Chemical Engineer Salary: What the Data Shows
If you are looking for a precise chemical engineer salary figure from the Australian Bureau of Statistics or Fair Work, the short answer is that no specific average or median is published for this occupation. The ABS does not provide a separate line for chemical engineers. Jobs and Skills Australia also notes that median weekly earnings are not produced for detailed occupations. This is common for detailed roles. However, we can still understand where pay sits against the national full-time average.
National Full-Time Average
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, puts full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $2,083.70 per week. That works out to about $108,352 per year on a 38-hour week. This is the line that this site uses as the benchmark. For men the average is about $113,412 per year, for women about $100,594 per year. These are averages, not medians. The full-time median is about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 per year.
Professional Averages
Chemical engineers are classified as Professionals. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for May 2025 shows that all professionals (including part-time) earned an average weekly total cash earnings of $2,049.60. That is about $106,579 per year. This is not specific to chemical engineers and includes many other professional roles. It is also an average that includes part-time workers, so it is not directly comparable to the full-time ordinary-time average. Still, it gives a sense that chemical engineers likely earn around or above the national full-time average.
State Comparisons
If you are working in a particular state, the full-time averages vary. New South Wales is about $109,658 per year, Victoria about $106,137, Queensland about $106,064, South Australia about $102,450, Western Australia about $115,825, Tasmania about $96,008, Northern Territory about $103,173, and the Australian Capital Territory about $119,090. These are state full-time averages for all occupations. Chemical engineers may earn differently depending on the industry and location.
Tax Considerations
For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates are: nil up to $18,200, 15% from $18,201 to $45,000, 30% from $45,001 to $135,000, 37% from $135,001 to $190,000, and 45% above $190,000. The Medicare levy is 2% before any reductions. So on a salary around the national full-time average, you would be in the 30% bracket plus Medicare.
How to Use This Information
Because no specific chemical engineer salary is published, you can use the national full-time average as a reference point. Place a salary on the line to see how it compares week by week and hour by hour. You can also explore Job medians for other roles that have published data. For award-covered positions, check the relevant award or enterprise agreement. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year on 38 hours. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date.
Final Note
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, in May and November. The next release is for November 2026. For the most current data, always refer to the ABS. This site uses the May 2026 release as its line. If you are a chemical engineer, your actual pay will depend on experience, industry, location, and employer. Use the national average as a starting point, not a target.