Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers design and test the machines, engines and mechanical systems that other industries rely on, from first concept through to something a factory can build.
- Median salary
- $135,900
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 22,900
2.2%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +23.1%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- 6 out of 10
- Average hours
- 43/wk
+3h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
- Mechanical engineers work in engineering consultancies, manufacturing plants and mining operations, and your employer decides whether the week is mostly at a desk or out on site.
- The job is often mixed up with production engineering, but you carry the responsibility for whether the underlying design is sound, not only how it gets made.
- An engineering degree accredited by Engineers Australia is the qualification employers ask for, and registration rules differ between states.
How much do mechanical engineers earn?
The median full-time salary for a mechanical engineer is $135,900 per annum, before tax, up $28,300 since 2018.
Mining and resources roles pay above most manufacturing work, and site rosters with travel and camp allowances lift a package further again. Chartered status through Engineers Australia, and the amount of project responsibility you hold, both move the number. Ask what an offer includes beyond base pay, particularly site allowances, rostered overtime and whether any bonus is discretionary.
What does a mechanical engineer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Modelling parts and assemblies in CAD before anything gets cut, cast or welded
- Running stress and thermal simulations to find the failure points a prototype would otherwise reveal
- Choosing materials and tolerances against what a factory can actually produce
- Walking the production floor when a build is not matching the drawing
- Sitting with manufacturing and quality teams until a design can be made at volume
What skills do mechanical engineers need?
Employers look for engineering design and analysis, cAD and technical drawing, project engineering and delivery, backed by CATIA fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Engineering design and analysis
- CAD and technical drawing
- Project engineering and delivery
- Data analysis
Software and tools
- CATIA
- SolidWorks
- ANSYS
- AutoCAD
- MATLAB
General skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Stakeholder management
- Written communication
Is the job growing?
About 22,900 people work as mechanical engineers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 23.1% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.
How do you become a mechanical engineer?
Here's the path most mechanical engineers take, step by step.
- 1Take maths and physics through Year 12
Engineering degrees start from calculus and physics, so the highest level of maths you can manage at school keeps your options open. If you missed it, most universities offer a bridging subject or a pathway year.
- 2Complete a four-year engineering degree
A Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) accredited by Engineers Australia is the qualification employers expect, covering statics, thermodynamics, materials, design and a final-year project. Accreditation matters later if you want to work overseas or apply for registration.
- 3Get industry experience before you graduate
Courses usually require a period of industry experience, and paid vacation work over summer is how plenty of graduates land their first offer. Manufacturers, consultancies and mining companies all run these programs.
- 4Apply for graduate or entry-level design roles
Large employers run structured graduate programs that rotate you through design, site and project work, while smaller firms hire straight into a design team. If site time matters to you, ask how often you would be out of the office.
- 5Work towards chartered status and registration
Chartered status through Engineers Australia takes around four to five years of practice plus a written and interview assessment, and Queensland requires registration for certain engineering work. Some employers cover the fees.
Study routes we have checked
Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.
- Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical Engineering)
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional-engineering programme in the named discipline. Engineering technologist and associate awards are different routes. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) Honours
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional-engineering programme in the named discipline. Engineering technologist and associate awards are different routes. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Mechanical)
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional-engineering programme in the named discipline. Engineering technologist and associate awards are different routes. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Mechanical)
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional-engineering programme in the named discipline. Engineering technologist and associate awards are different routes. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional-engineering programme in the named discipline. Engineering technologist and associate awards are different routes. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Master of Professional Engineering
A recognised route into this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional engineering programme in the named discipline. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work; the degree alone does not confer registration. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
- Master of Engineering
A step towards this role
Complete an appropriately accredited professional engineering programme in the named discipline. Check jurisdiction registration and practice requirements before undertaking regulated work; the degree alone does not confer registration. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Ready to apply as a mechanical engineer?
Whether you're working toward becoming a mechanical engineer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a mechanical engineer move to?
Moving into Engineering Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $47,100 a year more on average.
- Engineering ManagerRecorded move$183,000+$47,100
- Mining EngineerRecorded move$182,900+$47,000
- Production EngineerRecorded move$108,200−$27,700
- Mechatronics EngineerSuggested move$143,600+$7,700
Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
Engineering Manager Design and delivery experience carries into leading engineering teams, with further study supporting the step into management.Known move | +$47,100 | 17% | requalify |
Mining Engineer Machine design and systems knowledge transfers to heavy plant and mining equipment, with study covering mining-specific methods.Known move | +$47,000 | 36% | reskill |
Mechatronics Engineer Mechanical design combines with control and electronics work, so the core engineering skills extend naturally into automated systems. | +$7,700 | 64% | minimal |
Aerospace Engineer Aircraft and spacecraft systems rely on the same mechanical design, stress analysis and testing skills the role already uses. | +$1,800 | 79% | minimal |
Production Engineer Mechanical design and analysis skills carry directly into planning and improving manufacturing processes and production lines.Known move | −$27,700 | 31% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a mechanical engineer?
The typical mechanical engineer is 38 years old; 93% are men, 90% work full-time, and full-timers average 43 hours a week.
- 38
- Median age
- 7%
- Female share
- 90%
- Full-time
- +3h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a mechanical engineer?
