Salary survey insights

• Company profitability played a big role in the bonus compensation of 2023 Plant Engineering salary survey respondents.
• Engineering skills remain the No. 1 skill needed by salary survey participants.

The 2023 Plant Engineering salary survey results were a mixed bag. While the average compensation with bonus was up slightly above a five-year average, it dropped compared to the previous year.

Download the 2023 Plant Engineering salary survey.

When reviewing the high-level results of the 2023 study, the average base salary was $102,294 and the average nonsalary compensation was $13,079. For full details, see the compensation tables.

When reviewing the average of the past five years of data, there is a very slight decrease of base salary (average of $102,571) and an increase of nonsalary compensation (average of $11,608). In comparison, information collected in 2021, which was a reflection of 2020 salaries, was the most impressive, with the average compensation with bonus reaching $123,313.

Figure 1: The average age of respondents was 54 years old, which equals the five-year average. Courtesy: Plant Engineering

Bonus compensation was up year over year, due to a host of reasons (respondents could select several options):

• Company profitability: 50%

• Personal performance: 44%

• New business, sales increase: 23%

• Product profitability: 20%.

For this salary survey, the response group was diverse. When asked about the main focus of their job, responses were:

• Maintenance: 17%

• Controls: 14%

• Electrical and power: 10%

• Industrial: 10%.

Figure 2: According to the 2023 Plant Engineering salary survey, the typical employee has been in the industry an average of 28 years, and about one-fifth (19%) have been at their current job 5 years or less. Courtesy: Plant Engineering

This is echoed by the wide variety of business areas and job responsibilities of respondents:

• System integration, consulting, business or technical services: 7%

• Food, beverage, tobacco manufacturing: 7%

• Miscellaneous or other manufacturing: 7%

• Government or military: 6%

• Oil, gas and petroleum, including refining: 6%

• Instrumentation, control systems, test, measurement or medical equipment manufacturing: 6%.

And most respondents are at smaller facilities, with 71% at companies that have fewer than 500 employees, and 32% at companies with fewer than 50 employees.

These respondents also have another positive attribute: Four in 10 (43%) of respondents have a bachelor’s degree, and 20% have a master’s degree. This trends along with the fact that 75% of survey respondents have a job title of engineering, maintenance or supervisor; 21% are in management, with the title of president, VP, general manager or something similar.

Table 1: The prime years for survey respondents appears to be in their 50s, and the average age of respondents was 54 years old. Courtesy: Plant Engineering

The salary survey outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the manufacturing sector remains historically low at 3.1% in 2022. In comparison, unemployment was 4.4% and 7% in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The average workweek for those in the entire manufacturing sector (all job titles) is 40.3 hours, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the 2023 Plant Engineering salary survey study, the average was 46 hours. Again, this may directly relate to those with management titles, or the fact that respondents are from a varied background with a wide variety of responsibilities.

And most survey participants like their jobs, which 83% believe to be a secure career. Nearly three in four (39%) indicated “I love going to work every day.” About half (52%) said, “It’s OK, glad to have a job, I can deal with it.”

Table 2: The top pay goes to those involved in computers or electronics, which includes cybersecurity, computerize maintenance management systems, software and similar. Courtesy: Plant Engineering

To improve in their profession, respondents shared details about skills they or others in similar positions could use to get ahead:

• Engineering: 71%

• Project management: 70%

• Communication/presentation: 54%

A survey was emailed to Plant Engineering audience members and information was collected in November 2022. A total of 162 qualified responses were returned, with a margin of error of +/-7.7% at a 95% confidence level. Participants frequently had the option to select more than one response, thus totals do not always equal 100%.

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