What is the average salary for an environmental engineer in Australia?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for environmental engineers at the 6-digit ANZSCO level. The Jobs and Skills Australia profile for the occupation also lists median weekly earnings as N/A. The best national benchmark is the full-time adult ordinary-time average of $2,083.70 a week ($108,352 a year) from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026.

How does an environmental engineer's pay compare to the national minimum wage?

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Environmental engineers, as professionals, would almost certainly earn well above this. The full-time median for all occupations is about $1,741 a week ($90,532 a year), so an environmental engineer's salary is likely to be around or above that level, though no official figure is published.

What factors could make an environmental engineer's salary higher or lower than the national average?

Location is a key factor: the full-time average in Western Australia is about $115,825, while in Tasmania it is about $96,008. Industry also matters – mining and professional services tend to pay more. Experience and seniority push pay up, while entry-level roles or those in the public sector may sit closer to the median. The ABS notes that the highest hourly earnings are for Managers ($69.20) and Professionals ($64.50), so environmental engineers in senior or specialised roles could exceed the national average.

Environmental engineer salary: how it compares to the national full-time average

Where does an environmental engineer's salary sit against the national full-time average?

For readers of Average line, the key question is whether an environmental engineer's pay falls above or below the national full-time adult ordinary-time average of $2,083.70 a week – about $108,352 a year – as measured by the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. Unfortunately, no official median weekly earnings figure is published for this occupation. The Jobs and Skills Australia profile for environmental engineers lists median weekly earnings as N/A, and the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey does not break out the 6-digit ANZSCO code for this role. That means we cannot give you a precise dollar figure, but we can show you how the role fits into the broader earnings landscape and what would move its pay above or below the line.

The national benchmarks

Before looking at the occupation itself, it helps to know where the line sits. The site's line is the full-time adult ordinary-time average from the ABS: $2,083.70 a week, or $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52). This is the figure the chart draws. For context:

The full-time median (all occupations) is about $1,741 a week ($90,532 a year) from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025.
The all-employees median (including part-time) is about $1,425 a week ($74,100 a year).
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week.

Environmental engineers are classified as Professionals under ANZSCO. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for May 2025 shows that Professionals had an average weekly total cash earnings of $2,049.60 and an average hourly total cash earnings of $64.50 (for non-managerial employees). That average weekly figure of $2,049.60 is very close to the national full-time average of $2,083.70 – just $34 a week below. So, as a broad category, Professionals sit almost exactly on the line.

What would push an environmental engineer's salary above the average?

Several factors could lift an environmental engineer's pay above the national full-time average:

Industry: Environmental engineers work across mining, construction, professional services, and government. The mining industry has the highest average hourly total cash earnings of any industry at $74.10 an hour (ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025). An environmental engineer in mining could easily earn well above the national average. Professional, scientific and technical services average $54.50 an hour, still above the all-industries average of $47.90.
Location: State full-time averages vary significantly. Western Australia's full-time average is about $115,825 a year, and the Australian Capital Territory's is about $119,090. An environmental engineer working in Perth or Canberra is likely to be paid more than one in Tasmania ($96,008) or South Australia ($102,450).
Experience and seniority: The ABS notes that Managers earn the highest hourly rate ($69.20) and Professionals earn $64.50. An environmental engineer who moves into a senior or management role – for example, as an environmental manager or director – would see their pay rise above the professional average.
Method of setting pay: Employees on individual arrangements tend to earn more than those on collective agreements or awards. The ABS reports that 38.5% of employees have pay set by individual arrangement, and these employees often have higher earnings.

What would keep it below the average?

Conversely, some factors could hold an environmental engineer's salary below the national full-time average:

Public sector: Environmental engineers in government or local council roles may be paid under awards or collective agreements that are lower than private-sector rates. The public sector full-time average for women is $2,154.00 a week (about $112,008 a year) and for men $2,399.30 (about $124,764), but these are averages across all roles. Entry-level government positions may pay less.
Entry-level or graduate roles: New graduates typically start below the average. The median full-time earnings for all employees is $1,887 a week ($98,124 a year), and graduates may earn less until they gain experience.
Location: As noted, Tasmania and South Australia have lower full-time averages. An environmental engineer in Hobart or Adelaide might earn below the national line.
Gender: The gender pay gap persists. Women's full-time ordinary-time average is about $100,594 a year, compared to men's $113,412. Female environmental engineers may earn less than their male counterparts, though the occupation has a 36% female share (above the all-occupations average of 49%? Actually 36% is below 49%, so women are underrepresented).

How to use this information

Because no official median exists for environmental engineers, the best approach is to compare your own salary – or an offer you have received – against the national full-time average of $108,352 a year. If you are above that, you are earning more than the typical full-time worker. If you are below, you may be in a lower-paying industry, location, or at an earlier career stage.

You can also use the Place a salary on the line tool to see exactly where your pay sits relative to the national average, and check States and territories for local benchmarks. For a deeper look at how different occupations compare, see Job medians and Industry medians.

The bottom line

Environmental engineering is a professional occupation that, on average, pays close to the national full-time line. Without a published median, we cannot say exactly where it falls, but the evidence from the broader Professional category and from industry and location data suggests that many environmental engineers earn around or above $108,352 a year, especially those in mining, senior roles, or high-paying states like Western Australia or the ACT. If you are considering the field or negotiating a salary, use the national average as your reference point and adjust for your specific circumstances.

For more on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set and About this site.