Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: Pay, Scope & More 2025

Written by

Amitaanshu Midha

Fact check by

Shreya Pandey

Updated on

Aug 25,2025

Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: Complete Compensation Guide - TerraTern

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Are you curious about how a career in mechanical engineering could transform your future earning potential? The terrain of mechanical engineer salary Australia in 2025 is brighter than ever before, as it is rife with strong demand, diversification in the industry and pressure towards a higher salary in key areas. The current trend of moving towards mining, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure upgrading is providing a consistent number of opportunities to new as well as experienced engineers in Australia.

The skills shortage in the profession is increasing competition over talent and is translated to direct, real wage gains in an environment where wages have stagnated. The mechanical engineer is able to earn premium rates and pay by ensuring the correct sector or region is targeted. To begin with, we will look at five pieces of information that reveal the position and pace of mechanical engineer salary Australia.

 

What is the Average Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia in 2025? Complete Breakdown

Australian map; Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: TerraTern

Information on the average mechanical engineer salary Australia can allow you to compare your own compensation. Industry data has come up with the following data based on top job boards across Australia (SEEK, Indeed, Payscale):

  • Base National Salary Range: Most mechanical engineers earn between $80,000 and $110,000 per year.

  • Median Salary: Hanging around at $85,499, which is not that telling because it masks a lot of variance in actual salaries by discipline, geography and qualifications.

  • Sources Claiming Higher Averages Exist: There are other reports that the average salary of a mechanical engineer in Australia is between 105,000 and 116,711; preferably when one has five or more years of experience and/or possesses a few specialised skills.

Total Compensation Breakdown

Mechanical engineer salary Australia encompasses far more than base pay—consider these common components:

Compensation Component

Typical Value (AUD/Yr)

Notes

Base Salary

$80,000 – $110,000

Median: $85,499; higher in resources, design, and leadership roles

Performance Bonuses

$1,518 – $22,930

Project-based payouts for results, safety, efficiency, or cost savings

Superannuation/Benefits

10.5% of base (minimum)

Legal requirement plus extras like health, insurance, leave, relocation

Overtime/Project Uplift

Up to $15,000+

FIFO and large project engineers can significantly boost total earnings

Allowances

Varies (often $5,000–$20,000)

Remote, on-call, or mining-specific bonuses

Also Read: Best Cities & Countries For Graphic Designers

Junior Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: Entry-Level Opportunities in 2025

Getting started? This is the first stepping stone to your junior mechanical engineer salary Australia segment. This is what nurtures the expectations of the managers entering the market:

  • Starting Salaries: Generally range from $65,000 to $75,000 annually for new grads and those with less than two years’ experience.

  • National Average for Juniors: The current figure is $66,435, with technology-driven industries or big-city roles offering slightly higher pay.

  • City Hotspots: In Melbourne, a junior mechanical engineer salary Australia can reach up to $75,601, and similar trends are observed in Sydney and Brisbane.

Graduate Engineer Starting Packages

For graduates and junior engineers, knowing the progression timeline is key—let’s break down what you can expect every year as you chase a higher junior mechanical engineer salary Australia.

Experience Level

Salary Range (AUD/Yr)

Career Milestones

Graduate/0 yrs

$65,000 – $70,000

Onboarding, broad project exposure, and early learning

1 Year Experience

$70,000 – $75,000

Start specialising, deliver on projects

2 Years Experience

$75,000 – $80,000

Up for promotion, mentor new grads, expand skills

 

Entry-Level Career Progression Timeline

The trajectory of wage development of a junior mechanical engineer salary Australia is interesting, dynamic and accompanied by a constant growth rate and a good support structure within most of the major organisations.

  • Year 1: Emphasis on technical expertise, induction into organisational culture and gaining safety qualifications.

  • Year 2: Start interacting with multi-disciplinary teams, have access to mentorship and work on future areas of expertise.

  • Post-Year 2: Salary increments become rudimentary, and top performers tend to cross over into site engineer, project coordinator, or roles specific to industries- of course, down the road to lifetime increases and advancements.

Mechanical Design Engineer Australia Salary: Specialised Roles for Indians in 2025

images on a desktop; Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: TerraTern

Interested in specialisation? Devoting your career to design can be very profitable- here is what you should know about the Mechanical Design Engineer Australia salary:

  • Median Pay: $81,161 a year for an engineer who focuses on design.

