A person working in Engineering in Tonga typically earns around 1,540 TOP per month. Salaries range from 490 TOP (lowest average) to 3,250 TOP (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different Engineering careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Acoustics Engineer | 1,600 TOP |
Assembly Engineering Technician | 1,280 TOP |
Assistant Chief Engineer | 1,890 TOP |
Associate Engineer | 1,440 TOP |
Autocad Operator | 1,040 TOP |
Automation Engineer | 1,850 TOP |
Avionic System Support Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Biochemical Engineer | 1,550 TOP |
BMS Engineer | 1,470 TOP |
Bridge and Lock Tender | 910 TOP |
Broadcast Engineer | 1,690 TOP |
CAD Design Engineer | 1,760 TOP |
CAD Designer | 1,090 TOP |
CAE Engineer | 1,660 TOP |
Ceramics Engineer | 1,570 TOP |
Civil Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Commissioning Engineer | 1,650 TOP |
Communications Engineer | 1,720 TOP |
Condition Monitoring Engineer | 1,460 TOP |
Contract Associate Engineer | 1,580 TOP |
Control Systems Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Controls Engineer | 1,560 TOP |
Controls Software Engineer | 1,490 TOP |
Corrosion Engineer | 1,520 TOP |
Design Engineer | 1,650 TOP |
Drafter | 1,050 TOP |
Drafting Manager | 1,960 TOP |
Drilling Engineer | 1,600 TOP |
Electrical Draughtsman | 810 TOP |
Electrical Engineer | 1,840 TOP |
Electrical Engineering Manager | 2,450 TOP |
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist | 1,830 TOP |
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler | 910 TOP |
Energy Engineer | 1,760 TOP |
Engine Assembler | 730 TOP |
Engineer | 1,830 TOP |
Engineering Account Manager | 1,860 TOP |
Engineering Chief Designer | 1,880 TOP |
Engineering Consultant | 2,280 TOP |
Engineering Key Account Manager | 2,370 TOP |
Engineering Lab Technician | 1,550 TOP |
Engineering Planning Manager | 2,200 TOP |
Engineering Production Manager | 3,050 TOP |
Engineering Project Analyst | 2,010 TOP |
Engineering Project Coordinator | 1,940 TOP |
Engineering Project Director | 3,420 TOP |
Engineering Project Manager | 2,260 TOP |
Engineering Research and Development Manager | 2,610 TOP |
Engineering Safety Coordinator | 1,310 TOP |
Engineering Sales Manager | 2,270 TOP |
Engineering Technician | 1,250 TOP |
Engineering Technologist | 1,240 TOP |
Environmental Engineer | 1,570 TOP |
Equipment Engineer | 1,490 TOP |
Equipment Engineering Manager | 2,190 TOP |
Estimator | 1,390 TOP |
Fabrication Specialist | 1,190 TOP |
Fabricator | 780 TOP |
Facade Engineer | 1,560 TOP |
Fiber Analyst | 980 TOP |
Field Engineer | 1,760 TOP |
Field Engineering Manager | 2,910 TOP |
Fire Engineer | 1,700 TOP |
Fitter and Turner | 550 TOP |
Forestry Strategic Planner | 1,860 TOP |
Generation Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Genetic Engineer | 1,910 TOP |
Geological Engineer | 1,700 TOP |
Geotechnical Engineer | 1,690 TOP |
Heavy Equipment Mechanic | 870 TOP |
Highway Engineer | 1,610 TOP |
HSE Professional | 1,580 TOP |
HVAC Engineer | 1,750 TOP |
HVAC Supervisor | 1,520 TOP |
Industrial Engineer | 1,610 TOP |
Industrial Engineering Technologist | 1,560 TOP |
Instrument Engineer | 1,560 TOP |
Instrumentation and Control Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Instrumentation Engineer | 1,600 TOP |
Instrumentation Manager | 1,700 TOP |
Irrigation Engineer | 1,660 TOP |
Licensed Aircraft Engineer | 1,860 TOP |
Locomotive Engineer | 1,530 TOP |
Maintenance Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Maintenance Fitter | 570 TOP |
Maintenance Manager | 1,650 TOP |
Manufacturing Engineer | 1,540 TOP |
Marine Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Materials Engineer | 1,620 TOP |
Materials Researcher | 1,490 TOP |
Materials Technician | 1,230 TOP |
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | 1,760 TOP |
Mechanical Design Engineer | 1,730 TOP |
Mechanical Designer | 1,430 TOP |
Mechanical Engineer | 1,800 TOP |
Mechanical Engineering Manager | 2,410 TOP |
Mechanical Inspector | 1,570 TOP |
Mechatronics Engineer | 1,770 TOP |
Mining Engineer | 1,650 TOP |
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer | 1,760 TOP |
Optical Engineer | 1,570 TOP |
Optical Instrument Assembler | 830 TOP |
PCB Assembler | 630 TOP |
Photonics Engineer | 1,850 TOP |
Photonics Technician | 1,530 TOP |
Pipeline Engineer | 1,550 TOP |
Piping Designer | 940 TOP |
Piping Engineer | 1,460 TOP |
Planning Engineer | 1,740 TOP |
Pressure Vessel Inspector | 790 TOP |
Principal Cost Engineer | 1,610 TOP |
Principal Engineer | 1,600 TOP |
Principal Support Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Process Engineer | 1,620 TOP |
Process Operator | 990 TOP |
