Annual salary survey shows basic average income falling to £47,000

The average basic salary for civil engineers fell for the first time in seven years in the twelve months to April, according to new figures out today.

The Institution of Civil Engineers’ annual salary survey shows the sector’s basic average income in the UK dropped by 0.3% to £47,282 during the 2008 tax year. It is the first decline seen since the survey began in 2003.

Total salary, which includes secondary income and bonuses, fell by 1.7% to £51,899.

Those on lower salaries were affected disproportionately, with the bottom 10% of earners suffering a fall in basic income of 6% on average, while the top 10% actually saw an increase of 1.2%.

Redundancies, pay freezes and hiring freezes were found to be the most common methods used by employers to tackle the effects of the recession.

However, starting salaries for 2008 graduates were up 2.6% on 2007 levels at £23,965 and 57% of UK earners rated their job as secure or very secure.

In the UAE, average basic income was £62,215 – 32% higher than in the UK but only 37% of employees in the region considered their roles to be secure or very secure.

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