Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/190260
2013 SALARY SURVEY By Jason Sowards, Noria Corporation Higher Salaries Spur Optimism among Lubrication Professionals According to the results of Machinery Lubrication's 2013 salary survey, lubrication professionals are earning more, are more satisfied with their jobs and consider their jobs more secure than a year ago. However, the latest findings also reveal several areas where economic recovery seems to have slowed and optimism appears to have declined since 2012. The annual survey, which was conducted both online and via mail among lubrication professionals in the United States, included employees from companies such as Boeing, DuPont, Dow Chemical, Alcoa, Holcim, International Paper, Luminant and MillerCoors. For a second consecutive year, workers in Texas and Ohio provided the most survey results, followed by lubrication professionals in California, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois. We would like to express our thanks to everyone who participated in this year's survey. The average age of survey participants in 2013 dropped to 49, which was one year less than in 2012. The oldest respondent was 72, and the youngest was 23, three years younger than the youngest respondent in last year's poll. Those workers 40 years of age and younger took home 7 percent less than their older colleagues but were more likely to have received a raise and a bonus in the past year. Compensation Although salary increases were reported by more than 80 percent of survey participants, the increases were smaller than in 2011 and 2012, with 75 percent receiving an increase of only 1 to 5 percent. Less than 3 percent of respondents were given a raise of more than 10 percent, while 15 percent saw their salary unchanged from the previous year. Demographics As expected, the overwhelming majority of respondents were male, with men accounting for nearly 99 percent of responses, which was an increase from 96 percent over the past two years. In spite of their small numbers, the few women who completed the survey earned 17 percent more on average than their male counterparts, were younger and were more likely to have received a raise in the past year. Women were also more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and work fewer hours. For a second consecutive year, the average salary among survey participants was $82,000, with $200,000 recorded as the highest salary and $24,500 as the lowest. Lubrication professionals in the Southwest earned the highest salaries, receiving approximately 15 percent more on average than their colleagues in the Midwest, which had the lowest income levels. Education/Certification While the majority of survey respondents had completed some college work but did not have a degree, those with at least a bachelor's degree earned 21 percent more on average than 34 September - October 2013 | www.machinerylubrication.com