Engineer Salaries in Australia 2026: Real Data by Discipline & State

How Much Do Engineers Earn in
Australia: Real Salaries by
Discipline and State 2026
How much do engineers earn in Australia is one of the most searched career
questions from overseas engineers planning migration. The short answer in 2026:
between AUD $100,000 and AUD $120,000 on average, according to SEEK salary
data published in July 2026. But averages only tell part of the story. A graduate civil
engineer in Canberra earns significantly less than a senior petroleum engineer on
FIFO in the Pilbara. Discipline, experience, state, and industry all move the number,
sometimes by AUD $50,000 to $100,000+.

For overseas engineers targeting Australian migration, understanding how much do
engineers earn in Australia matters beyond salary planning. The Core Skills Income
Threshold (CSIT) of AUD $79,499 from 1 July 2026 is the minimum salary for
employer-sponsored visa nominations. Many engineers planning their migration
strategy need to verify that roles in their discipline meet this threshold before
pursuing a Subclass 482 employer sponsorship pathway. This guide covers verified
salary data by discipline, experience level, and state, with migration context
throughout.
How Much Do Engineers Earn in Australia on
Average in 2026?
The overall average engineer salary in Australia in 2026 sits between AUD $100,000
and AUD $120,000 per year according to SEEK. Mining, Resources and Energy is
the highest-paying engineering industry at AUD $147,990 per year on average,
followed by ICT at AUD $137,496. Construction and infrastructure engineering roles
average AUD $110,000–$130,000 for experienced practitioners.
Experience Level
Avg. Annual Salary
(AUD)
Typical Role
Graduate (0–2 years)
$65,000 – $85,000
Junior Engineer, Graduate
Engineer
Early Career (2–4
years)
$85,000 – $105,000
Engineer, Project Engineer
Mid-Level (4–8 years)
$105,000 – $135,000
Senior Engineer, Principal
Engineer
Senior (8–15 years)
$135,000 – $170,000
Lead Engineer, Engineering
Manager
Principal / Lead (15+
years)
$170,000 – $250,000+
Director of Engineering, Chief
Engineer
Source: SEEK salary data July 2026, Hays Salary Guide FY25/26, SEEK
GradConnection 2026. According to Engineers Australia, the engineering sector
received a 3.9% increase in wages for 2024 which is significantly higher than the
national average, and salary increases will only climb in 2026 thanks to infrastructure
development projects and demand for engineers.

Engineer Salary in Australia by Discipline 2026
Not all engineering disciplines pay the same. Salary ranges vary significantly by field,
largely driven by skills shortage intensity, industry demand, and project scale. Here is
how the major engineering disciplines compare in 2026.
Engineering
Discipline
ANZSCO
Avg. Salary Range
(AUD)
Demand Level
Petroleum
Engineer
233612
$140,000 – $250,000+
Very High
Mining Engineer
233611
$150,000 – $223,000
Very High
Engineering
Manager
133211
$165,000 – $190,000
High
Data Engineer
263111
$127,000 – $160,000
Very High
Software Engineer
(Senior)
261313
$105,000 – $160,000
Very High
Electrical Engineer
233311
$90,000 – $152,000
High
Chemical
Engineer
233111
$100,000 – $150,000
Medium
Civil Engineer
233211
$95,000 – $140,000
High
Mechanical
Engineer
233512
$90,000 – $130,000
Medium-High
Structural
Engineer
233214
$95,000 – $135,000
High
Naval Architect
233916
$110,000 – $180,000+
High - AUKUS driven
Source: SEEK salary data (Dec 2025–July 2026), Hays Salary Guide FY25/26, Jobs
and Skills Australia 2026. Mining engineering graduate salaries average AUD
$91,000–$109,000 - AUD $30,000+ above most other engineering disciplines at
entry level.
How Much Engineers Earn in Australia by State
in 2026
Engineering salaries across Australia: Where engineers earn the most Location is a
key factor, and in terms of engineering pay, FIFO (fly-in/fly-out), LNG opportunities,

and heavy demand from WA’s mining sectors mean engineers here command the
top rate in the country. Here’s the state-by-state breakdown for 2026:
State
Avg. Engineer Salary
(AUD)
Key Driver
Western
Australia
$140,000 – $210,000+
Mining, LNG, FIFO premium,
20–50% above national average
Queensland
$130,000 – $210,000
Resources corridor, 2032
Olympics infrastructure pipeline
New South
Wales
$99,947 – $150,000
Infrastructure, tech sector, major
urban construction
Victoria
$96,318 – $145,000
Metro Tunnel, North East Link,
urban development
South Australia
$90,000 – $130,000
AUKUS submarine programme,
OPV shipbuilding, defence
Tasmania
$82,000 – $130,000
Renewable energy, civil, regional
infrastructure
ACT
$95,000 – $135,000
Federal government projects,
defence engineering, ICT
Northern
Territory
$90,000 – $140,000
Remote infrastructure, resources,
government projects
Western Australia mining engineers in Perth average AUD $180,000+, significantly
above the national average. For overseas engineers on a Subclass 491 regional
visa, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania actively nominate engineers with
competitive salary packages attached to genuine vacancies.
What Factors Determine How Much Engineers
Earn in Australia?
Salary figures are only meaningful when you understand what drives them. Six
factors consistently determine where an individual engineer sits within a pay range,
and understanding them helps overseas engineers target the right roles.
● Experience Level: The single biggest determinant. Senior engineers earn
40–70% more than graduates in the same discipline. The jump from early
career to mid-level is typically AUD $20,000–$30,000 over 3–5 years.

● Engineering Discipline: Petroleum and mining engineers earn more than
civil and mechanical engineers at equivalent experience levels, driven by
skills shortage intensity and industry profit margins.
● Industry Sector: Mining, Resources and Energy averages AUD $147,990,
the highest-paying engineering industry. ICT follows at AUD $137,496.
Construction averages AUD $110,000–$130,000.
● Location and FIFO: Western Australia pays 20–50% above national
averages. FIFO arrangements in remote mining and resource regions add
AUD $20,000–$50,000 on top of base salary.
● Chartered Status (CPEng): Engineers Australia Chartered status adds AUD
$10,000–$20,000 in negotiating leverage and is increasingly required for
senior public sector and government contract roles.
● Employer Type: Top end players including; big mining groups, defence
contractors and major tier-1 infrastructure employers will usually pay above
typical market rates. Public sector/council roles will be in the lower market
ranges.
Engineers Australia recorded a 3.9% wage increase across the engineering sector in
2024, well above the national average. Infrastructure investment, AUKUS defence
commitments, and critical minerals demand are maintaining this growth trajectory
into 2026.
How Much Do Engineers Earn in Australia:
Graduate Starting Salaries
Pay Graduate earnings are perhaps the first stop on the list in evaluating migration to
Australia as a qualified engineer from an overseas country. In doing so, it allows for
realistic expectation, to assess migration around theCSIT threshold of $AUD 79,499
for employer-sponsored visas from 01 July 2026.
Engineering Field
Graduate Starting
Salary (AUD)
Note
Mining Engineering
$91,000 – $109,000
AUD $30,000+ above average
grad salary nationally
Petroleum Engineering
$80,000 – $100,000
WA rates at upper end; FIFO
roles add further
Software Engineering
$90,000 – $120,000
Strong in Sydney and
Melbourne tech hubs
Data Engineering
$85,000 – $110,000
High demand across finance,
tech, and government