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Aerospace Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an aerospace engineer is $137,700 per annum, before tax, up $29,000 since 2018.
- Pay follows the employer more than the job title: defence contractors and large manufacturers work under enterprise agreements that set bands by classification, while smaller consultancies and space companies negotiate more individually.
- A security clearance, chartered status through Engineers Australia and a specialisation such as avionics or propulsion all tend to lift offers.
- Project-based contracts can pay well but usually trade away leave and long-term security.
The median salary rose by $29,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than aerospace engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $45,300 a year, moving into Engineering Manager.
- Engineering Manager+$45,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher aerospace engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time aerospace engineer salary is $137,700; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Engineering design and analysis and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general aerospace engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Engineering Manager pays a typical $45,300 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Aerospace Engineer salary questions
How much do aerospace engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an aerospace engineer is $137,700 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is aerospace engineer pay rising or falling?
The median aerospace engineer salary is up $29,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than aerospace engineer?
Engineering Manager pays a typical $45,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to aerospace engineer.
Related salaries
- Engineering Manager salary
- Mechanical Engineer salary
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Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.