  • Base Level Design Positions: Base pay is a good USD 62,158, and one can advance super quickly as he/she demonstrate prowess.

  • Experience Experts: Experienced professionals in the field of mechanical design can make much more than $105,000 a year, particularly once they advance to project management or administration.

  • The Salary Range (all levels): Starting at the basic salary of 53,100 dollars and rising to 175,000 dollars at principal levels.

Design Engineering Specialisations

Engineers who combine design skills with real-world project experience attract the highest mechanical design engineer Australia salary offers.

Specialization Area

Typical Uplift

Why It Matter for Salary?

Advanced CAD/Simulation

+15%

Precision and complex modelling drive value

Industry-Specific Roles

+10–20%

Automotive, aerospace & medical device design pay a premium

Project Management

+10–25%

Coordination and leadership are highly rewarded

Also Read: Apply for a Working Visa in Australia: Types, Benefits, Process

 

Salary by Experience Level: Career Progression Guide

A year of practice brings new skills, new responsibilities, and a simultaneous increment in your mechanical engineer salary Australia. Your path as a mechanical engineer is as well charted by experience as by knowledge. This is how the mechanical engineer salary Australia will increase with each step:

Entry-Level (0-2 years): $65,000-$80,000

Dwelling on practical education, assistance, and quick acquisition of both technical and soft competencies. Communication skills and flexibility are the main qualities that can be highly understood at this product level, as they determine the rate and frequency of growth and remuneration.

Mid-Career (3-5 years): $85,000-$120,000

As the engineers move into their middle career, they tend to specialise in a particular field, such as design, automation, mining or manufacturing. At this point, the pay will generally be higher than the average salary of a mechanical engineer in Australia and project, site, or junior supervisory jobs will be available.

Senior Level (6+ years): $120,000-$155,000

Senior engineers usually supervise projects, assist companies in adopting new technologies and in many cases, manage groups. These jobs carry with them more bonus potential, particularly on high-dollar or critical path work.

Principal Engineer (10+ years): $150,000-$200,000+

Established, very senior executives or domain experts with big project or team involvement can command well in excess of 200 thousand dollars, particularly in fields such as mining or consulting. Other incentives which can be used include profit-sharing, patent bonus, or company equity.

Regional Salary Variations: Where Mechanical Engineers Earn Most in Australia in 2025

Salary offers vary widely across Australia, making location one of the most influential factors in your mechanical engineer salary Australia package. Pinpointing the top-earning regions is essential for maximising your mechanical engineer salary Australia.

Top-Paying Cities for Mechanical Engineers

In mining-intensive areas, FIFO (fly-in fly-out) jobs also offer lucrative uplifts, location allowances, and benefits on top of base mechanical engineer salary Australia.

City/Region

Average Salary (AUD/Yr)

Industry Strength

Brisbane, QLD

$221,703

Mining, major infrastructure

Kalgoorlie, WA

$210,236

Resource sector hub (FIFO)

Sydney, NSW

$146,426

Large corporate & consulting markets

Melbourne, VIC

$120,000+

Manufacturing, automotive, R&D

 

Industry Hotspots by Location

The starting salary level will be greatly augmented in the annual mechanical engineer salary Australia pay packet in the case of engineers willing to move to resource and infrastructure centres.

  • Western Australia: In terms of the average salary of a mechanical engineer in Australia, their salaries are consistently on top due to mining and resource investments.

  • Queensland: Has good pay along with different industry prospects (consulting, energy).

  • New South Wales: Investment in superior remuneration in established companies and in project-based jobs.

  • Victoria: Great rewards to engineers in production, high-level design and automation.

Also Read: Top 10 Benefits of Australian PR Visa: Latest Guide

Mechanical Engineer Industry-Specific Salary Benchmarks for Indians in 2025

smoke arising from the factory chimneys; Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia:  TerraTern

Which industry offers the best returns on your engineering expertise? Here’s a breakdown of mechanical engineer salary Australia benchmarks by sector:

Mining & Resources: $138,479 Average

This is the sector that has always maintained the best average mechanical engineer salary in Australia because of the challenging working conditions, remote work and bonus packages.

Government & Defence: $116, 692 Average

Known for stability, benefits, and public pension schemes, these roles are ideal for those seeking secure, long-term employment and a clear path to senior engineering positions.

