Engineering goes north

Field Engineering in the Northern Territory is the fourth highest paying job in the country ($139,000). Dale Young, Executive Consultant, Engineering and Operations at Six Degrees, says these roles often require on-site work at remote locations and this may explain the higher salary. “Field engineers want work-life balance, just like most other people, however their role often requires travelling to multiple sites or to those in remote or rural locations,” he says. “Higher salaries are often used as an incentive or to compensate for the travel. The Northern Territory has many remote sites, so I’m not surprised that Field Engineers in this location are seeing salaries at the higher level.”

Water & Waste Engineering roles in Northern Territory came in at fifth place ($138,333). “These roles typically target infrastructure projects in the area of waste management,” says Young. “While employers are willing to offer more to entice talent to remote areas, it should also be noted that cities like Darwin are growing and the territory’s mining and resources industry is also looking up. New infrastructure is required to support both of these growth factors.”

Salary trends across the country

In good news for job seekers across the country, salaries increased in every state and territory, however, some showed greater movement than others.

Tasmania led the way for growth with a rise of 3.8%. Despite this, the average advertised salary in the Apple Isle was the lowest in the country at $74,103 and Nielsen notes that growth may be coming off a relatively low base. “The market in Tasmania is quite small, so even small rises in salaries will make an impact across the board,” he says.

The ACT recorded the lowest growth at 0.6% but the highest average advertised salary of $86,230. Nielsen says this may be due to the high proportion of public sector workers, who in many cases earn more than those in the private sector.

South Australia saw a 3.7% lift ($78,538), Queensland rose by 2.9% ($80,923) and salaries in the Northern Territory were up by 2.7% ($83,043). In Western Australia, pay packets grew by 3.4% ($85,481). “Mining is making a comeback in the state,” says Young. “This may account for a lift in salaries.”

Meanwhile, the largest employment markets of Victoria and New South Wales experienced a 2.7% ($83,185) and 2.5% ($85,532) lift respectively.

Where you live and what roles are in demand may influence how much you earn, but salary growth across Australia may be a promising sign, no matter where you are.

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