)

LOW
26,100
NZD
AVERAGE
82,500
NZD
HIGH
174,000
NZD
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 New Zealand typically earns around 82,500 NZD. Salaries range from 26,100 NZD (lowest average) to 174,000 NZD (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 New Zealand 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 Engineer75,700 NZD
Acoustics Engineer81,000 NZD
Assembly Engineering Technician63,200 NZD
Assistant Chief Engineer96,900 NZD
Associate Engineer72,900 NZD
AutoCAD Drafter50,600 NZD
Autocad Operator51,400 NZD
Automation Engineer91,200 NZD
Automation Engineer86,200 NZD
Avionic System Support Engineer79,000 NZD
Biochemical Engineer75,600 NZD
BMS Engineer82,800 NZD
Bridge and Lock Tender45,600 NZD
Broadcast Engineer85,200 NZD
CAD Design Engineer87,800 NZD
CAD Designer50,900 NZD
CAE Engineer81,400 NZD
Ceramics Engineer75,800 NZD
Chemical Engineer86,000 NZD
Civil Drafter53,300 NZD
Civil Engineer90,500 NZD
Civil Site Engineer84,800 NZD
Civil Technician52,900 NZD
Cognitive Engineer82,800 NZD
Commissioning Engineer79,900 NZD
Communications Engineer89,900 NZD
Condition Monitoring Engineer74,900 NZD
Contract Associate Engineer77,000 NZD
Contract Engineer81,400 NZD
Control Systems Engineer80,200 NZD
Controls Engineer85,200 NZD
Controls Software Engineer76,000 NZD
Corrosion Engineer75,000 NZD
Design Engineer85,800 NZD
Director of Engineering179,000 NZD
Drafter53,300 NZD
Drafting Manager93,500 NZD
Drilling Engineer86,100 NZD
Drilling Foreman26,400 NZD
Electrical Draughtsman43,200 NZD
Electrical Engineer93,100 NZD
Electrical Engineering Manager116,000 NZD
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist91,400 NZD
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler42,600 NZD
Energy Engineer92,400 NZD
Engine Assembler37,000 NZD
Engineer90,500 NZD
Engineering Account Manager93,300 NZD
Engineering Chief Designer93,600 NZD
Engineering Consultant113,000 NZD
Engineering Key Account Manager121,000 NZD
Engineering Lab Technician77,400 NZD
Engineering Manager118,000 NZD
Engineering Planning Manager118,000 NZD
Engineering Production Manager156,000 NZD
Engineering Project Analyst102,000 NZD
Engineering Project Coordinator 103,000 NZD
Engineering Project Director169,000 NZD
Engineering Project Leader109,000 NZD
Engineering Project Manager118,000 NZD
Engineering Research and Development Manager133,000 NZD
Engineering Safety Coordinator65,600 NZD
Engineering Sales Manager114,000 NZD
Engineering Technician65,600 NZD
Engineering Technologist66,900 NZD
Environmental Engineer80,200 NZD
Equipment Engineer78,900 NZD
Equipment Engineering Manager109,000 NZD
Estimator69,800 NZD
Fabrication Specialist59,600 NZD
Fabricator40,400 NZD
Facade Engineer83,200 NZD
Fiber Analyst51,200 NZD
Field Engineer90,800 NZD
Field Engineering Manager141,000 NZD
Fire Engineer87,800 NZD
Fitter and Turner26,800 NZD
Forestry Strategic Planner96,400 NZD
Generation Engineer89,000 NZD
Genetic Engineer89,400 NZD
Geological Engineer86,100 NZD
Geotechnical Engineer93,900 NZD
Heavy Equipment Mechanic45,100 NZD
Highway Engineer84,100 NZD
HSE Professional76,400 NZD
Human Machine Interface Engineer78,300 NZD
HVAC Engineer94,800 NZD
HVAC Supervisor78,900 NZD
Industrial Engineer82,100 NZD
Industrial Engineering Technologist80,000 NZD
Instrument Engineer84,200 NZD
Instrument Technician45,400 NZD
Instrumentation and Control Engineer86,400 NZD
Instrumentation Designer70,600 NZD
Instrumentation Engineer82,600 NZD
Instrumentation Manager87,200 NZD
Irrigation Engineer79,100 NZD
Licensed Aircraft Engineer87,800 NZD
Locomotive Engineer80,000 NZD
Maintenance Engineer80,700 NZD
Maintenance Fitter28,700 NZD
Maintenance Manager87,500 NZD
Manufacturing Engineer79,200 NZD
Marine Engineer87,400 NZD
Materials Engineer81,400 NZD
Materials Researcher80,000 NZD
Materials Technician63,500 NZD
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer87,300 NZD
Mechanical Design Engineer88,500 NZD
Mechanical Designer75,600 NZD
Mechanical Engineer93,400 NZD
Mechanical Engineering Manager118,000 NZD
Mechanical Inspector79,200 NZD
Mechatronics Engineer92,500 NZD
Mining Engineer87,100 NZD
Nanotechnology Engineer86,500 NZD
Natural Language Processing Engineer90,700 NZD
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer92,400 NZD
Optical Engineer82,000 NZD
Optical Instrument Assembler45,100 NZD
PCB Assembler31,700 NZD
Photonics Engineer96,900 NZD
Photonics Technician75,600 NZD
Pipeline Engineer78,100 NZD
Piping Designer44,200 NZD
Piping Engineer78,900 NZD
Planning Engineer89,900 NZD
Pressure Vessel Inspector40,900 NZD
Principal Cost Engineer89,400 NZD
Principal Engineer86,400 NZD
Principal Support Engineer82,500 NZD
Process Engineer80,000 NZD
Process Operator50,400 NZD
Product Development Engineer89,000 NZD
Product Development Technician64,100 NZD
Product Engineer85,000 NZD
Product Safety Engineer77,000 NZD
Production Engineer88,400 NZD
Project Engineer91,400 NZD
Proposal Manager109,000 NZD
Purchasing Engineer78,500 NZD
Quality Assurance Engineer81,700 NZD
Rail Engineer87,800 NZD
Regional Field Engineer95,800 NZD
Remote Sensing Engineer83,000 NZD
Robotics Engineer95,000 NZD
Robotics Technician72,600 NZD
Safety Engineer83,300 NZD
Safety Inspector63,900 NZD
Safety Manager101,000 NZD
Safety Officer44,600 NZD
Sales Engineer92,100 NZD
Scheduling Engineer80,100 NZD
Security Engineer89,800 NZD
Service Engineer87,900 NZD
Smart Home Engineer92,500 NZD
Solar Engineer92,200 NZD
Staff Engineer86,400 NZD
Static Equipment Engineer86,100 NZD
Stationary Engineer78,200 NZD
Stress Engineer78,800 NZD
Structural Analysis Engineer79,300 NZD
Structural Designer72,600 NZD
Structural Engineer83,900 NZD
Structural Technician52,500 NZD
Subsea Engineer109,000 NZD
Supply Chain Specialist83,500 NZD
Surveyor66,000 NZD
Technical Affairs Officer43,400 NZD
Technical Assistant41,900 NZD
Technical Engineer70,900 NZD
Technical Support Engineer74,900 NZD
Tender Engineer75,600 NZD
Test Development Engineer86,900 NZD
Test Engineer84,400 NZD
Transportation Engineer83,500 NZD
Urban Engineer83,400 NZD
Validation Engineer77,800 NZD
Verification Engineer83,100 NZD
Wastewater Engineer84,800 NZD
Wind Energy Engineer86,400 NZD
Wind Energy Operations Manager108,000 NZD
Wireless Engineer91,500 NZD
Work Planner59,500 NZD


