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Production Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a production engineer is $108,200 per annum, before tax, up $22,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- The agreement covering your site moves pay more than anything else, so a mine or a heavy processing plant on a union enterprise agreement sits differently from a small manufacturer on individual contracts.
- Shift rosters, overtime and production bonuses add to the base in many operations, while seniority shows up in whether you are managing a line or supporting one.
The median salary rose by $22,500 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 production engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $74,800 a year, moving into Engineering Manager.
- Engineering Manager+$74,800/yr
- Chemical Engineer+$39,900/yr
- Mechanical Engineer+$27,700/yr
How to negotiate a higher production engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time production engineer salary is $108,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Production 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 Process improvement and Operations management tend to command a premium over general production engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Engineering Manager pays a typical $74,800 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."
Production Engineer salary questions
How much do production engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a production engineer is $108,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is production engineer pay rising or falling?
The median production engineer salary is up $22,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than production engineer?
Engineering Manager pays a typical $74,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to production engineer.
Related salaries
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Industrial Engineer salary
- Production Manager salary
- Engineering Manager salary
- Chemical Engineer salary
- Maintenance Planner 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.