The IEMA practitioners' survey 2012 reveals the differing levels of pay of environment professionals in accordance with the seniority of their role
Table 1 (below) shows the mean and median total annual earnings by broad job level in specific industry sectors. (Note: table 1 and figure 1 are based on the 1,901 respondents who provided details of their job level.)
At £40,000, the median earnings of IEMA professionals working in business and industry are significantly higher than those of their colleagues working in academic and research institutions (£34,000), the public sector (£31,650) and consultancy (£33,100).
When the annual incomes of the most senior professionals in these four sectors are analysed, the pay differential widens further. For example, the median annual earnings of an executive director working in business and industry are pegged at £75,000.
The next highest median income of the most senior environment professional from the other three sectors is £49,000 and is earned by a director/partner/associate working in consultancy.
Figure 1 (below) illustrates that, at the most senior job level, environment professionals employed in business and industry have the potential to earn almost twice as much as their counterparts in public sector organisations.
At the more junior end of the income spectrum, the earnings differential between environment practitioners just starting out in the profession is negligible, regardless of which sector they are working in. A junior position in business and industry attracts median annual earnings of £27,000 compared with £26,500 for a researcher in academia, £26,250 for a consultant and £24,000 for a junior officer in the public sector.
To help gauge the level of seniority and responsibility achieved by IEMA practitioners, respondents were asked about their management responsibilities. Almost half (46.9%) manage others as part of their role. In most cases, respondents manage a team of up to 10.
Read the full survey results:
- IEMA practitioners' survey 2012 - key findings
- Earnings by seniority in sector
- Earnings by industrial sector and region
- Earnings by IEMA membership level
- Earnings by highest qualification
- The gender gap: Men and women's pay
- Changes to pay in 2011
- Workload and job satisfaction
- Benefits and professional development
- The 2012 IEMA survey sample
- Who is the environmentalist?
