What is the minimum wage for a data engineer in Australia?

The legal minimum wage for a data engineer in Australia is at least the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (as of 1 July 2026) if no award or enterprise agreement applies. However, most data engineers are covered by a modern award (such as the Professional Employees Award) or an enterprise agreement that sets a higher minimum rate. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool to check the correct award rate.

Does the data engineer salary include superannuation?

No. Superannuation is paid on top of the salary. The super guarantee rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For example, if your base salary is $80,000, your employer must also contribute $9,600 into your super fund. The minimum wage rates quoted (e.g., $26.44 per hour) are before super.

How can I find the exact award rate for a data engineer?

The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a free Pay and Conditions Tool at . You enter your industry and role to see the applicable award, classification level, and minimum pay rates including penalties and allowances. The Fair Work Commission also publishes the Modern Awards Pay Database with detailed spreadsheets for each award.

Data engineer salary in Australia: minimum wage and award rates explained

No specific data engineer salary figure is available from official sources; the legal minimum is $26.44 per hour, but actual pay depends on award classification or agreement.

Data engineer salary: understanding the pay floor

When researching a data engineer salary in Australia, the first thing to know is the legal minimum you must be paid. This guide helps you separate the national minimum wage from award rates, enterprise agreements, and market averages. We rely on official sources such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The national minimum wage is the starting point

As of 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult employee not covered by an award or agreement. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual minimum $33.05 per hour. These rates are before tax and do not include superannuation (the super guarantee is 12% on top).

However, the national minimum wage is only a backstop. Most data engineers are covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that for most employees, the minimum wage is set by the award covering their industry or occupation. If you are covered by an award, you must be paid at least the minimum rates in that award, which may be higher than the national minimum.

Award rates for data engineers

A typical data engineer role often falls under the Professional Employees Award 2020, the Information Technology Industry Award 2020, or a specific enterprise agreement. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database contains the calculated minimum rates of pay, allowances, overtime and penalty rates for each award. For example, the Professional Employees Award has classification levels from Level 1 to Level 4, each with a different minimum hourly rate. The database is updated after each Annual Wage Review.

To find your exact award rate, use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool. It asks for your industry and job title to show the correct award and classification. The tool includes the latest changes from the Annual Wage Review.

How superannuation fits in

When discussing a data engineer salary, remember super is paid on top. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. If your salary is $80,000 per year, your employer must also contribute $9,600 into your super fund. The minimum wage rates are before super.

What if no award or agreement applies

If you are not covered by an award or enterprise agreement, the national minimum wage applies. This is rare for data engineers, but possible if you are a junior, apprentice, or trainee. For award-free juniors, the national minimum wage percentages for age: under 16 $9.73 per hour, 16 $12.51, 17 $15.29, 18 $18.06, 19 $21.82, 20 $25.84, 21 and over $26.44. Apprentice and trainee rates for award-free employees follow the Miscellaneous Award, not the junior percentages.

Market averages and survey averages

The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes average earnings figures for all employees average total total earnings $1,579.20 per week (May 2026). This is not a specific data engineer salary. No official survey average for data engineers was found in the web search results. The Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission do not publish a median salary for data engineers.

Practical check: check your hourly rate

If you have a hourly rate for a data engineer, you can compare it to the national minimum wage. For example, if your rate $40.00 per hour, you are above the national minimum. If you are covered by an award, you must be paid at least the award rate. If you are covered by an enterprise agreement, the agreement sets the minimum.

Summary

The legal minimum wage for a data engineer in Australia is at least $26.44 per hour, but most data engineers are covered by an award or agreement that sets a higher rate. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool to find the correct award rate. Super is paid on top of the salary. No specific data engineer salary figure is available from official sources.