Average Engineer Salary Australia vs National Full-Time Average
When people search for the "average engineer salary Australia", they usually want to know how much engineers earn compared to other workers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) does not publish a single average figure for all engineers, but it does provide detailed data through the Employee Earnings and Hours survey and the Average Weekly Earnings series. Jobs and Skills Australia also publishes occupation-specific medians based on that ABS data.
What the data shows for engineers
For the occupation group Other Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO 2339), which includes aeronautical engineers, agricultural engineers, biomedical engineers, engineering technologists, environmental engineers and naval architects, the median full-time weekly earnings are $2,649 (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report, via Jobs and Skills Australia). This is a median for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. It means half of these engineers earn more than $2,649 per week and half earn less.
By comparison, the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings (the figure this site uses as its line) is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The engineer median is about 27% higher than that average.
Average vs median: why it matters
The national full-time average ($2,083.70) is pulled up by very high earners in some industries. The full-time median (the middle of all full-time workers) is lower: about $1,741 per week, or $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, May 2025). The engineer median of $2,649 sits well above both the average and the median for all full-time workers.
State and territory comparisons
Engineer pay also varies by location. The national full-time average for each state and territory (from ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026) gives a benchmark:
- New South Wales: $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 per year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 ($106,137)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 ($106,064)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 ($102,450)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 ($115,825)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 ($96,008)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 ($103,173)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 ($119,090)
Engineers in Western Australia and the ACT tend to earn more, reflecting the mining and public sector concentrations. You can explore more in States and territories.
How engineer pay compares to other occupations
Jobs and Skills Australia also reports that the median hourly earnings for Other Engineering Professionals are $70, compared to $47 for all occupations. The share working full-time is 94%, much higher than the 69% across all jobs. The median age is 35, slightly younger than the all-occupations median of 39. For a broader view of how different jobs compare, see Job medians.
Tax and take-home pay
If you earn the engineer median of $2,649 per week ($137,748 per year), your 2026–27 tax would be roughly:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 ($4,020)
- 30% on the next $90,000 ($27,000)
- 37% on the next $2,748 ($1,016)
- Plus 2% Medicare levy ($2,755) Total tax plus Medicare: about $34,791, leaving around $103,000 after tax. This is an estimate; use the ATO's tax tables for exact calculations.
Where the national minimum wage fits
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026. Engineer pay is far above these floors.
What this site does
This page is part of Average line, a salary index that shows where any pay sits against the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week. You can Place a salary on the line to see its weekly and hourly equivalents and how far above or below the average it falls. The data comes from the ABS, Fair Work, and the ATO.
Key takeaways
- The median full-time engineer salary for Other Engineering Professionals is $2,649 per week, well above the national full-time average of $2,083.70.
- No single "average engineer salary" exists; the median is the best available benchmark.
- Engineer pay varies by state, with WA and ACT leading.
- The national full-time average is updated twice a year (May and November) by the ABS.
For more on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set.