Electronics Engineer Salary Australia
APS and Defence science pay, JSA labour-market medians, embedded systems and communications careers, experience bands, electronics vs electrical distinction, qualifications and progression.
Last updated: 26 September 2026 · ANZSCO 233411
Typical APS professional band
$77,865 – $118,780
Senior APS / EL band
$120,750 – $143,200
APS employer super
15.4%
Employed nationally (JSA)
6,300
Figures are base salary bands unless labelled otherwise. See methodology.
Salary snapshot
| Measure | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Federal APS base (illustrative) | Many professional engineers sit APS 4–EL 2 ($77,865 – $182,500) before allowances. |
| Broader labour-market indicator | Electronics Engineers (ANZSCO unit group 2334 — includes 233411 professional electronics engineers): $2,762/week full-time median (~$143,624/year) — not a Electronics Engineer–only median. |
| Private SG reference | 12% Super Guarantee on ordinary time earnings for most private employers (2025-26). |
Salary methodology
APS salaries from APSC Remuneration Report 2025 in src/data/federal/aps-levels.ts; 15.4% employer super for APS.
Super Guarantee 12% for most private employers in 2025–26.
Employment and earnings from JSA Electronics Engineers (2334): 6,300 employed, $2,762 median weekly, $74 median hourly (ABS May 2025).
ANZSCO 233411 cited as the six-digit Electronics Engineer occupation; published earnings profile is at 2334 unit group level.
Australian labour-market context
Jobs and Skills Australia reports about 6,300 people employed as Electronics Engineers at the ANZSCO 2334 unit group level (ABS Labour Force Survey trend, February 2026). Median full-time weekly earnings are $2,762 and median hourly earnings $74 (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025). Electronics engineering is distinct from Electrical Engineers (2333), who focus on power generation and distribution — do not merge the two medians without labelling.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Electronics Engineer (ANZSCO 233411)
Electronics Engineer salary in the Australian Government
There is no single universal federal electronics engineer salary. Commonwealth employers pay by classification (APS or agency technical stream), enterprise agreement and role. Engineers appear across Defence, infrastructure and transport portfolios, research agencies and regulatory bodies — each with different allowance structures.
Base pay follows the advertised classification. APS employees receive 15.4% employer superannuation. Locality, shift, field and clearance-related allowances can change total cash without changing the headline APS level.
Return to the Federal Engineering Hub for the full agency directory. If the vacancy is classified APS 6, read the APS 6 salary guide for pay points and take-home context.
APS classifications (government engineering context)
These are national APS base salary bands (2025–26). They do not automatically apply to every engineer — your offer states the classification. Cross-check APS 6 and EL 1 when those levels appear on the ad.
| Level | Base salary | Super (15.4%) | Base + super | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APS 4 | $77,865 – $86,500 | $11,991+ (on min) | $89,856+ (on min base) | APSC 2025–26 |
| APS 5 | $88,085 – $97,400 | $13,565+ (on min) | $101,650+ (on min base) | APSC 2025–26 |
| APS 6 | $100,190 – $118,780 | $15,429+ (on min) | $115,619+ (on min base) | APSC 2025–26 |
| EL 1 | $120,750 – $143,200 | $18,596+ (on min) | $139,346+ (on min base) | APSC 2025–26 |
| EL 2 | $150,800 – $182,500 | $23,223+ (on min) | $174,023+ (on min base) | APSC 2025–26 |
Salary calculator (base + super + take-home)
Annual base (mid)
$109,485
Employer super (15.4%)
$16,861
Fortnightly take-home
$3,187
Salary by experience
| Stage | Experience | Federal context | Private market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate / entry | 0–2 years | APS graduates often enter APS 3–APS 5 (77,865–97,400 base, 2025–26). | Hardware startups and defence contractors may pay premiums for FPGA and RF skills — employer-specific. |
| Early career | 3–5 years | Professional engineers commonly sit at APS 5–APS 6 (88,085–118,780). | — |
| Mid-career | 6–10 years | Specialists may align with APS 6 or EL 1 (100,190–143,200). | — |
| Senior / principal | 10+ years | Principal engineers and technical leads may map to EL 1–EL 2 (120,750–182,500). | — |
Graduate Electronics Engineer salary
Electronics engineering graduates hold a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics), Electrical/Electronic combined degree, or equivalent accredited program. Software-heavy roles may also recruit computer engineering graduates — read each APS vacancy carefully.
