General > General Technical Chat

Why are engineering salaries so poor in the UK? Or, why does the US pay so well?

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tom66:
I am an electronic engineer and I get paid £32k per year in Leeds.  After tax, that's ~£24k.  I have about five years of experience.  I have never received an offer in my region above £35k,  and even in the South of England (London, etc), the best salaries I see are £55k.  According to data,  the average salary is about £42k.

Compare this to the USA:  Average salaries are $75k,  but 25% of engineers earn over $94k.  That's £55k - £70k in British money - neglecting the fact that US dollars buy more anyway and that the cost of living in (most areas) of the USA is lower than the UK.   

Australia and New Zealand have similar average salary ranges to the UK, although the top end of the market appears a little better.  I see offers for $120kAUD in Australia - though no idea if this is common or realistic.   Canada pays slightly better than these -- but again the salaries are so much better in the USA by at least 20%.

These are all English speaking countries so I would have thought that skilled immigration would even out gaps in employment levels, yet the US always jumps ahead of the pack.

What is the cause for the difference in salaries?  Is it supply and demand?  Better productivity?  Longer hours?

Yansi:
Dude! What are you bitching about? Here we get like down to half that you get in the UK... Which understandably sucks and pushes masses to not enter any engineering fields.

TK:
I think they are equivalent (or even favorable to UK) after you discount the cost of health care, education, paid vacation days, etc.

There is a good documentary called Where to Invade Next, by Michael Moore.

JohnnyMalaria:
Same is true in the pharmaceutical industry.

One reason is the all the stuff you have to pay a fortune for such as child daycare, health insurance, dental insurance, paying off your tuition fees, more expensive phone/internet, utilities in general (gas, electric). For the latter, take the UK quarterly bill and that's the monthly here (in my experience). Also, putting money aside to pay for children's education (tuition fees), saving for retirement. I can't remember how that was in the UK when I moved -  I know it was transitioning from SERPS to private. If, like me, you don't have kids then you're quids dollars in :) Even more so if, like me, you didn't pay a single penny for your education in the UK (bloody socialists).

PChi:
My guess is that the electronics industry in the UK is gradually shrinking so the pay is poor because of market forces. Also there is very little understanding or appreciation for engineeing even within the business so failure is built in.

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