Engineering consulting: $112,494 Average

Diverse work assignments and the opportunity to work with a very wide range of clients allow project-based jobs to pay a higher average fee, and to be more fluid in regard to bonuses, compared to office-based job designations.

Manufacturing & Automotive: 

Industrial sectors that have been using next-gen technology (automation, robotics, AI) are increasing their compensation, especially to the engineers who can integrate past technology with the present solutions.

Latest Salary Negotiation Strategies for Mechanical Engineers in Australia 2025

A strategic, data-backed negotiation stance is a game-changer for rising above the average mechanical engineer salary Australia.

Market Research and Benchmarking

Prepare by gathering the appropriate information and strategies to get the most out of every pay negotiation.

  • Search the most up-to-date salaries regularly on reputable websites (Seek, Indeed, Payscale) to ensure you are aware of the current mechanical engineer salary Australia brackets.

  • Use the networks of experts and professional interest groups-- actual offers and peer reviews are the golden nuggets in negotiations.

  • Consult recruitment specialists in your field or city-They will have full, up-to-date information on what packages are hottest.

Skill Premiums and Certifications

Pursuing these pay boosters ensures your mechanical engineer salary Australia always stays above market averages.

Skill/Certification

Uplift Over Base Salary

Demand Driver

Advanced CAD/FEA

+10–15%

Needed for modern, complex design work

Chartered PE status

+25%

Professional recognition, seniority

Project Management (PMP, etc.)

+10–20%

Essential for leadership/project roles

Automation/Robotics

+10–18%

High in renewables, manufacturing

What are the Career Growth and Salary Optimisation Tips for Mechanical Engineers in Australia 2025?

Person taking out money from wallet; Mechanical Engineer Salary Australia: TerraTern

Projecting a mechanical engineer salary in Australia of over 150,000 a year is not impossible, though you will need the right strategies and skills to persevere through your career.

High-Demand Skills for Salary Growth

Engineers who take the initiative to upskill, change positions to high-value roles and seek leadership opportunities earn the highest echelon of mechanical engineer salary Australia.

  • Expertise in complex CAD, simulation and finite element analysis (FEA)

  • Project Management qualifications (PMP, Agile, Six Sigma)

  • Knowledge in the field of renewable energy systems (solar, wind, hydrogen)

  • Automation, robotics, and industrial IoT expertise- these are capabilities that are in demand across manufacturing and resource industries

Strategic Career Moves in Australia

Making the right strategic career moves can significantly boost your mechanical engineer salary Australia and open doors to exciting new roles.

  • Follow industry developments and be ready to change companies or locations when your current one can offer you a significant raise in the average salary of a mechanical engineer in Australia.

  • Take guidance or official leadership training to the highest pay bands

  • Taking a management or R&D position, leadership at a site, or working between two disciplines is an extra bonus, plus the benefits

Also Read: How to Go to Australia from India for a Job? Experts Guide

Future Outlook: Mechanical Engineer Salary Trends 2025-2030

What does the future hold for Australian mechanical engineers? Long-term projections point to continued upward pressure on both base and total pay.

Technology Impact on Salaries

Making calculated career decisions can strongly influence your mechanical engineer salary Australia and professional growth. 

  • Digital Transformation: The trend toward digital twins, AI-based design, and completely automated factories is ensuring that engineers specialising in digital twin solutions are in greater demand than ever before.

  • Green Technology: The growth of green technology through investments in green energy, water purification, and net-zero industrial processes will further drive the mechanical engineer salary Australia of those with appropriate skills.

  • Globally Competitive Skills Demand: With ongoing skills scarcity in mechanical, civil, and automation engineering fields, salary bands are far outstripping inflation on many engineering subsets.

Market Demand Projections

Technology is a major force shaping the outlook for mechanical engineer salary Australia.

  • Engineering graduates are in a good position with massive government investment in infrastructure and the manufacturing rebirth stemming from the pandemic.

  • Amalgamation of mining, energy, manufacturing, and technology will continue to drive mechanical engineer salary Australia to new heights in the coming five years.

Latest Facts & News About Mechanical Engineer Salaries in Australia

Here are the latest mechanical engineer salary in Australia:

  • Highest Paying Industries: Mining and resources have the highest average wage-bill of $138,479 per annum paid to mechanical engineers

  • Increasing Employment Levels: Within numerous sectors, Mechanical engineers will have increased employment at a rate of 0.2% between now and 2017, with 22,900 of them already working.

