DESPITE turbulent economic times, careers in science are holding their own. In 2019, salaries for scientists and engineers dropped in some areas of the UK. But by other measures STEM jobs seem to be blossoming, according to the 2020 STEM Market Survey, produced by 麻豆传媒 in association with STEM specialist recruiter SRG. Scientists report having long, fulfilling careers and nearly all science students say they intend to enter the industry themselves.
The survey, published this week, looks at the work scientists do and how they feel about it. It also gives insights into those all-important salary numbers and how to get the most out of the job market.
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The survey reached nearly 3000 people working in a spectrum of roles in science, engineering and clinical settings. The overwhelming majority of these were in the UK, but a handful of other European nations were also surveyed. Half of the respondents were working as scientists in research, development and quality control, with another 14 per cent working as engineers and 11 per cent in academia. Of those in industry, the most well represented sectors were pharmaceuticals, biotech and chemicals manufacturing. More than three-quarters of respondents were currently in STEM careers with the rest being students, retirees, people on a career break or now working elsewhere.
The 2018 edition of the survey contained . There was an almost double-digit percentage increase in the average salary compared with the previous year. This year鈥檚 figures aren鈥檛 so healthy. Between 2018 and 2019, STEM salaries suffered a setback as the average dropped from 拢40,925 to 拢39,130. This is probably part of a general economic trend amid the disruption of Brexit. The UK鈥檚 Office of National Statistics reports that 36 per cent of full-time employees experienced a real-terms pay decrease or pay freeze in 2019. The UK government鈥檚 promise to increase domestic research funding to 拢18 billion by 2025 may, however, mean the trend is short-lived.
On the face of it, things look better elsewhere in Europe. The survey looked at STEM jobs in Ireland, Switzerland, Italy and Germany to get a flavour of the job market there and found that the average salaries increased by 8 per cent compared with 2018, rising to 鈧�51,644. But there is a caveat. The average salary in Switzerland is so high that it skews the calculation. In Germany and Italy the average salaries were 鈧�58,500 and 鈧�40,000 respectively, but in Switzerland it was 鈧�95,000. Leaving the latter out gives 鈧�46,629, which is almost equivalent to the UK average.
Regional divide
So moving to other parts of Europe won鈥檛 necessarily get you a bigger pay cheque then, but could moving within the UK do it? There was definitely a regional variation in salary across the country (see map, right), with the South East and London having the highest averages. Then again, these areas also have a higher cost of living. East Anglia wasn鈥檛 far behind the top two, but outside of England the picture was not quite as positive. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were among the lowest average salaries. The North East of England came bottom.
Bear in mind, however, that these regional differences don鈥檛 apply to every employment sector. For example, the average salary for those working in chemicals manufacturing in the Midlands is 拢29,615, far behind the North West, where it is 拢37,069, and well below the overall regional average. In the pharmaceutical and engineering industries, there is a bigger difference between the North West and South West than their close regional averages would suggest: for pharmaceutical jobs there is a difference of 拢4000, and in engineering it鈥檚 拢6000. The spread of average salaries for engineering was particularly broad, going from 拢38,000 in the South West to 拢55,000 in Greater London.
There may be other strategies that could put a little more money in your pocket though. Switching to a large company with more than 1500 employees, for instance, could earn you 14 per cent more in the UK or up to 25 per cent more elsewhere in Europe.
鈥�88%
Number of STEM students planning on getting a job in science鈥�
On the other hand, loyalty also seems to pay. People who had been with their employers for nine years or more earned on average 拢15,000 more than those who had only stayed up to three years.
The gender pay gap remains a problem, with a 20 per cent difference in the average salaries of men and women in the UK. This number is far too high, but is at least moving slowly in the right direction, down from 22 per cent in 2018. The reduction could be in part due to the mandatory reporting that was introduced in 2017. Elsewhere in Europe, the gender pay gap was a little higher at 24 per cent and hasn鈥檛 shifted from 2018. Mandatory reporting is on the way in countries such as Portugal and France and this may affect the figure in future.
Broken down by age, 83 per cent of respondents in the 65+ category say they are satisfied with their jobs, and just 8 per cent described themselves as dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied. This appears to suggest that STEM careers are rewarding for decades.
In contrast, around 31 per cent of the 25 to 34 age group described themselves as 鈥渟atisfied鈥� with their careers. Nevertheless, about half of this age group responded that they are 鈥渘ot working or retired鈥�, so it might be that they are struggling to find that crucial first job. Ultimately, it seems STEM jobs are fulfilling 鈥� if you can get your foot in the door in the first place.
Overall, 88 per cent of the students we surveyed plan on entering STEM careers: 76 per cent of the men and 93 per cent of women. So perhaps efforts to encourage more women into STEM careers are finally starting to pay off. Stay tuned for next year鈥檚 survey to see if that trend continues.
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