Product Development Engineer | 1,740 TOP |
Product Development Technician | 1,150 TOP |
Product Engineer | 1,770 TOP |
Product Safety Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Production Engineer | 1,710 TOP |
Project Engineer | 1,830 TOP |
Proposal Manager | 2,180 TOP |
Purchasing Engineer | 1,480 TOP |
Quality Assurance Engineer | 1,580 TOP |
Rail Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Robotics Engineer | 1,830 TOP |
Robotics Technician | 1,350 TOP |
Safety Engineer | 1,650 TOP |
Safety Inspector | 1,320 TOP |
Safety Manager | 1,900 TOP |
Safety Officer | 820 TOP |
Sales Engineer | 1,700 TOP |
Scheduling Engineer | 1,480 TOP |
Service Engineer | 1,660 TOP |
Solar Engineer | 1,700 TOP |
Staff Engineer | 1,670 TOP |
Static Equipment Engineer | 1,600 TOP |
Stationary Engineer | 1,560 TOP |
Stress Engineer | 1,500 TOP |
Structural Analysis Engineer | 1,610 TOP |
Structural Designer | 1,490 TOP |
Structural Engineer | 1,640 TOP |
Structural Technician | 1,090 TOP |
Supply Chain Specialist | 1,670 TOP |
Surveyor | 1,290 TOP |
Technical Affairs Officer | 830 TOP |
Technical Assistant | 880 TOP |
Technical Engineer | 1,410 TOP |
Technical Support Engineer | 1,460 TOP |
Tender Engineer | 1,450 TOP |
Test Development Engineer | 1,550 TOP |
Transportation Engineer | 1,590 TOP |
Validation Engineer | 1,490 TOP |
Verification Engineer | 1,630 TOP |
Wastewater Engineer | 1,570 TOP |
Wind Energy Engineer | 1,660 TOP |
Wind Energy Operations Manager | 2,220 TOP |
Work Planner | 1,130 TOP |
Engineering salaries in Tonga range from 490 TOP per month (minimum average salary) to 3,250 TOP per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
The median salary is 1,630 TOP per month, which means that half (50%) of people working in Engineering are earning less than 1,630 TOP while the other half are earning more than 1,630 TOP. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of people working in Engineering are earning less than 950 TOP while 75% of them are earning more than 950 TOP. Also from the diagram, 75% of people working in Engineering are earning less than 2,590 TOP while 25% are earning more than 2,590 TOP.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning 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
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 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.
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 degrees levels across many jobs, 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 cerificate 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.
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Tonga costs anywhere from 9,110 Paanga(s) to 27,300 Paanga(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you 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 into 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 your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Tonga who work in Engineering earn 14% more than their female counterparts on average.
Male | 1,650 TOP | |
Female | -12% | 1,450 TOP |
Engineering professionals in Tonga are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 6% every 27 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 5% granted to employees every 28 months.
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely 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.
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
Banking | 2% | |
Energy | 4% | |
Information Technology | 6% | |
Healthcare | 8% | |
Travel | 1% | |
Construction | 3% | |
Education | 5% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Tonga for the year 2021. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Engineering is considered to be a moderate bonus-based field due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
62% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 38% 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 | 38% | |
No Bonus | 62% |
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, 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 BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
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.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting 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: | Example: |
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.
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.
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 fix 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.
The average salary for Engineering is 16% less than that of All Jobs.
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Tonga earn 18% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 1,640 TOP | |
Public Sector | +18% | 1,930 TOP |