A graduate engineer is an entry-level role, so the salary you can expect is not high, although it can vary greatly depending on the company you are joining. So, What is The Salary of A Graduate Engineer?
What Is The Average Salary of A Graduate Engineer?
The average graduate engineer salary in the UK is between £26,000 and £29,000 for high profile graduate employers. Examples of high profile graduate employers: AECOM, Airbus, Mott Macdonald, Rolls Royce etc. However, for companies hiring graduate engineers who aren’t high profile, the average salary can range from £22,000 – £30,000.
However, from my experience of searching for graduate schemes, it tends to be towards the bottom end of that range. For comparison, the average salary for a graduate (across all industries) is approximately £24,000. In comparison to others, graduate engineers can expect to earn the same or slightly more than the average graduate role.
There are some companies, typically high profile, who will pay graduate engineers above £30,000 as a starting salary. However, the number of roles with this salary are limited.
The Average Graduate Engineer Salary By Sector
From a survey conducted for 2016/2017 graduates, within six months after graduating, the following average graduate engineer starting salary for different subject areas were found:
- General engineering: £27,849
- Civil engineering: £26,338
- Mechanical engineering: £26,344
- Aerospace engineering: £26,058
- Naval architecture: £25,063
- Electronic and electrical engineering: £26,031
- Production and manufacturing engineering: £25,492
- Chemical, process and energy engineering: £27,093
Data found on TargetJob here.
Does A Graduate Engineers Salary Increase?
It is common for an engineering graduate to be on a structured payment scheme that includes pay rises at set intervals. The pay rises are aligned with time frames where you will have more experience and hence further your skills. The salaries discussed above are the starting salaries you can expect.
The range in which your salary will increase will vary depending on your employer. However, it is reasonable to expect the average graduate engineer salary to increase approximately £10,000, 2 years after starting the role. This type of information isn’t widely available during the early recruitment process, but you may be made aware before employment.
Generally, the payment structure consists of 6-month intervals. So you will have a pay increase every six months! However, the first few pay rises are relatively small e.g £1,000, with the last one being relatively large e.g £3,000-£4,000.
Will Postgraduate Study Increase My Salary?
Postgraduate study may increase your starting salary however it will most likely not. If it does, it will only be by a small margin. Although looking at the salary over your career, the postgraduate study will increase your salary.
Postgraduate study is necessary for obtaining a chartership, which is a common career goal. The average salary for chartered engineers is approximately £63,000 compared to engineers not chartered at approximately £45,000.
Additionally, studying for a masters will expose you to management modules and experiences. This will allow you to use them in your career and move into management roles, which are well known to have a higher salary due to the increased responsibility.
Overview
The average graduate engineer salary can vary widely, £22,000 – £30,000, depending on the company. However, a few years into the role, you can expect a significant salary increase due to more experience and the development of your skills. Taking postgraduate study (a masters) will help increase your salary over the duration of your career. Utilising the additional studying and becoming a chartered engineer, you can expect a salary of approximately £62,000, which is considerably more than the average salary in the UK.
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