Your week splits between a screen and a room full of people: modelling and analysis on your own, then design reviews where manufacturing, quality and the client push back on what you have drawn. Schedules are usually locked in before the design is finished, so late changes land on your desk, and a part that looked fine in simulation can come back from the floor needing rework. Tracking down the cause of a failure and getting the numbers right is what keeps the job interesting over time, while slow approval cycles are the part that tires people out.
What people like
- The design ends up as a real machine. A pump, a conveyor or a vehicle component you modelled gets made and installed, and you can walk up to it on site.
- Problems with a right answer. Stress calculations and thermal models give you a clear result, and tracing a failure back to its cause is satisfying work.
- The skills travel across industries. The same design and analysis knowledge takes you into mining equipment, medical devices, food processing or automotive, so you are not tied to one employer type.
- Working alongside the people who build it. Drafters, machinists and fitters know things your model does not, and the back-and-forth with them teaches you quickly.
What people find hard
- Designs that get revised again and again. Client changes, cost cuts and supplier substitutions send a drawing back through analysis more than once, and the earlier work is not wasted but it is repeated.
- Schedules set by other people. Project dates are often fixed before the design is settled, so the squeeze arrives at your desk in the final weeks.
- Long stretches at a desk. Documentation, modelling and reports can mean weeks in front of CAD, and site visits are less frequent than new engineers expect.
- Carrying the risk on details. A tolerance or material choice you sign off can cause a failure, and the review that follows an incident is thorough and uncomfortable.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ mechanical engineers?
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services employs the largest share of mechanical engineers, followed by Manufacturing.
Top employing industries
- 1Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- 2Manufacturing
- 3Mining
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 56.7% | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 23.2% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 7.3% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 7.3% | |
| Year 12 or below | 3.5% |
Will AI replace mechanical engineers?
Moderate exposure. Not replaced, but changed. AI is taking on some tasks and the rest of the job shifts around them.
AI has made real inroads into the drafting and analysis end of mechanical engineering, which is where most of the exposure sits. What resists it is the judgement around a model: deciding what to simplify, reading a result against how the part will actually behave, then standing at the machine until you know what went wrong. Early in your career, get comfortable with the simulation and design software employers use, because the engineer who can set up a model well and then question it is the one employers keep.
How a typical week splits
- CAD modelling and drawing production30% of the week
Parametric and generative tools already propose layouts and standard components, so the hours spent producing drawings keep falling.
- Simulation and finite element analysis30% of the week
Automated meshing and solver setup cut the busywork, but you still choose what to model, what to leave out and whether the answer makes physical sense.
- Specifications, reports and compliance documentation20% of the week
Language models can draft a specification quickly, and your job becomes checking it against the standard and the project's actual requirements.
- Site inspection and fault finding20% of the week
Diagnosing a seized bearing or a vibrating line takes hands, instruments and a conversation with the fitter who runs the machine.
How we work this out
We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.
Common questions about becoming a mechanical engineer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do mechanical engineers earn?
Mechanical engineers earn $135,900 per year before tax, as a median across full-time roles. The figure moves most with your employer's industry, since mining and resources pay above manufacturing, and with chartered status or project responsibility. Ask what a salary offer includes beyond base pay, particularly site allowances and rostered overtime.
How do you become a mechanical engineer?
Finish a four-year engineering degree accredited by Engineers Australia, usually with maths and physics behind you, and get some industry experience while you study. Graduate programs at consultancies, manufacturers and mining companies are how most new engineers start.
Are mechanical engineers in demand?
Mechanical engineers are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 23.1% over the decade to 2035. The work is spread across consulting, manufacturing and mining, so how many openings you see depends on where you are willing to live. A placement or vacation job helps, because employers hire graduates they have already watched on site.
Will AI replace mechanical engineers?
AI has absorbed a good share of the drafting and routine analysis work, so fewer hours go into producing drawings than they once did. The judgement around a model resists automation: deciding what to simplify, noticing when a result contradicts how the part will really behave, and diagnosing a failure at the machine. Learn the simulation and design software properly, including where it is likely to mislead you.
What can mechanical engineers move into?
Engineering management is one route, paying around $47,100 more more, though your time goes on people, budgets and schedules instead of design. A shift into mining engineering applies your machine and systems knowledge to heavy plant, with study covering mining-specific methods, and pays around $47,000 more more. Mechatronics and aerospace engineering are closer moves, where the design, stress analysis and testing skills carry across with little retraining.
Do mechanical engineers need to be registered?
Registration is not required nationally for most mechanical engineering roles, but Queensland requires it for certain work, and chartered status through Engineers Australia is what many employers look for at senior level. An accredited degree makes both easier, and helps if you later take a job interstate or overseas.
Related roles
- Engineering Manager
- Production Engineer
- Mining Engineer
- Mechatronics Engineer
- Aerospace Engineer
- Mechanical Engineering Technician
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.
Career advice
- The most useful degrees in Australia, by graduate outcomesGraduate employment rates and starting salaries for every study area, from the 2025 Graduate Outcomes Survey, plus which professions are in shortage.
- How to change careers, and which moves are realisticData on 1,573 career moves across 350 Australian occupations shows 63.3% need no more than a short course, though skill overlap alone won't tell you which ones. Six worked examples, and how to check your own move.
- Skills to put on your resume (with skills finder)A resume skills section built for the job you're applying for. Search your occupation to see the specialist skills, tools and general skills it calls for, with worked examples and what to write if you have no work history yet.