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Software Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a software engineer is $131,900 per annum, before tax, up $27,900 since 2018.
- Who you work for moves this figure a long way, since a product company, a bank and a government agency each apply their own bands to similar work, and contract day rates work differently from a permanent salary.
- Before you compare two offers, ask how on-call is compensated, whether the package includes super and bonus, and whether the number quoted is base or total package.
The median salary rose by $27,900 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 software engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $40,200 a year, moving into IT Project Manager.
- IT Project Manager+$40,200/yr
- Business Analyst+$8,300/yr
- Solutions Architect+$5,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher software engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time software engineer salary is $131,900; 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 Programming and software development and Software testing and QA tend to command a premium over general software engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. IT Project Manager pays a typical $40,200 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."
Software Engineer salary questions
How much do software engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a software engineer is $131,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is software engineer pay rising or falling?
The median software engineer salary is up $27,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than software engineer?
IT Project Manager pays a typical $40,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to software engineer.
Related salaries
- Back End Developer salary
- Full Stack Developer salary
- Business Analyst salary
- IT Project Manager salary
- Solutions Architect salary
- QA Tester 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.