1999 salary survey - Statistical Data Included

Electronics Times, Jan 17, 2000

Stephanie Gordon unravels the figures to find the year's winners and losers

In terms of salary, things are not looking too bad in the industry, according to Electronics Times' 1999 Salary Survey*. But when you are looking for a new job, it is the overall packages that count.

The survey reports an average salary increase of 6.5% over the past 12 months and an average basic salary of #33,123, excluding other payments. This is a small increase on our 1997 survey which reported a 6.2% average salary increase.

Directors are commanding the highest average salaries at #48030, compared with managers on an average of #35,125 and engineers on #27,346. Managers and engineers have seen an average salary increase of 6.7 and 6.8% respectively, up from 6 and 6.3% in 1997. But for directors, the average salary increase is down from 7.1% in 1997 to 5.2%. Twenty-six per cent surveyed also had a pay freeze compared with 4% in 1997. The number taking a pay cut rose from 2% to 6%.

The survey results reveal the highest salary by sector going to those involved in software, earning an average #40,833. Other sectors at the top include communications equipment, with an average salary of #34,274. This figure can be seen to reflect the shortage in supply and availability of telecoms engineers coupled with the emergence of new technologies.

The components/sub-assemblies sector is well above the basic salary of #33,274, commanding an average of #36,834. Since ET's last salary survey in 1997, the distribution sector has risen from the bottom of the table, now expecting an average basic salary of #38,167 from #21,872, an increase of more than 29%.

Sectors within instrumentation and control are still below average, while the automotive and aerospace/defence sectors have seen a drop in average salaries from #29,538 and #28,379 in 1997 to #28,837 and #28,155 respectively in 1999.

Basic salaries in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) have gone down more than 13% since the last survey in 1997, when the average salary was #39,080. But an above average salary can still be expected, with workers in Ireland receiving #33,889. These figures continue to reflect the expansion and new investment that the country is currently enjoying. But as the sample was very small, the figures should be viewed with caution.

All locations within England and Wales have seen basic salaries rise from between 26% in the South East and 11% in the North, but Scotland has been less fortunate with a fall from #34,028 in 1997 to #33,215 in 1999.

Company size was also revealed to have a bearing on salary. The highest average basic salaries paid were #35,754 and #35,169 by companies employing between 50 and 99 or 100 and 249 employees respectively. The lowest average salaries paid were by companies employing up to nine staff (#27,424), more than 500 (#30,255) and between 250 and 499 staff (#32,070).

Average total salaries including benefits tend to be higher in the larger salary brackets when compared with basic salary. Respondents earning #50k+ received greatest benefits, followed by those earning less than #17.5k.

Those involved in RF design received higher basic and total salaries, earning #35,788 and #39,529 respectively. Being involved in embedded systems means you can expect an average total and basic salary of #37,201 and #34,736. The difference may reflect the current shortage in RF engineers and the growth in the telecoms market.

Only 4% of the respondents were female, but the results of the survey revealed that most work within purchasing (17%) or sales and marketing (16%). Only 1% of women said they earned more than #40k compared with 1997's result of 27%, while 16% of females earned less than #17.5k. The average female salary was #23,130 compared with #33,453 for men.

Although the female sample was very small, the results suggest that women are still losing out, especially on the engineering side, with most finding corporate roles.

Unsurprisingly, those with PhDs can expect to earn the highest salary with an average of #46,154. Having a masters degree should give you an average salary of #38,733 and an electronic engineering degree, #34,041. A computing/IT degree will give a higher pay than any other engineering degree, which may have been due to the demand for IT workers as the millennium approached. Those with only O-Levels/GCSEs can still expect to earn a reassuring average of #25,217.

When it comes to finding a new job, the figures suggest that electronics is the industry to be in. Engineers and managers are hopeful, with 56% and 52% respectively believing their move would be fairly easy. Directors seem to be the least optimistic about the ease with which they could find new employment, with 52% not expecting an easy route. Across all respondents, an average 9% thought their next job move would hold no problems at all.

The survey revealed that 37% of those asked are actively seeking new jobs. More than half of those under the age of 30 were looking for new jobs, with 32% looking for new permanent jobs and 15% looking for a new position with their existing employer.