Salaries

Professional Engineers are well paid in the UK. Chartered engineer status is a solid foundation for a well remunerated career. In their latest 2024 Survey The Engineer magazine quoted a mean average salary of £64,869. This compares with the average salary of the UK population as a whole in 2023 of £29,669.

Graduate starting salaries in engineering and technology with a good degree average £28,000 (March 2025. Source https:// standout-cv.com– search Graduate Statistics for the UK Section 4)

Comparative Salary Levels

Typically, the comparative salary levels of practising professional engineers from the highest down are:

  • Electrical/Electronic Engineering
  • Nuclear
  • Chemical Engineering

The above disciplines are now very close in remuneration.

Followed by;

  • Energy
  • Software Engineering
  • Mechanical
  • Civil Engineering

Salaries by industry sector

Combined average annual earnings across engineering in The Engineer 2017, 2019,2022 and 2024 surveys for chartered and non chartered engineers salaries taken together are listed below 58% of The Engineer salary responses in 2024 were from engineers over the age of 40 so fairly experienced which will be reflected in their surveyed salary average being £64,869- up 13% on the previous year.


Salaries by industry sector

Combined average annual earnings across engineering in The Engineer 2017, 2019,2022 and 2024 surveys for chartered /non-chartered engineers salaries taken together are listed below.

Engineering Sector

2017

2019

2022

2024

Oil and gas

54,461

57,161

58714

81559*

Energy/Renewables/Nuclear

51,953

58,695

62709

66193

Chemical/Pharmacy/Medical

51,750

56,206

61331

66214

Materials

48,318

48,773

57892

**

Automotive

48,100

49,736

57996

63295

Defence/Security/Marine

46,838

50,206

57533

66780

Telecoms/Electronics/Utilities

46,567

51,825

58682

70023

Food and Drink

46,460

52,877

50589

60719

Aerospace

46,362

50,284

51914

62277

Rail/Civil and Structural

44,890

46,369

53244

63475

Academic

43,809

43,830

47999

58584

*The Oil and Gas figure is significantly higher than the 2022 Survey result which may reflect a more senior group of respondents in 2024 hence the significantly higher average

**The figures for Materials seem disproportionately high in 2024 Survey which may have reflected the small sample of respondents who may have mostly been senior personnel and we have not included it in the Table

The Survey states:-

“In common with last years survey the largest segment of respondents work in Engineering Design (37%). This is followed by R and D (16%) and Production ( 13%) “

Chartered Engineers' Salaries

Engineers whose experience has enabled them to achieve registered Chartered Engineer status (CEng) under the Engineering Council will be earning salaries significantly higher than the averages across engineering in the above tables as they progress through their careers. Notably, around 62% of engineers at Director level are Chartered and earning the highest tabulated average salaries.

    There are significant numbers of Chartered Engineers working in Scotland whose salaries are in excess of £200,000 with some significantly higher than that of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

    Salary Growth with Increasing Experience

    2022 figures listed by Jobted a prominent salary search engine (https://uk.jobted.com/salary) – their latest available, provides data on how salaries grow as experience increases.

    Taking Electrical Engineering as an example, they quote "A mid- career Electrical Engineer with 4-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of £51,600 while a Senior engineer with 10-20 years of experience makes on average £91,000. Electrical Engineers with more than 20 years of experience earn £120,000 on average". The highest salaries can exceed £170,000.

    The following table lists the Jobted salary data for some of the main engineering disciplines. It does not separate Chartered from non- Chartered salaries.

    Engineering discipline

    Years of experience


    4-9

    10-20

    20+

    Highest

    Electrical Engineering

    51,600

    91,000

    120,000

    >170,000

    Chemical Engineering

    47,400

    84,900

    97,800

    >150,000

    Mechanical Engineering

    46,000

    75,300

    96,000

    120,000

    Software Engineering

    46,300

    79,200

    89,000

    130,000

    Civil Engineering

    43,600

    74,000

    94000

    110,000

    Structural Engineering

    42300

    76000

    87100

    110000

    Production Engineering

    38660

    58940

    64910

    100,000

    Nuclear

    49800

    83000

    108000

    > 160,000

    Energy

    48500

    81600

    102100

    > 165,000

    Engineering Average

    45700

    76400

    94500

    > 150,000

    Engineering Salaries- Regional Averages

    The Engineer 2024 Survey provides the following comparisons for regional salary averages across the UK and for UK engineers employed abroad            

      Outside UK                                     £80951

      London/South East                     £68901

      Midlands/East Anglia                  £64575

      Scotland/Wales N Ireland          £61287

      N England                                       £60505

      S West England                            £59425

    Salary Calculators

    You can find useful salary data directly from some of the leading engineering institutions

    Eg Institution of Chemical Engineers https://www.icheme.org -Salary insight-how much do chemical engineers earn.

    Or search“Chem eng salary calculator”

    The Institution advises that from its 2023 Survey Chartered engineers earned an annual median salary of £85,000 compared with non Chartered engineers earning £47,000.

    Institution of Civil Engineers https://www.ukcivilengineering.co.uk -Civil engineering Salaries in the UK.

    Or search “Inst civil engineers salary data”

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