Structural Engineer Salary Australia
APS and federal infrastructure pay, JSA labour-market context, consulting and construction careers, experience bands, structural vs civil distinction, qualifications and progression.
Last updated: 26 September 2026 · ANZSCO 233214
Typical APS professional band
$77,865 – $118,780
Senior APS / EL band
$120,750 – $143,200
APS employer super
15.4%
Employed nationally (JSA)
9,000
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 | Civil Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO 2332 — includes structural, civil, geotechnical and transport engineers; not Structural Engineer 233214 only): $2,217/week full-time median (~$115,284/year) — not a Structural Engineer–only median. |
| Private SG reference | 12% Super Guarantee on ordinary time earnings for most private employers (2025-26). |
Salary methodology
APS figures from APSC Remuneration Report 2025 in src/data/federal/aps-levels.ts; 15.4% employer super for APS employees.
Super Guarantee 12% for most private employers in 2025–26 (src/data/rates/ato-super-guarantee.ts).
Employment and state shares from JSA ANZSCO 233214; broader-group medians from Civil Engineering Professionals (2332), ABS May 2025.
JSA ANZSCO pages are no longer updated — verify against current JSA releases.
Australian labour-market context
Jobs and Skills Australia lists Structural Engineers under ANZSCO 233214 with about 9,000 people employed nationally (2021 Census). JSA does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for the six-digit Structural Engineer occupation. The parent Civil Engineering Professionals group (2332) reports $2,217 per week and $59 per hour median full-time earnings (ABS May 2025) — that wider group must not be quoted as a Structural Engineer–only average.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Structural Engineer (ANZSCO 233214)
Structural Engineer salary in the Australian Government
There is no single universal federal structural 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). | Consulting graduates in Sydney and Melbourne may receive higher starting cash during building booms; hours and utilisation targets differ from APS roles. |
| Early career | 3–5 years | Professional structural engineers commonly sit at APS 5–APS 6 (88,085–118,780). | — |
| Mid-career | 6–10 years | Lead engineers may align with APS 6 or EL 1 (100,190–143,200). | — |
| Senior / principal | 10+ years | Principal engineers and managers may map to EL 1–EL 2 (120,750–182,500). | Consulting principals and associate directors bill to projects; remuneration ties to firm performance, not a national award. |
Graduate Structural Engineer salary
Structural engineering graduates typically hold a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) with structural electives, or a dedicated structural engineering major where offered. Commonwealth graduate programs recruit through APS Jobs; consultancies run separate graduate streams.
APS graduates may start between APS 3 and APS 5. Early work often includes calculation packages, drawing review and site inspections under supervision until registration milestones are met.
Large consulting firms (including internationally recognised practices) compete for graduates in capital cities — employer-specific graduate pay varies and should not be generalised as a national structural graduate median.
Senior Structural Engineer salary
Senior Structural Engineer, Principal Engineer and Associate Director are consulting-firm titles; in the APS they may align with APS 6, EL 1 or EL 2 depending on people and budget responsibility.
Sign-off authority for structural designs often requires experience and registration; pay follows classification or firm band, not the job title alone.
Compare APS 15.4% employer super with private offers at 12% Super Guarantee unless the contract pays above statutory minimum.
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 | 32.2% | Consulting, CBD towers, infrastructure | Defence estate, airports, APS technical offices |
| VIC | 26.7% | Rail structures, commercial buildings | Airservices, DSTG interfaces |
| QLD | 19.6% | Resources structures, growth corridors | Defence bases, northern programs |
| WA | 12.7% | Mining structures, ports | Defence, remote facilities |
| SA | 6.1% | Defence shipbuilding support | Defence capability estate |
| TAS | 1.4% | Smaller building market | BOM, Antarctic interfaces |
| ACT | 0.9% | Public administration | Policy and assurance roles |
| NT | 0.6% | Remote projects | Defence, locality allowances |
Industries employing Structural Engineers
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Construction
- Infrastructure and transport
- Mining and resources structures
- Defence and aerospace
- Property and development
- Public administration
Structural engineer vs civil engineer — salary and career overlap
Civil engineers cover broad infrastructure delivery — roads, drainage, earthworks and project coordination. Structural engineers specialise in load-bearing systems for buildings and structures. Many professionals move between roles early in their career; ANZSCO treats them as distinct occupations for labour-market statistics.
Salary comparisons from online aggregators often mix civil and structural job ads. This page uses Structural Engineer employment data (233214) for counts and the 2332 professional group only where labelled for earnings context.
If you are negotiating pay, match your daily work to the occupation on your contract — design office structural work, site-based civil delivery and APS assurance roles price differently.
Consulting firms and infrastructure owners — how pay is set
Most structural engineers in Australia work for engineering consultancies or contractors’ design offices, billing time to projects. Partner-track roles add profit share and business development expectations not present in APS classifications.
Owner’s engineers in federal agencies review consultant designs rather than carrying full design liability on every package — APS pay reflects classification, not utilisation rate.
Employer names appear in search queries (large global consultancies, etc.). We do not quote firm-specific salary medians without published evidence; use the classification or offer letter for your situation.
Structural engineer vs civil engineer — focus areas
| Area | Structural Engineer | Civil Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Load paths, structural members, stability | Infrastructure delivery, earthworks, drainage |
| Typical outputs | Structural calculations, framing layouts | Roads, pipelines, site grading |
| Federal roles | Building/bridge assurance, Defence structures | Transport corridors, estate civil works |
| Labour-market code | ANZSCO 233214 | ANZSCO 233211 |
What does a Structural Engineer do?
