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Civil Engineering Technician salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a civil engineering technician is $91,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,400 since 2018.
Where you work shapes the figure more than the title does. Technicians employed by local or state government are usually paid under an enterprise agreement with set increments, while consulting and construction firms set pay individually and often add site allowances or paid overtime on top. Experience counts quickly here: once you can run a drawing set or a testing program with little supervision, your rate rises.
Roles that pay more than civil engineering technician
The largest typical pay rise is $104,100 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$104,100/yr
- Civil Engineer+$24,300/yr
- Engineering Technologist+$15,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher civil engineering technician salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time civil engineering technician salary is $91,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Civil Engineering Technicians are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Reading plans and specifications and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general civil engineering technician experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $104,100 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."
Civil Engineering Technician salary questions
How much do civil engineering technicians earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a civil engineering technician is $91,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is civil engineering technician pay rising or falling?
The median civil engineering technician salary is up $19,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than civil engineering technician?
Construction Manager pays a typical $104,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to civil engineering technician.