Salary data collected by IChemE shows that the average earnings for chartered chemical engineers in the UK and Eire now exceed GBP53,000
Salary data collected by IChemE shows that the average earnings for chartered chemical engineers in the UK and Eire now exceed GBP53,000. Published this week, the biennial salary survey reveals that salary increases have kept ahead of inflation across all industry sectors and chemical engineering maintains its position as the best paid of all the mainstream engineering disciplines. Results from over 3,500 respondents show that the oil sector continues to be the most lucrative area to work in, with salaries averagingGBP70,000 for chartered engineers.

Contracting and consultancy rank in second and third place, with salaries averaging GBP59,000 and GBP53,000 respectively.

Income in the power sector has seen the most dramatic rise of 17% over the past two years, and the survey now reports a median salary of GBP50,000 for chartered chemical engineers.

The value of chartered status is reinforced by the survey findings.

Professional chemical engineers with full corporate membership of IChemE can expect to earn GBP42,000 at the age of 30, a figure that compares very favourably with their non chartered colleagues, for whom the equivalent figure is GBP36,000.

The survey also provides good news for recent graduates.

Chemical engineers from the class of 2005 can expect to earn on average GBP24,000 with salaries exceeding GBP32,000 for the high flyers.

'The salary survey provides a valuable insight into earnings trends across all sectors and in all parts of the UK and Ireland', says IChemE Director, Andrew Furlong.

'The 2006 Survey reveals that chemical engineering continues to be a well paid profession and this is certainly reflected in the number of applications to study the discipline.

The intake to first degree courses continues to climb and graduates can expect to secure highly competitive salaries when they enter the world of work'.