Engineering Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in New Zealand

Median and salary distribution New Zealand Engineering yearly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
87,600 NZD or more
10% of people earn
72,400 to 87,600 NZD
20% of people earn
39,000 NZD or less
65% of people earn
39,000 to 72,400 NZD
Minimum Salary
26,100 NZD
Median
76,200 NZD
Maximum
174,000 NZD




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 New Zealand range from 26,100 NZD (starting average salary) to 174,000 NZD (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 76,200 NZD, implying that half of the workforce in New Zealand 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 New Zealand earn less than 57,000 NZD, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 94,300 NZD, 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 New Zealand. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 39,000 NZD to 72,400 NZD. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 39,000 NZD mark, while 10% ranged from 72,400 NZD to 87,600 NZD. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 87,600 NZD 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 New Zealand 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 New Zealand, 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 New Zealand costs anywhere from 40,700 NZD to 122,000 NZD 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 / New Zealand

Salary comparison by gender New Zealand 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 New Zealand, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 5%.

Male
84,600 NZD
Female-5%
80,500 NZD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in New Zealand for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender yearly New Zealand
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Engineering / New Zealand

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

Professionals working in Engineering in New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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.

New Zealand / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate New Zealand
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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 New Zealand 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 / New Zealand

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate New Zealand Engineering
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43% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 57% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43%

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 / New Zealand


40 NZD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Engineering in New Zealand is 40 NZD.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 New Zealand is 13 NZD. 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
Auckland91,500 NZD
Christchurch87,500 NZD
Hamilton79,300 NZD
Rotorua75,600 NZD
Wellington84,200 NZD

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 New Zealand is 5% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
94,900 NZD
Public Sector+5%
99,900 NZD
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 New Zealand?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 76,200 NZD and 94,300 NZD. 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 New Zealand ranges from 26,100 NZD to 57,000 NZD. 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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