Introduction First, we'd like to say "Thank you!" to everyone who took the time to complete our 2007 survey. These salary statistics and information are specific to the Automation.com audience and/or subscribers (industrial automation, process control, and instrumentation engineers and other professionals) and are relative to job function, industry type, education level, years of experience, etc. Click here to see survey questions.
This year we received a total of 1563 responses from all over the world. Since salaries vary so much depending on geography, the following results were tallied from the US responses only, a total of 864 respondents. The results are depicted in chart and table form.
Scroll to the bottom of this page to read some of own interesting observations from this survey.
Typical Survey Respondent
The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Indicator
Percentage of Respondents or Average
Job Function
Automation/Control Engineering (45.0%)
Average Age
43.6
Gender
Male (95.6%)
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian (81.8%)
US Geograpic Region
Midwest (25.9%)
Education Level
College graduate (45.3%, 14.6% have advanced degree)
Average Salary by Years of Work Experience The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Years of Work Experience
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
2 years or less
$49,634
4.7%
3 to 5 years
$58,125
4.6%
6 to 10 years
$73,797
15.%
11 to 15 years
$82,232
16.2%
16 to 20 years
$86,906
16.1%
21 to 25 years
$91,541
16.9%
26 to 30 years
$92,459
14.0%
31 or more years
$95,361
12.0%
Average Salary by Company Tenure The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Years With Present Employer
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
2 years or less
$77,548
36.3%
3 to 5 years
$85,952
19.4%
6 to 10 years
$83,540
18.6%
11 to 15 years
$85,988
9.4%
16 to 20 years
$92,617
7.4%
21 to 25 years
$95,197
4.4%
26 to 30 years
$92,813
2.8%
31 or more years
$89,286
1.6%
Average Salary by Highest Level of Education
The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Highest Level of Education
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Advanced Degree
$93,631
14.6%
Attended Some Graduate School
$99,091
6.4%
College Graduate
$83,638
45.3%
Attended Some College
$79,057
13.2%
Technical/Trade School Graduate
$73,254
13.4%
Attended Some Technical/Trade School
$72,586
3.4%
High School Graduate
$78,629
3.6%
Attended Some High School
$95,000
0.2%
Average Salary by Bachelor Degree Received This data is calculated from the 556 respondents who indicated they have received a Bachelor's Degree. The percent numbers are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864. Please note that some respondents reported they have more than one degree.
Degree (Bachelor)
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Electrical Engineering
$90,561
29.7%
Electrical Engineering Technology
$78,441
15.3%
Mechanical Engineering
$86,205
10.1%
Control Engineering
$78,889
4.9%
Chemical Engineering
$99,375
7.9%
Other Engineering
$81,531
8.8%
Physics
$85,556
1.6%
Computer Science
$95,086
5.2%
Mathematics
$72,813
1.4%
Other Science
$84,737
3.4%
Business Administration
$85,833
4.3%
IT/Systems
$79,375
2.2%
Liberal Arts
$93,500
2.7%
All Other
$80,357
2.5%
Average Salary by Advanced Degree Received
This data is calculated from 126 (14.6%) respondents who indicated they have received an Advanced Degree. The percent numbers are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864. Please note that some respondents reported they have more than one advanced degree.
Degree (Advanced)
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Electrical Engineering
$83,138
23.3%
Electrical Engineering Technology
$69,615
6.4%
Mechanical Engineering
$97,500
5.9%
Control Engineering
$88,690
10.4%
Chemical Engineering
$105,000
5.4%
Other Engineering
$98,056
8.9%
Physics
$81,667
3.0%
Computer Science
$85,385
6.4%
Mathematics
$65,000
1.0%
Other Science
$88,571
3.5%
Business Administration
$100,887
15.3%
IT/Systems
$60,000
1.0%
Liberal Arts
$73,000
2.5%
All Other
$72,143
6.9%
Average Salary by Gender
The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Gender
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Male
$84,210
95.6%
Female
$70,395
4.4%
Average Salary by Race/Ethnicity The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Race/Ethnicity
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
African American
$69,167
1.4%
Asian
$82,500
5.9%
Caucasian
$83,299
81.8%
Hispanic
$80,242
3.6%
Other
$82,900
2.9%
No Answer
$97,434
4.4%
Average Salary by Employment Type
The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Employment Type
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Contractor
$92,500
9.6%
Direct Employee
$82,689
90.4%
Average Salary by US Geographic Region
The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
US Geographic Region
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
Great Lakes
$79,294
9.8%
Mid-Atlantic
$88,634
11.3%
Midwest
$76,435
25.9%
New England
$81,850
5.8%
Pacific Northwest
$87,500
6.9%
So-Cal
$91,810
3.2%
South
$89,611
10.4%
Southeast
$83,716
12.8%
Southwest
$88,582
11.8%
Other
$71,741
1.9%
Average Salary by Company or Division Size The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 864.
Company or Division Size
Average Salary
Percent Respondents
less than 30
$80,293
18.8%
30 to 49
$81,762
7.1%
50 to 99
$76,599
10%
100 to 249
$76,594
16.0%
250 to 499
$84,973
10.9%
500 to 999
$85,294
7.9%
1,000 to 4,999
$89,804
13.3%
5,000 to 9,999
$90,385
6.0%
10,000 or more
$94,517
10.2%
Breakdown of Respondents by Annual Gross Income
Breakdown of Respondents by Annual Gross Income as Commissions and/or Bonuses
Breakdown of Respondents by Job Function
Breakdown of Respondents by Years of Work Experience
Breakdown of Respondents by Education
Breakdown of Respondents by Degree Received
Breakdown of Respondents by Primary Business or Industry
Breakdown of Respondents by Age
Breakdown of Respondents by Race/Ethnicity
Breakdown of Respondents by Job Satisfaction
Breakdown of Respondents by Weeks of Vacation per Year
Breakdown of Respondents by Years with Present Employer
Interesting Observations
Good news! In two years, the average overall salary jumped from $76,926 to $83,623...roughly a 4% increase per year.
It pays to obtain an advanced degree (or even attend some graduate school)...those with an advanced degree have a $9,993 higher annual salary ($93,631) than those with a bachelor's degree ($83,638).
The highest paying job function was Quality Control, Evaluation & Testing at $109,167. It appears that the executives have been able to justify paying high salaries when it comes to quality assurance. Next in line were General or Operations Management at $103,676 and Engineering Management at $102,574. It pays to be in management! And as you might expect the next highest salary was associated with all those hard working (or not so hard working) outside sales guys.
The highest paid degrees were Chemical Engineering at $99,375 followed by Computer Science at $95,086.
Guess which region within the U.S. demands the highest salary. If you guessed Southern California, you're RIGHT. The average salary in Southern California is $91,810. The Southern region came in second at $89,611.
Independent contractors are bringing in an average of $9,811 more per year than direct employees...that's almost a $2,500 decrease compared to 2005.
Professionals working for very small companies (less than 50 people) are paid higher than those working for companies with 50 to 249 people. But otherwise, the larger the company, the larger the pay.
If you have any comments or questions regarding our 2007 survey or results, please don't hesitate to contact Rick Zabel.
