What are the highest-paying STEM courses in Australia?

The importance of STEM courses cannot be overemphasized. It’s general knowledge that the world is now embracing tech.

Almost every sector has the inclusion of technology to enhance productivity and direct positive results. Businesses, establishments, schools and lots more are not embracing technology to further enhance effectiveness. 

The demand for tech skills is not on the rise and this means as a young person seeking to choose a career, diving into this field might just be what you need to do. Apart from the high demand for professionals in this field, it also attracts a more reasonable pay when compared to other disciplines. 

What is STEM?

STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM workers embrace technological tools for their day-to-day jobs. To stay revenant in today’s world, countries and individuals need to embrace the STEM discipline and leverage it. 

The STEM discipline embraces innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving, hence making them an essential aspect of today’s world. STEM majorly comprises the following areas:

• Natural, physical and life science. It also sometimes includes medicine.
• Computer, electrical/electronics, and other tech disciplines.
• All fields related to engineering
• All fields related to mathematics and the application of mathematical principles for problem-solving. 

Benefits of STEM Courses

1. STEM enhances innovative thinking. Students learn to observe, analyze and come up with possible solutions to problems 
2. It also encouraged problem-solving. This is one of the major reasons there is a high demand for professionals in the STEM field. 
3. Creativity is also enhanced through studying STEM courses because you get to come up with new ways to solve technical problems.
4. Also, STEM courses enhance communication and collaboration. Since the STEM field is wide, and one person cannot master everything, professionals have to specialize and then work together towards a common goal.
5. STEM also strengthens cognitive skills like reading and learning people students have to consistently open themselves to learning to become relevant. 

Why Study STEM in Australia?

1. Growing Industry: Courses in the STEM field are part of the most studied courses in Australia. According to research, 28% of about 436,000 international students are currently studying STEM-related courses in Australian universities. 
2. Favourable Jobs: Because of the demand for STEM skills, there are favourable jobs for students who possess these skills. According to research, about 75% of the fastest-growing career path will require STEM skills to be effective. This means that there will be more job opportunities for professionals with STEM skills as the years go by. 
3. Competitive Salary: Professionals in the STEM field are part of the highest-paid workers in Australia. This shows the level of importance and prominence accorded to people in this field. As a newbie who wants to tow this path, it means that opportunities are waiting for you. 

Top Paying STEM Courses in Australia

Below is a list of the top-paying STEM courses in Australia: 

1. Petroleum Engineering

Average Base Pay: A$146,422 per year 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 15.1%

Petroleum engineering entails developing methods by which oil and gas can be extracted from the earth. The world functions on energy, and this is very vital to human activities. This is what makes petroleum engineering one of the highest in-demand jobs in different countries.

Universities in Australia that offer Petroleum Engineering.

1. University of New South Wales
2. Curtin University
3. University of Melbourne
4.  Queensland University of Technology
5. Monash University

2. Software Engineering

Average Base Pay: A$120,000 per year 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 27.0%

Software engineering is a field of computer science that entails designing, testing, developing and maintaining software applications. They work in computer system design and related services in manufacturing. They work in offices or teams with other professionals. 

Universities in Australia that offer Software Engineering.

1. University of Queensland
2. University of New South Wales
3. University of Sydney
4. University of Technology Sydney
5.  University of Melbourne

3.  Cyber Security

Average Base Pay: A$123,000 /yr

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: – 21%

Cyber security is also a field in STEM. It entails protecting organizational assets from both external and internal threats as well as certain disruptions that are caused by natural disasters. It is a collective systematic method targeted at protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer systems, networks and data. 

Universities in Australia that offer Cyber Security.

1. University of New South Wales
2. Curtin University
3. University of Melbourne
4.  Queensland University of Technology
5. Monash University

4. Data Science

Average Base Pay: A$120, 000 per year 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 11%

Data science entails studying data and interpreting them for business purposes. It combines principles and practices from mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence and computer engineering. 

Universities in Australia that offers Data Science.

1. University of Melbourne
2. University of New South Wales
3. University of Sydney
4. Monash University
5. University of Queensland

5. Computer Engineering

Average Base Pay: A$85,000 /yr 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 27.0%

Another course in STEM is Computer engineering. Computer engineering entails designing, developing and testing computer systems and components. The engineers mostly work in research labs that build and test different computer models. They may also be responsible for updating existing computer hardware or manufacturing new ones.  

Universities in Australia that offer Computer Engineering.

