Electrical engineer
Design and oversee electrical power, control and electronic systems for industry, infrastructure and consumer products.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Electrical Engineers (2333) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate starting salary | $82,500 | QILT (2026-08-31) |
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Electrical Engineer (233311), the closest official match for electrical engineer, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 33,200
- Future demand
- Strong
- Work full-time
- 92%
- Average full-time hours
- 43 a week
- Women
- 12%
- Median age
- 35
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 27.1% |
| VIC | 22.2% |
| QLD | 27.8% |
| WA | 14.1% |
| SA | 5.9% |
| TAS | 1.4% |
| ACT | 0.7% |
| NT | 0.7% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 25.1% |
| Bachelor degree | 57.4% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 8.3% |
| Certificate I-IV | 4.7% |
| Year 12 | 2.4% |
| Below Year 12 | 0.3% |
What an electrical engineer actually does
Electrical engineers fall into a few different camps. Power engineers spend their days on substation, distribution or generation design, drawing single line diagrams in AutoCAD Electrical, sizing transformers and cables, and preparing protection settings reports. Building services engineers focus on lighting, power, fire and emergency systems for commercial developments, working through Revit MEP models. Industrial controls engineers programme PLCs and SCADA at processing plants. Most of the day is desk-based with occasional site walks for design verification, factory acceptance tests or commissioning. Hours sit around 38-45 in normal periods but rise during commissioning shutdowns when crews can work nights and weekends. Standards knowledge is non-negotiable. You will live inside AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3008 and the relevant network service rules.
Typical tasks
- Design distribution networks and switchgear.
- Lead testing and commissioning of new plant.
- Investigate faults and recommend remediation.
Skills you'll use
- Power system design and analysis using PowerFactory or ETAP
- AutoCAD Electrical and Revit MEP
- PLC and SCADA programming for industrial controls
- Applying AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3008 and network service rules
- Earthing, lightning and electromagnetic compatibility design
- Project management and consultant coordination
- Writing test, commissioning and protection-setting reports
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English, Maths Methods or Specialist and ideally Physics
- 2Complete a 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) with an electrical or electronic major accredited by Engineers Australia
- 3Join a graduate programme at a network service provider, consulting engineer, defence prime or contractor in your final year
- 4Spend your first 2-3 years getting exposure to design, testing and commissioning so you can sign off your own work later
- 5Work toward Chartered Engineer status with Engineers Australia, usually 3-5 years post-graduation
- 6For sign-off work in Queensland or Victoria, complete RPEQ or VBA endorsement. For grid-connection work, build deep familiarity with the National Electricity Rules
Where you can work
- Transmission and distribution network service providers
- Generation and renewable energy developers
- Engineering consulting firms
- Mining and resources operators
- Defence primes and shipbuilders
- Manufacturing and food-processing plants
- Federal and state government utility regulators
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Graduate electrical engineer, Design engineer, Protection engineer
- Engineer3-6 yearsTypical roles: Electrical engineer, Controls engineer, Power systems engineer
- Senior7-12 yearsTypical roles: Senior electrical engineer, Lead protection engineer, Engineering team lead
- Principal or Manager12+ yearsTypical roles: Principal engineer, Engineering manager, Technical director
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You like solving problems that mix maths, physics and software
- You enjoy work that is structured by codes and standards
- You are comfortable balancing power, signal and safety considerations at once
- You can explain a fault trace or protection logic to a non-engineering stakeholder
- You want a degree that travels well into renewables, defence or telecoms
This might not suit you if
- You want a fully outdoor or hands-on role with no desk time
- You dislike rules-heavy environments with sign-offs and audits
- You want a job with little overlap with software or programming
Ways in
Uni and TAFE routes for electrical engineer. We only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.