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Chemical Engineer Masters

.Dezer.

I have been reading a bit about the job prospects for a ChemEng and mostly all the salaries of graduates come out as 18k-24k per year which seems very low and wouldn't really provide financial stability. I was wondering if there is anything else a ChemEng can do to get higher pay than that like for e.g a certain company to look towards etc. Also what would someone reccomend for someone who has just got his chemeng degree, would you go into an internship or find a job or anything else. I have been wondering because as much as I love the idea of doing ChemEng if it won't financially be helpful I don't think I can take it... Any tips...

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Universities Forum Helper

Original post by .Dezer.

bump

There is no need to bump your post after only an hour.

A starting salary does not indicate what you will earn forever in that role, so the starting salary is only that - a starting point. Additionally you will probably find some pay better if you are willing to relocate or travel for the job, and some roles will offer reimbursement or signing bonuses to allow you to do so.

That said if you haven't done any internships, work placements, or other work experience during your degree then you should be prepared to take on lower paid work for a year or two because you have literally no experience and thus are less valuable to employers.

Reply 3

.Dezer.

Original post by artful_lounger

Sorry about the bump, but thanks! :smile:

Reply 4

Student-95

What roles have you been reading about? 18k for a graduate engineering job is very low - I'd be skeptical about whether it's actually an engineering role or a disguised admin role.

Reply 5

.Dezer.

Original post by Student-95

What roles have you been reading about? 18k for a graduate engineering job is very low - I'd be skeptical about whether it's actually an engineering role or a disguised admin role.

Could you maybe give me a rough value which is correct then for someone looking to get employed straight after graduation?

Reply 6

Student-95

Original post by .Dezer.

Could you maybe give me a rough value which is correct then for someone looking to get employed straight after graduation?

Depends on what you're looking to get employed as. For 2016-17, mean starting salary (full time) for chem eng graduates was about £28k for engineering occupations and about £26k for non-engineering occupations. The range is going to be pretty big in both cases though.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 7

TEMSfluence

I agree with the information given by Student-95! I am a masters chemical engineering student, I did chemeng for undergrad and I’ve also done a year in industry and multiple summer placements. For internships, the more competitive programs can pay from £17K-28K per annum with the oil & gas industry being on the higher end of that and the fast moving consumer goods industry being on the lower end (in my experience). That being said, the starting salary for chemical engineers in the oil & gas industry are around £35-40K and large FMCG companies come close at around £30-33K. Consulting in operations can also be quite lucrative with starting salaries of £30-40K. However, on average you can expect what Student-95 has said. The research you’re currently doing is so important and well done for doing it because chemeng is not easy and your degree is an investment! I would highly recommend applying for internships if you are still at uni.