Data & AI Salaries in Queensland
A Data Engineer in Queensland earns $125k to $175k base salary a year before super, or $850 to $1,150 a day on contract.
Below are all 12 Data and AI roles in the 2026-27 guide, from Database Administrator to Head of Data. The bands are for roles in Brisbane and across Queensland.
Check your salary against the guide12 Roles, Base Salary and Day Rate
| Role | Band on a shared scale from $60k to $340k | Base salary | Contract day rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership and architecture | |||
| Head of Data | Also called Head of Data & Analytics. | $170k to $235k | $1,100 to $1,500 |
| Data Architect | Common stacks: Azure, AWS, Databricks, Snowflake. | $150k to $200k | $950 to $1,350 |
| Data and Analytics Manager | Also called Analytics Manager and Business Intelligence Manager. | $145k to $200k | $950 to $1,200 |
| Data engineering | |||
| Data Engineer | Also called Senior Data Engineer and Analytics Engineer. Common stacks: SQL, Python, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Snowflake, dbt. | $125k to $175k | $850 to $1,150 |
| Data Modeller | Common stacks: SQL, Dimensional modelling, Data Vault, erwin. | $120k to $160k | $800 to $1,150 |
| Database Administrator | Also called DBA, SQL Server DBA and Oracle DBA. Common stacks: SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Azure SQL. | $95k to $145k | $700 to $1,000 |
| Analytics and BI | |||
| Power BI Developer | Also called BI Developer and Data Visualisation Specialist. Common stacks: Power BI, DAX, SQL, Power Query, Microsoft Fabric. | $110k to $175k | $800 to $1,100 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Also called BI Analyst. Common stacks: SQL, Power BI, Tableau, DAX. | $110k to $150k | $700 to $1,050 |
| Data Analyst | Also called Senior Data Analyst. Common stacks: SQL, Excel, Power BI, Python, Tableau. | $95k to $150k | $700 to $1,000 |
| Data science and AI | |||
| AI Engineer | Common stacks: Python, Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, LangChain. | $140k to $200k | $950 to $1,400 |
| Data Scientist | Also called Senior Data Scientist. Common stacks: Python, SQL, R, Databricks. | $125k to $200k | $900 to $1,300 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Also called ML Engineer, AI / ML Engineer and Machine Learning Developer. Common stacks: Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, MLflow, Databricks. | $145k to $195k | $950 to $1,550 |
Base salary in Australian dollars a year, before super. Day rates are what the contractor is paid for an 8-hour day, before super.
These bands cover Queensland as a whole. Pay on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast depends on the employer, so ask us for a current figure for your role.
Digital Native's own bands, drawn from a number of research points and trusted data sources.
Reviewed 12 November 2026.
The Market
What We Are Seeing in Data and AI
Our recent data and AI work is mostly Queensland Government contract roles: data modellers, data business analysts, Power BI developers, database administrators and data scientists. Since 2022 we have also recruited data engineers, data analysts and data architects.
Questions
Data and AI Pay, Answered
What does a Data Engineer earn in Queensland?
A Data Engineer in Queensland earns $125k to $175k base salary a year, before super, in our 2026-27 guide.
What is the contract day rate for a Data Engineer in Queensland?
$850 to $1,150 a day in our 2026-27 guide. Day rates are what the contractor is paid for an 8-hour day, before super.
Which Data and AI roles pay the most in Queensland?
By the top of the base salary band: Head of Data ($170k to $235k), Data Architect ($150k to $200k) and Data and Analytics Manager ($145k to $200k).
Where Do You Sit?
No contract day rate in the guide for this role.
- SQL
- Python
- Azure Data Factory
- Databricks
- Snowflake
- dbt
- Guide range
- $125k to $175k
- Midpoint
- $150k
- Contract day rate
- $850 to $1,150
The figure you enter stays in your browser and is never sent to us.
Hiring in Data and AI?
Send us the brief. A director will tell you where the salary sits in the Queensland market.