APS graduates typically start APS 3–APS 5. Defence science streams may require citizenship and baseline clearance before accessing certain labs.
Private-sector hardware roles often emphasise portfolio projects (PCB design, embedded C/C++) in addition to degree classification.
Senior Electronics Engineer salary
Senior Electronics Engineer and Principal Engineer titles appear in defence industry and consultancies; APS equivalents are often EL 1–EL 2 for team leads with technical depth.
Export-controlled technology and ITAR-style constraints affect which projects Australian engineers can work on — not a salary figure, but a hiring filter.
Compare total reward: APS 15.4% super vs 12% Super Guarantee for most private employers in 2025–26.
Employment by state and territory
Shares are from JSA employment distribution. They show where jobs are located — not salary levels in each state.
| State | Employment share | Major industries | Federal opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 32.4% | Telecom, defence industry, consulting | Defence, DSTG, Airservices |
| VIC | 22.0% | Manufacturing, R&D | DSTG, CSIRO |
| QLD | 15.0% | Defence supply chain, mining tech | Defence bases |
| WA | 18.1% | Resources automation, remote comms | Defence, BOM |
| SA | 5.8% | Defence electronics | Defence capability |
| TAS | 1.8% | Smaller market | CSIRO, BOM |
| ACT | 3.1% | Public administration | Defence HQ, policy and science agencies |
| NT | 1.8% | Remote systems | Defence |
Industries employing Electronics Engineers
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Information media and telecommunications
- Defence and aerospace
- Mining and resources automation
- Public administration
Electronics engineer vs electrical engineer — pay data and career paths
Electrical engineers (2333) design power systems, distribution and large-scale utilisation. Electronics engineers (2334) focus on circuits, embedded systems and communications hardware. JSA publishes separate median earnings: $2,553 per week for Electrical Engineers and $2,762 for Electronics Engineers (ABS May 2025) — compare like with like.
Job ads that blur the two occupations make salary research noisy. APS classifications may list “engineer” generically — check whether the role needs power engineering or hardware/firmware skills.
Career moves between the fields are possible with upskilling, but labour-market statistics and this salary guide treat them as distinct.
Defence, space and sovereign capability
Australian electronics engineering demand is sustained by defence platforms, satellite and communications programs, and sovereign manufacturing policy. Federal science agencies hire electronics engineers for prototypes that never appear in generic salary surveys.
Clearance, export control and specialist tooling constrain the candidate pool — employers may pay above APS base for scarce skills, but those deals are individual, not national medians.
When comparing a DSTG EL role with a hardware startup offer, include super, leave, IP ownership and project continuity — not headline base alone.
Electronics vs electrical engineers — JSA medians (May 2025)
| Measure | Electronics (2334) | Electrical (2333) |
|---|---|---|
| Employed (LFS trend) | ~6,300 | ~33,100 |
| Median weekly earnings (full-time) | $2,762 | $2,553 |
| Median hourly earnings | $74 | $67 |
| Typical focus | Circuits, embedded, comms | Power, distribution, utilisation |
What does a Electronics Engineer do?
Electronics engineers design, develop, test and maintain electronic components, circuits and systems — including embedded software, communications hardware, control systems and signal processing for industrial, transport and defence applications.
In the Australian Government, electronics engineers support DSTG research, Defence capability electronics, Airservices and aviation systems, CSIRO instrumentation, Bureau of Meteorology sensors, and regulated communications infrastructure.
Tasks match JSA’s description: circuit and system design, test apparatus, installation supervision, performance standards, and communications bearer design across wired, fibre and wireless media.
Electronics Engineering specialisations
Embedded systems
Firmware and hardware co-design.
Defence electronics
EW, sensors and platform avionics interfaces.
IoT & control
Industrial automation interfaces.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) or equivalent Washington Accord–recognised degree.
- Engineers Australia accreditation; CPEng optional unless employer or registration rules require it.
- Some roles expect postgraduate study in communications or signal processing for research positions.
