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Naval Architect salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a naval architect is $111,800 per annum, before tax, up $23,600 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- What moves pay most is the sector and the employer, along with chartership and whether the work needs a security clearance.
- Defence and offshore programmes are salaried and rarely pay penalty rates, though site and sea trial travel can attract allowances.
- Location matters mainly because the employers are concentrated around the major shipyards and design offices.
The median salary rose by $23,600 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 naval architect
The largest typical pay rise is $24,100 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer+$24,100/yr
- Civil Engineer+$3,500/yr
- Structural Engineer+$3,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher naval architect salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time naval architect salary is $111,800; 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 naval architect 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."
Naval Architect salary questions
How much do naval architects earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a naval architect is $111,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is naval architect pay rising or falling?
The median naval architect salary is up $23,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than naval architect?
Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $24,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to naval architect.
Related salaries
- Civil Engineer salary
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Marine Engineer salary
- Structural Engineer salary
- Mechatronics Engineer salary
- Transport Engineer 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.