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Marine Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a marine engineer is $111,800 per annum, before tax, up $23,400 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- What you earn depends more on the sector and the certificate you hold than on the city you work in.
- Seagoing officer roles carry sea rotations and allowances that shore-based design offices do not, and offshore oil and gas and defence projects tend to pay above commercial shipping.
- Class 3, Class 2 and Class 1 certificates from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority each open up different roles and rates, and chartered status with Engineers Australia matters more for consultancy work on land.
The median salary rose by $23,400 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 marine engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $24,100 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer+$24,100/yr
- Marine Surveyor+$2,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher marine engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time marine engineer salary is $111,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Marine 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 marine engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $24,100 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."
Marine Engineer salary questions
How much do marine engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a marine engineer is $111,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is marine engineer pay rising or falling?
The median marine engineer salary is up $23,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than marine engineer?
Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $24,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to marine engineer.
Related salaries
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Marine Surveyor salary
- Deckhand salary
- Motor Mechanic salary
- Marine Engine Driver salary
- Rail Protection Officer 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.