Report: UK chemical engineer salary drops from 2017

According to an Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) survey, the salaries of chemical engineers in the UK have dropped slightly in 2018.

The IChemE UK Salary Survey 2018, conducted annually, noted that the median salary for chemical engineers saw a slight decline in 2018, decreasing from £55,000 in 2017 to £54,000 in 2018.

Chemical engineers aged under 25, defined as ‘early career’ by the industry, still earn a median salary of £30,000 as they did in 2017.

The report also outlined that men and women in early stages of their career earn the same, however the gap widens from 25 onwards. The largest gap remains in the 45-49 age region where women earn £27,500 less than their male counterparts.

“The decrease in UK chemical engineering salaries is too small to draw accurate conclusions from at this stage, but it provides a baseline for us to monitor when we conduct the survey again next year. 

“In terms of the next generation, it’s encouraging to see that the average salary for under 25s is holding steady and remains the same for both male and female engineers. What’s more the trends in industry sector show a significant uplift in salaries within emerging sectors such as biochemical engineering and fuel cells technology. It’s evidence of how the profession is adapting to our changing world.

“We are first and foremost a professional qualifying body, and more than half of respondents were Chartered Chemical Engineers. I’m also pleased to report that 70% of survey respondents have their IChemE membership fees paid for by their employer, and this is great to see. It shows that those who employ chemical engineers’ value professional membership and are supportive of their continued professional development.”

The full report can be accessed and downloaded for free here.