  • Regional Pay Benefits: Mining regions such as Kalgoorlie offer a much higher pay rate of $210,236 in comparison with major cities

  • Government Jobs Competitiveness: Government and defence jobs are competitively paid with cream packages of an average of AUD 116,692 in a year

  • Technology Integration Boost: The rising use of renewable energy sources and automation will continue to rely on the use of specialised mechanical engineers

Also Read: Top 10 Cheapest Cities in Australia: Experts' List

 

Conclusion

Australia is a fertile land to maximise your mechanical engineer salary Australia with a national average of well above 80 thousand and all the way up to 210 thousand with serious project activity. Each phase of your career development has its own opportunities, starting with entry-level packages, through senior and principal remuneration.

Use certification, relocating, or changing industries to capitalise on the average salary of a mechanical engineer in Australia that best suits your aspirations. It is the moment to choose your direction towards a future of high growth and reward. For official mechanical engineering salary and occupation statistics, visit the Australian Government Job Outlook website. To know more about mechanical engineer salary in Australia visit TerraTern now!

 

"Unlocking Top Mechanical Engineer Salaries in Australia: Trends, Insights, and Strategies for 2025"

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary of mechanical engineer in Australia in 2025?

The average salary of mechanical engineer in Australia is typically between $85,499 and $105,000 each year, depending on experience and location. Roles in mining regions or high-demand sectors usually exceed national averages, while graduate positions may start on the lower end. Engineers with advanced skills or certifications can negotiate into the upper salary tiers.

How much do junior mechanical engineers earn in Australia?

A junior mechanical engineer salary Australia is usually between $65,000 and $75,000, with a national mean of $66,435, offering a strong start for new graduates. Those working in major cities or critical industries may see faster salary progression. Entry-level training programs and performance bonuses are also common for junior hires.

Which industries pay mechanical engineers the highest salaries?

Currently, mining and resources lead for mechanical engineer salary Australia ($138,479 average), with strong numbers from government/defence ($116,692) and consulting ($112,494). Industries like advanced manufacturing and infrastructure are also elevating compensation with growing investment. Specialized engineers in these sectors often receive bonuses, site allowances, and extra benefits.

What factors influence mechanical engineer salaries in Australia?

Critical elements impacting mechanical engineer salary Australia include experience level, level of specialization, region, industry sector, and the acquisition of in-demand technical or leadership skills. Relocating to resource hotspots or gaining project management certifications can significantly boost pay. The size and profile of the hiring company also affect the total salary package.

Are mechanical engineers in high demand in Australia?

Yes! Skills shortages and sustained industry growth—especially in mining, manufacturing, and renewables—keep the mechanical engineer salary Australia market very competitive and future-focused. Engineers with niche expertise or experience with modern technologies are particularly sought after. Continued demand means strong job security and frequent opportunities for advancement.

How much can a senior mechanical engineer expect to earn in Australia?

Senior engineers typically earn between $120,000 and $155,000 per year, with those in principal or managerial roles exceeding $200,000 depending on industry and location. Additional benefits may include bonuses, profit sharing, or relocation allowances, especially in resources or consulting.

What cities offer the highest mechanical engineer salaries in Australia?

Resource-focused cities like Kalgoorlie (WA) and Brisbane (QLD) consistently offer the highest packages, often above $200,000 for specialized roles. Major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne also provide premium pay, especially in manufacturing, infrastructure, and design sectors.

Does having a professional engineering (PE) registration impact salary?

Yes, engineers with Chartered status or professional registration can earn 10-25% more than their peers. This credential is often required for senior positions or government projects and can significantly boost both base pay and promotion prospects.

Are mechanical engineers eligible for bonuses or overtime pay?

Absolutely—many engineers receive performance-based bonuses, on-call allowances, and overtime pay, particularly in project-based or FIFO (fly-in fly-out) roles. These extras can add $5,000 to $20,000 or more annually to the overall compensation package.

What trends are shaping career opportunities for mechanical engineers in Australia?

Technological transformation, growth in renewable energy, and substantial government infrastructure investment are driving new positions and higher salaries. Keeping up with automation, digital skills, and sustainability projects will position mechanical engineers for long-term success and maximum earning potential.