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Telecommunications Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a telecommunications engineer is $145,400 per annum, before tax, up $30,200 since 2018.
- Pay varies with the sector, so a carrier, an equipment vendor, a consultancy and a government agency will each set their own bands and enterprise agreements.
- On-call rosters, shift cover for maintenance windows and remote project allowances add to base earnings, and senior design or management roles sit higher again.
- Registration matters in some places too: Queensland and New South Wales run schemes covering engineers, and employers may pay more for registered or chartered staff.
The median salary rose by $30,200 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 telecommunications engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $37,600 a year, moving into Engineering Manager.
- Engineering Manager+$37,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher telecommunications engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time telecommunications engineer salary is $145,400; 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 telecommunications engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Engineering Manager pays a typical $37,600 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."
Telecommunications Engineer salary questions
How much do telecommunications engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a telecommunications engineer is $145,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is telecommunications engineer pay rising or falling?
The median telecommunications engineer salary is up $30,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than telecommunications engineer?
Engineering Manager pays a typical $37,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to telecommunications engineer.
Related salaries
- Network Engineer salary
- Engineering Manager salary
- Electrical Engineer salary
- Mechatronics Engineer salary
- Telecommunications Technician salary
- Telecommunications Technologist 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.