UK chemical engineers report 6% pay increase
The median salary for chemical engineers participating in the survey was £53,000/y compared to £50,000/y in 2010. The best paid sectors were unchanged with those working in the oil and gas production and oil refining sectors reporting the highest median salaries of £72,000/y (+15%) and £63,800/y (+12%), respectively. Chemical engineers working in the petrochemicals sector also reported a 10% median pay increase from £55,000/y to £60,400/y.
The highest median salaries can be found in London (£62,000/y) closely followed by the South East (£60,725/y) and South Central (£59,600/y).Chartered Chemical Engineers also reported significantly higher salaries than non chartered counterparts.The survey results reveal that Chartered Chemical Engineers continue to earn more than non-chartered equivalents at almost every stage of their career. A chartered professional in their thirties out earns a non chartered counterpart of the same age by around £10,000/y.
New entrants to the field area also well rewarded. Graduates starting salaries remain some of the most competitive across all disciplines in the UK, with a typical starting salary of £28,000/y. The number of students studying chemical engineering in the UK has doubled over the last decade. There are now a record number of students studying the subject with another bumper intake expected this September.
IChemE ceo David Brown says that the results are largely positive: “Chemical engineering presents an excellent career opportunity across all of the sectors and the results show that chemical engineers still command real earning power. We’ve always said that becoming a Chartered Chemical Engineer is evidence of both competence and commitment to the profession. This data shows that employers also continue to recognise the value of chartered status.”
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