Cloud architects top Australia’s tech salaries at AUD $150K
New salary benchmarks reveal that cloud architects and platform engineers are currently the highest-paid professionals in Australia's technology sector.
Dynamic Web Training has released findings stemming from an analysis of thousands of job listings on Indeed.com, showing that Azure and AWS architects are tied as the top earners, each with an average salary of AUD $150,909. Platform engineers are the next highest, earning an average of AUD $139,917, reflecting a surge in demand for professionals skilled in infrastructure management and scalability.
The research analysed job advertisements for a range of technical roles, compiling average salary figures to provide insights into current wage trends. The findings highlight that infrastructure and platform expertise remain among the most valuable competencies for Australian technology professionals in 2025.
Ali Noorani, Certified Trainer and Data Analyst at Dynamic Web Training, commented on the significance of these trends.
"Cloud and platform architecture roles have become indispensable in today's enterprise tech stack. As more businesses shift to scalable, always-on platforms, they're investing heavily in the talent that can build, optimise, and secure that infrastructure. This demand is reflected not only in salary growth but also in increased job openings nationwide."
Top salaries
According to Dynamic Web Training's ranking of the 15 highest-paid technology roles for 2025, cloud and platform specialisations dominate the upper salary brackets. Azure and AWS architect roles both report an average annual salary of AUD $150,909, while platform engineers follow with AUD $139,917.
Other roles in the top five include Linux engineers (AUD $132,754), data engineers (AUD $128,499), and solutions engineers (AUD $127,830). Machine learning engineers, cloud engineers, DevOps engineers, and backend developers all fall within the AUD $110,000 to $127,000 range. Java developers round out the top 15 with average annual earnings of AUD $109,374.
Growth in data and platform roles
The report identifies continued strong growth for data-oriented and platform roles. The requirement for expertise in system performance and automation is becoming more prevalent as organisations enhance their reliance on digital operations.
Ali Noorani highlighted this sectoral expansion, saying,
"Across the board, companies are prioritising tech roles that drive automation, scalability, and performance. If you're aiming for a six-figure salary in tech, focus on infrastructure, backend systems, and data engineering. The shift towards AI integration and real-time data processing is also elevating demand for these specialists."
Entry-level opportunities
While the highest salaries are concentrated in cloud, platform, and engineering roles, the study also addresses the role of entry-level positions within the technology sector. Quality assurance engineers, system administrators, and JavaScript developers generally earn below the AUD $100,000 mark. Their average salaries range from AUD $85,489 for JavaScript developers to AUD $99,537 for QA engineers.
Noorani addressed the importance of these foundational roles:
"We always remind students that every senior engineer started as a junior developer or support specialist. These roles still offer great hands-on learning opportunities, and with the right training, they can be springboards into much higher-paying positions. The technology landscape is dynamic, and continuous learning is key."
The report emphasises that career progression in technology often follows a path from entry-level roles, such as support specialist and system administrator, towards higher-level positions in cloud architecture, data science, and platform engineering as professionals gain further experience and qualifications.
Shifting demand
The findings indicate that the skills most highly valued in Australia's technology sector are those involving the ability to design, build, and maintain scalable infrastructure. As more organisations undertake digital transformation strategies and move workloads to cloud environments, demand for cloud and platform architects is likely to expand further. Similarly, roles in automation, backend development, data engineering, DevOps, and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly important as organisations seek efficiency and competitive advantage through technology.
The data also suggests that while entry-level positions remain crucial—both for maintaining operations and enabling talent pipelines—ongoing skills development is essential for those seeking to access the highest salary brackets in the sector.
For professionals in the industry, the 2025 salary data serves as a reference point for career planning, highlighting the specific roles and specialisations currently attracting the strongest demand and compensation within the Australian technology job market.
