How Much Does a Civil Engineer Earn in Australia?

Date: 10 Aug 2022

Civil engineers have a fantastic responsibility. They get to design structures that people use every day. Civil engineers design important structures like airports, highways, and bridges. As you can imagine, designing these structures takes deep expertise.

Civil engineers are paid well for their expertise. So, how much does a civil engineer earn in Australia? The answer depends on the engineer’s experience. It also depends on where the job is located. Engineers should also think about whether they want to work for the government or a private company.

You can find out exactly how much civil engineers make in the article below. Continue reading to learn more about the average salary for a civil engineer career in Australia.

Civil Engineer Pay Depends on Experience Levels

You can find out exactly how much civil engineers make in the article below. Continue reading to learn more about the average salary for a civil engineer career in Australia.

Civil Engineer Pay Depends on Experience Levels

If you look at the average pay for civil engineers across all experience levels, it comes out to $85,971 per year. People who have been working civil engineer jobs for 5+ years can expect to make over six figures.

The high-end range of civil engineer salary in Australia ranges from $120,000 per year to $160,000 per year. Civil engineers who have little to no experience can expect to make between $65,000 to $73,000 per year.

For a deeper look at what is required to be a civil engineer in Australia and the salary that you might earn, check out this helpful video below covering the topic.

Civil Engineers Make Different Salaries in Different Cities

If you’re willing to relocate for work, you can find higher salaries in different parts of Australia. For example, the average salary for a civil engineer on the Gold Coast is $129,000 per year.

Civil engineers in Sydney and Melbourne generally make about the same amount every year. The average salary for civil engineers in both Sydney and Melbourne sits at around $114,000 per year. Large cities like Sydney and Melbourne generally have lots of civil engineering jobs because they’re growing quickly.

Civil Engineers Can Work in Either the Public or Private Sector

One of the benefits of the civil engineer career path is that you can choose between working for the government or working for a private company.

Salaries vary greatly across both private and public sector jobs, but there are examples of civil engineers making high-end salaries in the public sector. For example, a civil engineer average pay in Australia at the University of Sydney is over $200,000.

There is High Demand for Civil Engineers in Australia

Some of Australia’s largest cities like Sydney and Melbourne have a high demand for civil engineering jobs.

In Sydney alone, there are around 500 civil engineering jobs posted on job listing sites right now. The number of civil engineering jobs in Melbourne has nearly 300 open civil engineer job postings.