TechnologyOECD 2024Tech Hub

Site Reliability Engineer Salary in Melbourne

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 6 comparison cities

$168,148/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $133,712 – $211,453

Very High Confidence Β· 88/100
SalaryScope Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Site Reliability Engineers in Melbourne typically earn $134K–$211K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $168K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $260K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from OECD 2024 national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 88/100Editorial policy β†’

Site Reliability Engineer Salary Analysis β€” Melbourne

Site Reliability Engineers in Melbourne earn a median salary of $168K, which is 20% above the national median of $140K. Melbourne's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Melbourne.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Melbourne's cost of living is 25% above the US average. Your $168K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $135K in a city with average US living costs.

$168K
Nominal salary
+25%
CoL vs US avg
$135K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Melbourne

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$108,741

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$133,712

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$168,148

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$211,453

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$260,011

Staff / principal / lead

+4%
vs US avg
+27%
demand growth
Med
AI risk
Data Confidence
88/100A
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 15, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
GrossA$256K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’32%
Take-homeA$173K
ATO income tax + Medicare levy 2%. No employee superannuation deduction.
Savings Potential
Take-homeA$173K
Est. living costsβˆ’55%
Yearly savingsA$78K
Estimate for a mid-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
64/100
Good
Job demand growth+27%
Automation riskModerate

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SalaryScope Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $168K a good salary for Site Reliability Engineer in Melbourne?

Based on BLS data for 168,148 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $109KΒ·Median: $168KΒ·Top 10%: $260K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 36/40 (OECD)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $168K for Site Reliability Engineers in Melbourne

+4%
Australia market level
Australia pays 4% above the global baseline for this profession.
+25%
Melbourne metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+7%
High demand for Site Reliability Engineers
27% projected job growth creates upward wage pressure.

Source: OECD 2024. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Site Reliability Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Melbourne

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$114,341$9,528$55
Junior22 yrs$141,244$11,770$68
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$159,180$13,265$77
Senior66 yrs$184,290$15,358$89
Staff1010 yrs$248,859$20,738$120
Principal1414 yrs$312,083$26,007$150
Distinguished1818 yrs$327,889$27,324$158

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Site Reliability Engineer

Estimated premium above the Melbourne median based on market demand

SRE+10% β‰ˆ +$17K/yr
Prometheus+7% β‰ˆ +$12K/yr
Kubernetes+9% β‰ˆ +$15K/yr
Python+6% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr
Go+9% β‰ˆ +$15K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$69K/yr
Highest single skill
SRE +10%
SRE+10% Β· +$17K/yr
Prometheus+7% Β· +$12K/yr
Kubernetes+9% Β· +$15K/yr
Python+6% Β· +$10K/yr
Go+9% Β· +$15K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Site Reliability Engineer Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

B64/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+27%/yr
AI Displacement Risk35% β€” Moderate
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+3.1%/yr
Good: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
BLS Official 10-yr OutlookMuch faster than average
+25%
Growth 2022–2032
+18K
New jobs projected
$179K
In 2 yrs
$196K
In 5 yrs
$229K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Site Reliability Engineer

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$261K–$289K
per year
Base (61%)Bonus (10%)Equity (15%)Benefits (13%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$168,148
Annual Bonus
Typical: 8–25% of base
$27,745
Equity (annualised)
~25% of base β€” RSUs/options
$42,037
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$36,993
Total Comp (mid)
$274,923

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Site Reliability Engineers

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Equity / RSUs
Especially at tech firms
Learning Budget
$1,000–$3,000 / year
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Site Reliability Engineer Salaries by City

How Melbourne, Australia stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Melbourne, Australia (current)$168,148$211,453++4%
London, UK$164,387$206,724++2%
Toronto, Canada$161,650$203,282++0%
Berlin, Germany$157,612$198,204+-2%
Sydney, Australia$170,579$214,510++6%
Amsterdam, Netherlands$177,715$223,484++10%
Singapore, Singapore$156,634$196,974+-3%

SalaryScope Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Site Reliability Engineer?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Site Reliability Engineer salary in Melbourne, Australia?

The median Site Reliability Engineer salary in Melbourne, Australia is $168K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $211K+ per year.

What is a good Site Reliability Engineer salary in Melbourne, Australia?

The 75th percentile ($211K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($168K) is above-average for this role in Melbourne, Australia.

How much does a Site Reliability Engineer earn per hour in Melbourne, Australia?

Based on the median annual salary of $168K, a Site Reliability Engineer in Melbourne, Australia earns approximately $81/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$102/hr.

Is Melbourne, Australia a good market for Site Reliability Engineers?

Melbourne, Australia pays 4% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Site Reliability Engineers is growing 27% annually, and AI automation risk is rated moderate for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Site Reliability Engineer salary in Melbourne, Australia?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($211K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Melbourne, Australia figure calculated?

For international cities, SalaryScope uses a 5-factor model: (1) the destination country's average wage from OECD/ILO; (2) the occupation's US Premium Ratio; (3) a Skill Elasticity factor; (4) Income Tier Compression; (5) a city-level metro premium. Currency conversion uses ECB rates refreshed every 4 hours.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Site Reliability Engineer Salary Trend (2019–2024)

BLS OES historical national medians

6-yr CAGR
+8.3%/yr
2019
$108K
2020
$115K
+6%
2021
$128K
+12%
2022
$141K
+10%
2023
$153K
+8%
2024
$161K
+5%
2019 median
$108K
2024 median
$161K

Source: BLS OEWS 2019–2024. City-level data uses national trend Γ— metro premium.

Inflation note: In 2019 dollars, today's median is ~$142K β€” 18% of nominal salary is inflation (2019–2024 CPI avg 3.4%/yr).

Education Premium β€” Site Reliability Engineer

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-28%
~$121K
Associate's Degree
-12%
~$148K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$168K
Master's Degree
+24%
~$209K
Doctoral (PhD)
+32%
~$222K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+42%
~$239K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Melbourne benchmarks
$168K
Market median
$211K
P75 target
$260K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

$
Site Reliability Engineer in Melbourne β€” Distribution
P10
$109K
P25
$134K
P50
$168K
P75
$211K
P90
$260K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position
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