Graduate engineer salary and the national average
If you are a graduate engineer in Australia, you are likely covered by the Professional Employees Award [MA000065] from the Fair Work Ombudsman. This award sets minimum pay rates for professional engineering duties. However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a single national figure specifically for graduate engineer salaries. Instead, we can compare against the national full-time adult average and related benchmarks.
The national full-time average as a reference
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 reports that full-time adult ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the line on Average line. It is an average across all industries and occupations, not a graduate-specific figure. For context, the full-time median (from ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) is about $90,532 per year, meaning half of full-time workers earn less than that.
Where graduate engineer salaries sit
Graduate engineer salaries typically start below the national average but can rise quickly with experience. The Professional, Scientific & Technical Services industry, which includes many engineering roles, has a full-time adult ordinary time average of $2,389.60 per week ($124,259 per year) according to the same ABS release. This is higher than the all-industries average, reflecting the skilled nature of the work.
Under the Professional Employees Award, minimum rates for graduate engineers are set by classification levels. The award minimums increased by 4.75% from 1 July 2026, following the Annual Wage Review. You can find the exact rates in the Modern Awards Pay Database at the Fair Work Commission. These minimums are a floor; many graduate engineers earn above the award.
State and territory variations
Graduate engineer salaries also vary by location. The ABS provides state full-time averages (original, not seasonally adjusted) for May 2026:
- 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)
These are averages for all full-time adults, not just engineers, but they give a sense of regional pay differences. For more detail, see our States and territories page.
A resident take-home pay sketch
If a graduate engineer earns exactly the national full-time average of $108,352 per year, their take-home pay after tax and Medicare levy in 2026–27 would be approximately $82,000 per year. This calculation uses the resident tax rates: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income up to $45,000, 30% on income up to $135,000, plus a 2% Medicare levy. Actual take-home depends on factors like HELP repayments, private health insurance, and other deductions.
For a graduate earning the professional services industry average of $124,259, the take-home would be higher, but still within the 30% tax bracket (up to $135,000). The tax system is progressive, so only the portion above each threshold is taxed at the higher rate.
Other benchmarks
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 a 38-hour week. This is a floor for all employees not covered by an award. Graduate engineers under the Professional Employees Award will have a higher minimum.
The all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $74,100 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). This is lower than the full-time median because it includes all workers.
Where to find more
For job-specific medians, see our Job medians page. For industry comparisons, visit Industry medians. If you want to understand how the ABS calculates these figures, read How the figures are set. For more context on using salary data, check our Guides and About this site.
In summary, while there is no single published graduate engineer salary, the national full-time average of $108,352 provides a useful benchmark. Graduate engineers typically start below this but can expect to exceed it as they gain experience, especially in states like Western Australia and the ACT where average earnings are higher.