1. University of New South Wales
2. University of Queensland
3. University of Melbourne
4. University of Sydney
5. Queensland University of Technology

6. Mechanical Engineering

Average Base Pay: A$105 per year 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 3.1%

Mechanical engineering entails designing machines and gadgets like electric generators, combustion engines, turbines, air-conditioning systems and lots more. 

Universities in Australia that offer Mechanical Engineering.

1. University of Sydney
2. University of New South Wales
3. University of Queensland
4. Monash University
5. University of Melbourne

7. Mathematics and Statistics

Average Base Pay: A$88 per year

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 11%

It involves analyzing data and using standard approaches to solve problems. Their top employers are research companies, development companies and the federal government. They also usually work in teams with engineers, scientists and other professionals.

Universities in Australia that offer Mathematics and Statistics.

1. University of Sydney
2. University of Melbourne
3. University of New South Wales
4. University of Queensland
5. Monash University

8. Biochemistry

Average Base Pay: A$75,500 /yr

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: –

Biochemistry deals with life science and chemical science. It is the application of chemistry to the study of biological processes. They work in laboratories and offices and are also responsible for conducting experiments and analyzing the results.

Universities in Australia that offer Biochemistry.

1. University of Melbourne
2. University of Queensland
3. University of Sydney
4. Monash University
5. University of New South Wales

9. Architecture

Average Base Pay: A$96,000 /yr

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 16.8%

Architects are responsible for designing the overall outlook of houses, buildings and other structures. They must ensure that the result is both beautiful, functional and also effective. They visit construction sites, prepare drawings and ensure that the plan is followed. 

Universities in Australia that offer Architecture.

1. University of New South Wales
2. University of Melbourne
3. University of Sydney
4. Queensland University of Technology
5. University of Technology Sydney

10. Aeronautical Engineering

Average Base Pay: A$145,000 per year 

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate in the next 5 years: 8.4%

Aeronautical engineering entails learning how to design, develop and test-run aircraft, spaceships, satellites and missiles. Aerospace engineers often work in an office with like-minded individuals and can spend as much as 40 hours per week. They work on projects relating to national defence too. 

Universities in Australia that offer Aeronautical Engineering.

1. University of New South Wales
2. University of Melbourne
3. University of Sydney
4. Monash University
5. University of Queensland

Eligibility Criteria to Study STEM in Australia. 

The eligibility criteria to study STEM courses will vary according to the university and the exact course you want to study. However, the generally acceptable requirements are below:

1. Academic Qualifications
2. Standardized Tests
3. Language Proficiency Test
4. Work Experience
5. Passport & Student Visa

Academic Qualifications

To pursue a bachelor’s degree in STEM, you need to have a higher secondary school leaving certificate that shows that you took major science subjects. For postgraduate students, you need a  bachelor’s degree in the STEM course you want to pursue. The minimum GPA score is 3.0/4.0 in the major STEM universities in Australia. 

Additionally, students are to have a post-secondary qualification and a certificate level of III in any of the following areas:

• Information Technology
• Natural and Physical Sciences
• Engineering and Related Technologies
• Agriculture, Environment and Related Studies
• Mathematical Sciences

Standardized Tests

For a bachelor’s degree, you must have SAT or ACT. For a master’s, you must have a GRE or GMAT. The scores vary depending on the school you picked and the exact course you are going in for. However, GMAT is important if you want to study engineering or mathematics. 

Language Proficiency Test

Every student seeking to study a STEM course at any level in Australia must have a good score on the language proficiency test. The language proficiency tests are either SAT or TOEFL. The minimum scores are:

SAT: 6.0

TOEFL iBT: 90

Work Experience

This is not mandatory, but having prior work experience in your field of study can further increase your chances. 

Passport & Student Visa

To study any STEM course in Australia, you will need a copy of your passport and your Australian student visa. You can apply for your visa after receiving your acceptance letter. However, you must do this on time to prevent delay. 

Necessary Documents needed

In addition to the aforementioned, the following documents are needed if you want to pursue a course in STEM in Australia.

• Official High School Transcripts
• A letter of recommendation
• Higher Secondary Certificate
• Bachelor’s Degree (for masters)
• Work experience certificate (if any)
• Language test scores
• GRE or GMAT scorecards
• Personal Essay
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume or CV
• Proof of your financial resources
• Student visa. 

Are you looking forward to starting a career in STEM in USA instead, find out the top 10 highest-paying courses in the U.S.

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