What is the minimum wage for a site engineer?

There is no single minimum wage for a site engineer. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week) from 1 July 2026. However, if you are covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement, the award or agreement rate applies and may be higher. The Building and Construction General On-site Award or the Professional Employees Award could be relevant depending on your duties.

Does the Building and Construction General On-site Award cover site engineers?

It may, if you are engaged in on-site building, engineering or civil construction work and your duties match a classification in Schedule A of that award. The award does not list 'site engineer' as a separate classification, so you would need to compare your duties to the definitions. The Fair Work Ombudsman can help determine the correct award and classification.

How do I find the correct award rate for my role?

Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool or check the relevant award on the Fair Work Commission website. Your employer may also have an enterprise agreement that sets higher rates. If you are award-free and agreement-free, the national minimum wage applies. Always confirm with your employer or a workplace relations professional.

Site Engineer Salary: Which Pay Floor Applies in Australia?

There is no single minimum rate for a site engineer; the Building and Construction General On-site Award or the Professional Employees Award may apply, with the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour as a backstop.

Site Engineer Salary and the Legal Minimum

When researching a site engineer salary in Australia, the first question is which pay floor applies. The national minimum wage, set by the Fair Work Commission, is $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week) from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. This is the absolute minimum for adult national-system employees who are not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. However, most site engineers are likely covered by an award, which can require a higher rate.

Which minimum wage applies explains how to check your coverage. The Fair Work Ombudsman enforces these minimums, but does not set them.

Award Coverage for Site Engineers

A site engineer working in construction may fall under the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (MA000020). This award covers on-site building, engineering and civil construction work. It has classification levels from Level 1 to Level 9, with minimum hourly rates ranging from $26.67 (Level 1a) to $34.46 (Level 9) as of 1 July 2026. The award does not list 'site engineer' as a job title, so you must match your duties to the classification definitions in Schedule A. For example, a site engineer performing supervisory or technical work might be classified at a higher level.

Alternatively, if your role is primarily professional engineering (e.g., design, project management) and not hands-on construction, the Professional Employees Award may apply. That award has its own classification structure and minimum rates.

Rate tables provide a summary of current award minimums, but always check the full award for your specific classification.

How the Minimum Compares to Typical Earnings

The search results do not provide a specific survey average for a site engineer salary. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings were $2,083.70 per week in May 2026, and all employees average total earnings were $1,579.20 per week. These figures are much higher than the national minimum wage, but they are averages across all occupations, not a site engineer benchmark. Actual site engineer salaries are negotiated individually or set by enterprise agreements, and can vary widely by industry, location, and experience.

Superannuation

Employers must pay superannuation guarantee contributions on top of ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12%. This is not deducted from your pay; it is an additional payment made into your super fund.

Important Distinctions

Legal minimum vs. award rate: The national minimum wage is a backstop. If an award or enterprise agreement covers you, that document sets the minimum, which is often higher.
Award rate vs. negotiated salary: Your contract may offer more than the award minimum. That is allowed, but the award minimum is the floor.
Casual loading: Casual employees receive a 25% loading on the ordinary hourly rate (e.g., $33.05 per hour for the national minimum). This is in lieu of paid leave entitlements.
Junior, apprentice, and supported wages: Lower rates apply for juniors, apprentices, trainees, and employees with disability. The national minimum of $26.44 is for adults (21 and over) who are not in training.

For more detail on how these figures are calculated, see How the figures work.