Chemical engineer salary: where it sits on the Australian salary index

Chemical engineer salary: where it sits on the Australian salary index

If you’re looking into a chemical engineer salary in Australia, the first thing to know is that the official median figure isn’t published. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) doesn’t release median weekly earnings for the occupation code 233111 because the sample size is too small or the relative standard error is too high. That doesn’t mean we can’t get a good picture – we can use industry benchmarks, professional pay data, and the national salary index to see where chemical engineers likely sit.

What the data tells us

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, there are about 3,100 chemical engineers employed nationally. Most work full-time (87%), and the median age is 38. Women make up 23% of the workforce. The average full-time hours are 43 per week – slightly below the all-occupations average of 44. These are useful context, but the earnings column simply says “N/A”.

So where does that leave us? The national salary index, calculated by Salary Index, uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings figure for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings as its baseline of 100. In May 2026, that was $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 annualised. Any pay above that line scores above 100; below it scores under 100.

Using industry and professional benchmarks

Chemical engineers work mainly in three industries: Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and Mining. The on-site reference gives salary indices for those industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services: 114.7 (annualised ~$124,300)
• Mining: 154.7 (annualised ~$167,600)

These are broad industry averages, not occupation-specific, but they give a strong hint. A chemical engineer in a mining role is likely to earn well above the national line, while one in manufacturing might be closer to the professional services average.

Another clue comes from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours release (August 2025). It shows that Professionals overall earn a median of $64.50 per hour. If we assume a 38-hour week (the national median), that’s about $2,451 per week, or $127,452 annualised – an index of about 118. Chemical engineers are a subset of Professionals, so their pay is likely in that ballpark or higher, especially given the mining connection.

Awards and minimum rates

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides list awards that may cover chemical engineers, such as the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award and the Mining Industry Award. These set minimum pay rates for classifications like “engineering employee” or “technical employee”. However, most chemical engineers are professionals and are often paid under individual arrangements or enterprise agreements, not award rates. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour (index 48.2), but a chemical engineer would earn far more than that.

State and location effects

Where you work matters. The on-site reference provides state indices based on average weekly earnings:

• Western Australia: 106.9 ($115,825 annualised)
• Australian Capital Territory: 109.9 ($119,090)
• New South Wales: 101.2 ($109,658)
• Victoria: 98.0 ($106,137)
• Queensland: 97.9 ($106,064)
• South Australia: 94.6 ($102,450)
• Northern Territory: 95.2 ($103,173)
• Tasmania: 88.6 ($96,008)

A chemical engineer in WA or the ACT is likely to earn more than one in Tasmania, all else equal. The mining industry is concentrated in WA and Queensland, which pushes up local averages.

Putting it together: where does a chemical engineer salary sit on the index?

Because the ABS doesn’t publish a direct figure, we can’t give a precise index number. But using the industry and professional benchmarks, a reasonable estimate is that a typical chemical engineer’s salary sits somewhere between 110 and 150 on the index. That means annual gross pay between about $119,000 and $162,000. Entry-level roles might be lower, and senior roles in mining could push above 150.

For comparison, the national minimum wage is at index 48.2. The average retail worker is at 75.9. A chemical engineer is clearly in the upper half of the pay distribution.

Take-home pay example

Let’s take a mid-point estimate: index 130, which is $2,508.81 per week, or $130,458 annualised. Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates (tax-free threshold, no HELP, flat 2% Medicare levy):

• Tax on $130,458: $0 on first $18,200, 15% on $26,800 ($4,020), 30% on $90,000 ($27,000), 37% on remainder $458 ($169.46) = total tax $31,189.46. Plus Medicare $2,609.16. Total deductions $33,798.62. Take-home: $96,659.38 per year, or about $1,859 per week.

That’s a solid take-home, and superannuation at 12% adds another $15,655 on top (though not accessible until retirement).

What about junior or graduate chemical engineers?

Graduate chemical engineers might start on award rates or graduate programs. The national minimum wage for a 21-year-old is $25.83 per hour (index 47.7), but graduate engineers typically earn more. Many graduate programs in mining or consulting offer starting salaries around $70,000–$85,000 (index 65–78). As experience grows, pay rises quickly.

The bottom line

A chemical engineer salary in Australia is not officially published, but all available evidence points to it being well above the national average. The industries they work in, the professional pay benchmarks, and the state indices all suggest an index score comfortably above 100, likely in the 110–150 range. For the most accurate picture, check individual job ads or speak to industry bodies. The Salary Index gives you a framework to compare any offer against the national line.

For more detail on how pay varies by location, see our states page. To compare with other occupations, browse our industries data. And if you want to understand the index calculation, read how the index works.