Mechanical Engineering Salary in Australia
Mechanical engineers in Australia earn a median full-time salary of $2,614 per week, according to the latest data from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised for Jobs and Skills Australia. This figure is for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, which provides a clean comparison across occupations.
How It Stacks Up Against the National Full-Time Average
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average, as measured by the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year. That means the median mechanical engineer earns roughly $530 more per week than the average full-time worker across all industries. In percentage terms, that is about 25% higher.
When compared to the all-employees median of $1,436 per week (ABS Employee Earnings, May 2025), mechanical engineers are even further ahead. Their median weekly earnings are more than 80% above the typical Australian employee.
State-by-State Context
Mechanical engineers earn above the full-time average in every state and territory. The highest state average is the Australian Capital Territory at $2,290.20 per week (about $119,090 a year), which is still below the mechanical engineering median. Western Australia’s full-time average of $2,227.40 is also lower. Even in Tasmania, where the full-time average is $1,846.30, mechanical engineers typically earn well above that. See States and territories for more detail.
Hourly Rates and Work Hours
The median hourly earnings for mechanical engineers are $67, compared to $47 for all occupations. The average full-time hours worked per week are 43 hours, slightly below the national average of 44 hours. About 92% of mechanical engineers work full-time, a much higher share than the 69% across all occupations.
How This Affects Take-Home Pay
Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates, a mechanical engineer earning the median weekly amount of $2,614 would have a yearly salary of about $135,928 (52 weeks). That places them in the 30% tax bracket ($45,001 to $135,000) and just into the 37% bracket for amounts above $135,000. After the Medicare levy of 2%, the effective tax rate is roughly 24–25%. The after-tax income would be around $103,000 per year, or about $1,980 per week.
Where to Find More Information
If you want to see how your own salary compares, you can Place a salary on the line to see where it sits relative to the national average. For detailed breakdowns by occupation, visit Job medians. The data used here comes from the ABS and Jobs and Skills Australia, and the national average is from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings release for May 2026.
Important Distinctions
It is important to note that the $2,614 figure is a median, not an average. The median is the middle point: half of mechanical engineers earn more, half earn less. The average could be higher or lower depending on the distribution. Also, this data is for full-time non-managerial employees, so it excludes part-time workers and managers. For a broader view, the ABS Employee Earnings release includes all employees.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week. Mechanical engineers are typically covered by professional awards or enterprise agreements that set higher minimum rates. The median hourly rate of $67 is more than double the minimum.
Summary
Mechanical engineering salaries in Australia are well above the national full-time average. With a median weekly earnings of $2,614, mechanical engineers earn about 25% more than the average full-time worker. This places the profession among the higher-paying occupations, alongside managers and professionals. For the most current figures, always refer to the ABS and Jobs and Skills Australia.