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Marine Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a marine engineer is $111,800 per annum, before tax, up $23,400 since 2018.
What you earn depends more on the sector and the certificate you hold than on the city you work in. Seagoing officer roles carry sea rotations and allowances that shore-based design offices do not, and offshore oil and gas and defence projects tend to pay above commercial shipping. Class 3, Class 2 and Class 1 certificates from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority each open up different roles and rates, and chartered status with Engineers Australia matters more for consultancy work on land.
Roles that pay more than marine engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $24,100 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer+$24,100/yr
- Marine Surveyor+$2,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher marine engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time marine engineer salary is $111,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Marine 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 Engineering design and analysis and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general marine engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $24,100 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."
Marine Engineer salary questions
How much do marine engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a marine engineer is $111,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is marine engineer pay rising or falling?
The median marine engineer salary is up $23,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than marine engineer?
Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $24,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to marine engineer.