Structural engineers analyse loads and forces, design steel, concrete and timber structures, specify materials, prepare calculations and drawings, and supervise or review construction so buildings and infrastructure do not fail in service.
Federal roles include Defence estate and airfield structures, Commonwealth-owned facilities, engineering assurance on major projects, bridge and building assessments, and technical review of contractor designs for regulated infrastructure.
Work aligns with ANZSCO 233214: structural analysis for static and dynamic loads, durability of materials, design supervision, and coordination with civil, geotechnical and architectural disciplines.
Structural Engineering specialisations
Buildings & high-rise
Floor systems, cores and lateral stability.
Temporary works
Construction-stage stability.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil/Structural) or equivalent accredited four-year degree.
- Engineers Australia accreditation; CPEng and the National Engineering Register are professional tools — not universal hiring requirements.
- State registration may be required for certain professional engineering services; APS ads state when mandatory.
- Postgraduate structural engineering courses support specialist roles in dynamics, bridges and forensic assessment.
Skills
Technical
- Structural analysis (steel, concrete, timber)
- Finite element modelling
- Australian Standards and NCC compliance
- Connection design and detailing
- BIM and digital delivery
- Site inspection and construction support
- Load combinations and serviceability checks
Professional
- Design certification and technical reports
- Design team leadership
- Contractor coordination
- Risk and safety in design
- Client and architect liaison
Career progression
Private sector (illustrative)
- Graduate Structural Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Senior Structural Engineer
- Principal / Associate
- Technical Director
Australian Government (illustrative)
- Graduate APS engineer
- APS 5–6 professional engineer
- EL 1 lead or senior specialist
- EL 2 principal or program lead
Defence engineering
Defence employs civilian structural engineers for buildings, wharves, hangars, training infrastructure and assessment of contractor designs. ADF engineering officers use military pay — separate from APS tables.
DSTG may employ structural engineers for test articles, protective structures and experimental facilities — often EL-classified with clearance requirements.
Do not blend ADF officer remuneration with civilian APS structural engineer pay.
Engineer vs technician
Structural Engineers (ANZSCO 233214) are degree-qualified professionals. Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians (ANZSCO 3122) perform different duties with separate pay data. Do not present draftsperson salaries as Structural Engineer salary.
Federal agency pay bands (illustrative)
Recheck current vacancies before applying — classifications change per ad.
| Agency | Indicative range | Roles | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Defence (civilian APS) | $88,085 – $143,200 | Structural engineer, estate assessment, airfield pavements interfaces | Illustrative span; classification on each vacancy. |
| Defence Science and Technology Group | $88,085 – $182,500 | Test structures, blast and impact research | Science pay structures may apply. |
| CSIRO | $77,865 – $143,200 | Research facility structures, heavy equipment support | CSIRO EA. |
| Airservices Australia | $77,865 – $118,780 | Airport structures, technical standards review | GBE enterprise agreement. |
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Structural Engineer (ANZSCO 233214)
- 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 a Structural Engineer earn in Australia?
Pay depends on employer. APS engineers are often paid APS 4–EL 2 base ($77,865–$182,500 in 2025–26) plus 15.4% super. Private consulting packages vary by city and seniority. JSA does not publish a 233214-specific median weekly earnings figure.
What is the average Structural Engineer salary in Australia?
There is no official Structural Engineer–only median on JSA’s 233214 page. The broader Civil Engineering Professionals group (2332) reports $2,217 median weekly full-time earnings (ABS May 2025) — includes other engineering specialisations.
How much does a graduate Structural Engineer earn?
APS graduates often start APS 3–APS 5 ($67,875–$97,400 base in 2025–26). Consulting graduates may receive different packages in major cities during construction booms.
How much does a senior Structural Engineer earn?
Senior titles may align with APS 6–EL 2 in government or higher cash in consulting when bonuses apply. Read the classification or offer.
How much do structural engineers earn in the Australian Government?
Pay follows the advertised APS or agency classification plus 15.4% super and enterprise agreement allowances — there is no single federal structural rate.
What APS level is a Structural Engineer?
Commonly APS 5–6 for experienced professionals; EL 1–EL 2 for principals and team leads. Graduates may enter lower classifications.
How much do Defence structural engineers earn?
Civilian Defence structural engineers are paid under APS or Defence technical arrangements. ADF engineering officers use military pay scales — a different system.
What is the difference between a Civil and Structural Engineer?
Civil engineers (233211) plan and deliver broad infrastructure; structural engineers (233214) specialise in structural analysis and design. Careers overlap but ANZSCO and pay data are reported separately.
What degree do I need to become a Structural Engineer?
A four-year accredited Bachelor of Engineering (Civil/Structural) or equivalent is standard.
Do Structural Engineers need CPEng?
CPEng is valuable professional recognition but not mandatory for every role. Some employers and registration laws require it for certain services.
Which industries employ Structural Engineers?
JSA highlights professional, scientific and technical services and construction for ANZSCO 233214.
Which states employ the most Structural Engineers?
JSA Census distribution includes NSW (32.2%), Victoria (26.7%), Queensland (19.6%) and WA (12.7%).
How does Structural Engineer salary change with experience?
APS progression moves through classifications; consulting progression may accelerate with project responsibility and registration.
Do government Structural Engineers receive superannuation?
Yes — 15.4% employer super for APS employees in current Commonwealth policy.
Is Structural Engineering a good career in Australia?
About 9,000 employed Structural Engineers nationally per JSA, concentrated in consulting and construction. Demand tracks building and infrastructure cycles.