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Electrical Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an electrical engineer is $132,800 per annum, before tax, up $28,000 since 2018.
- Who you work for matters more than what the role is called: utilities, mining and oil and gas companies usually pay above the consultancies that design buildings and industrial plant, and site or remote roles carry allowances on top of base salary.
- Registration and chartered status (CPEng) lift what you can ask for, because they let you sign off work an unregistered engineer cannot.
- Before you decide between two offers, check whether the figure includes site allowances and paid overtime, and whether the employer covers your Engineers Australia fees.
The median salary rose by $28,000 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 electrical engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $50,200 a year, moving into Engineering Manager.
- Engineering Manager+$50,200/yr
- Telecommunications Engineer+$12,600/yr
- Mechatronics Engineer+$10,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher electrical engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time electrical engineer salary is $132,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Electrical Engineers 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 Engineering design and analysis and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general electrical engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Engineering Manager pays a typical $50,200 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."
Electrical Engineer salary questions
How much do electrical engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an electrical engineer is $132,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is electrical engineer pay rising or falling?
The median electrical engineer salary is up $28,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than electrical engineer?
Engineering Manager pays a typical $50,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to electrical engineer.
Related salaries
- Engineering Manager salary
- Mechatronics Engineer salary
- Telecommunications Engineer salary
- Civil Engineer salary
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Electrician salary
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.