Skills
Technical
- Analog and digital circuit design
- Embedded software and firmware
- PCB layout and EMC awareness
- RF and communications systems
- Test automation and lab equipment
- FPGA and microcontroller platforms
- Systems engineering interfaces
Professional
- Technical documentation and design review
- Configuration management
- Safety and assurance for electronic systems
- Cross-disciplinary coordination with software and mechanical teams
- Vendor and supply chain management for components
Career progression
Private sector (illustrative)
- Graduate Electronics Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Senior Electronics Engineer
- Principal Engineer
- Engineering Manager / Chief Engineer
Australian Government (illustrative)
- Graduate APS engineer
- APS 5–6 professional engineer
- EL 1 specialist
- EL 2 principal or section lead
Defence engineering
DSTG is a major federal employer of electronics engineers for radar, electronic warfare research, communications and test equipment. Pay may follow APS classifications with science allowances.
ADF technical officers in communications and electronics trades use military pay — separate from civilian APS electronics engineers.
Do not quote ADF pay as APS electronics engineer salary.
Engineer vs technician
Electronics Engineers (ANZSCO 233411) are degree-qualified professionals. Telecommunications Technical Officers, ICT support staff and electrician trades are separate occupations with different pay profiles.
Federal agency pay bands (illustrative)
Recheck current vacancies before applying — classifications change per ad.
| Agency | Indicative range | Roles | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defence Science and Technology Group | $88,085 – $182,500 | Electronics research, sensors, test systems | Clearance common; science pay may apply. |
| Department of Defence (civilian APS) | $88,085 – $143,200 | Capability electronics, systems integration support | Classification on vacancy. |
| CSIRO | $77,865 – $143,200 | Instrumentation, communications research | CSIRO EA. |
| Bureau of Meteorology | $77,865 – $118,780 | Sensor electronics, field systems | Operational sites. |
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Electronics Engineer (ANZSCO 233411)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (via JSA broader-group earnings)
- APSC Remuneration Report 2025 — APS classifications
- ATO Super Guarantee rates
- Agency careers pages linked in the agency table
Data checked: 26 September 2026
FAQs
How much does an Electronics Engineer earn in Australia?
JSA reports a $2,762 median weekly full-time earnings figure for the Electronics Engineers unit group (2334, ABS May 2025). APS engineers are paid by classification — often APS 4–EL 2 base plus 15.4% super. Individual offers vary.
What is the average Electronics Engineer salary in Australia?
Use the JSA 2334 median ($2,762/week full-time, May 2025) as the published labour-market benchmark, not a rule for every employer. APS pay follows advertised classifications.
How much does a graduate Electronics Engineer earn?
APS graduates often start APS 3–APS 5 ($67,875–$97,400 base in 2025–26). Defence and tech employers may offer different packages.
How much does a senior Electronics Engineer earn?
Senior roles may align with EL 1–EL 2 in government ($120,750–$182,500 base in 2025–26) or higher cash in defence industry when bonuses apply.
How much do electronics engineers earn in the Australian Government?
Pay follows the vacancy classification plus 15.4% super — common bands APS 5–EL 2 for professional engineers in science and Defence portfolios.
What APS level is an Electronics Engineer?
Graduates APS 3–5; experienced professionals APS 6; leads EL 1–EL 2. DSTG may use parallel technical classifications.
How much do Defence electronics engineers earn?
Civilian DSTG and Defence APS roles use classifications on the ad. ADF technical officers use military pay — separate system.
What is the difference between Electronics and Electrical Engineers?
Electronics (2334) focuses on circuits, embedded systems and communications. Electrical (2333) focuses on power systems. JSA medians differ — see comparison table on this page.
What degree do I need to become an Electronics Engineer?
A four-year accredited Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) or equivalent is standard.
Do Electronics Engineers need CPEng?
Not for every role. Research and consulting employers may prefer it; many hardware roles prioritise demonstrated design experience.
Which industries employ Electronics Engineers?
JSA highlights manufacturing, professional services and telecommunications.
Which states employ the most Electronics Engineers?
JSA includes NSW (32.4%), Victoria (22.0%), WA (18.1%) and Queensland (15.0%).
How does Electronics Engineer salary change with experience?
APS progression uses classifications; private-sector hardware roles may jump with niche skills (RF, FPGA, security-cleared work).
Do government Electronics Engineers receive superannuation?
Yes — 15.4% employer super for APS employees.
Is Electronics Engineering a good career in Australia?
About 6,300 employed Electronics Engineers per JSA, with medians above the all-occupations average. Demand is linked to defence, telecom and advanced manufacturing.