Data Engineer Salary in Brisbane (2026)

Last updated

Data Engineers in Brisbane earn a median salary of $160,000 in 2026, with most advertised roles falling between $125,000 and $275,000. That sits 88% above Brisbane's all-roles median of $85,000. Figures are based on 21 jobs advertised on Seek.com.au in Brisbane in the last 30 days.

◆ Specialist role Lower listing volume — 15th percentile in Brisbane ↓ -5 listings vs last month
💰 Data Engineer · Brisbane
ADVERTISED RANGE
$125,000 – $275,000
Median: $160,000
May $160k
Jun $160k
→ Stable

Based on 2-month data — short-term movement only.

Mid level $125,000 – $267,500
Overall $125k–$275k Mid $125k–$267k $121k $153k $186k $218k $250k $283k
⚠ Low confidence 21 listings (-5 vs last month) · 05/07/2026

Salary ranges are percentiles calculated from advertised employer bands on Seek.com.au. Figures represent what employers publicly advertise and may differ from actual compensation. Sample size is small — treat figures as indicative.

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Bottom 10%  $125,000 Median  $160,000 $275,000  Top 10%

Understanding the Brisbane Market

Data engineers in Brisbane clear $160k at the median, 88% above the city's all-roles figure, one of the highest premiums tracked. The $160k median holds across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, so this is a national tech rate rather than a local one. The very wide band ($125k to $275k) points to contract day rates and senior specialists at the top. Demand is thin, though, only 21 listings and falling from 26. Based on a small sample, treat the numbers as directional.

Take Home Pay (based on median $160,000)

Weekly (net)
~$2,164
Monthly (net)
~$9,378
Annual (net)
~$112,533
Total package (incl. 2025-26 super at 11.5%) $178,400

Take-home calculated using 2025-26 ATO tax rates, no HECS debt, full Australian residency. Total package adds 11.5% superannuation to base salary. Adjust for your situation →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good starting salary for a junior Data Engineer in Brisbane?
Data engineers rarely start below $125k in Brisbane, the band's floor, since the role assumes real technical depth from day one. Reaching the top comes from a modern stack (cloud platforms, Spark, dbt, Python) and pipeline ownership, plus contract availability, since day-rate roles sit well above permanent salaries here.
Is $160,000 a good salary in Brisbane?
Yes, clearly. At $160k the median data engineer earns 88% above Brisbane's all-roles median and nets roughly $112,500 after tax, top-tier pay in a moderate cost-of-living city. The main caveat is that demand is thin, so the strong median rests on a small, senior-skewed pool rather than a deep market.
How much does a Senior Data Engineer make in Brisbane?
The $275k top of the band is contract and principal-level territory. Getting there means owning data architecture, not just building pipelines, and mastering a cloud-native stack (AWS or Azure, streaming, infrastructure-as-code). Day-rate contracting is the fastest route to the top, given how much the permanent-versus-contract split drives the high end here.

Other roles in Brisbane

Data Engineer salaries in other cities

City Median salary vs Brisbane
Brisbane (this page) $160,000 —
Melbourne $160,000 ~same
Sydney $160,000 ~same

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Data sourced from publicly listed job advertisements. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Seek or any third-party platforms. Salary ranges represent advertised figures and may differ from actual compensation. Updated monthly.