Quality Engineer Salary in West Midlands 

We have reviewed 104 Quality Engineer job adverts across various job sites and uncovered some interesting salary insights. 

All of these jobs are based in the West Midlands Region, so please bear this in mind when comparing our findings with what you’re offering/on. 

Average Salary – £40,340.64 

This average is what I expected to be honest. But you may struggle a bit to get top talent in the current market if this is what you’re offering. It’s a bit lower than what I’d call a ‘good’ Quality Engineer salary in West Midlands, but it does depend on the industry. The £42k mark is where I’d say the acceptable salary sits.

Some factors may lead to Quality Engineers being okay with this salary. I find that if the company manufactures a product the engineer finds exciting, they may settle for a salary slightly lower than what I’d advise is ‘good’. But pension is another big deciding factor for Quality Engineers at the minute. And in my opinion, there would have to be a good pension offered alongside this average salary to get the talent.   

How does this compare to other averages?

On further investigation, the average derived from our data is higher than what’s shared on 2 main job boards. It’s 7.6% more than the average salary Total Jobs reports, and 6.3% more than what Indeed reports in the region.  These averages likely included roles titled ‘Quality Engineer’, that don’t really fit the job profile.

Salary Ranges 

Interestingly, 75% of the job adverts we reviewed, presented their salaries in a range. This is likely so the employer can finalise the salary depending on the expertise of the individual. They can sometimes be deceiving! For example, one of the jobs in our data set was advertised as £45-55k. This is a huge difference. So, I’d recommend avoiding ranges if possible. 

On a more positive note, the average difference between the bottom and top of the ranges was £5,335.72. This is pleasing to see as it means when the salary is finalised, it won’t be drastically different from each party’s ideal. But like I said, I would advise salaries to be advertised as a base. 

What’s going to happen with Quality Engineer salaries in the region? 

Obviously, Quality Engineer salaries will need to keep increasing alongside the cost of living. But regardless of this, the talent is always going to be looking for the next best thing. Whether that’s an exciting product, an enhanced pension, or a step-up on their salary. These 3 factors are all important but, realistically, the salary is no.1. Everyone’s looking for more money at the minute.  

But I pay this and still can’t hire people. 

If you’re a client sat thinking “perfect, I’m paying similar to this average I should be able to hire engineers”. I have something to tell you. 

You’re going to struggle if you are paying the average. This is the most competitive space to be, so there will also be many others just paying the average. On top of that, the average just won’t entice those good engineers who aren’t actively looking – the passive engineers.  

Yes, you might have a competitor who pays less than you. But there are several that are paying more, offering more, and doing more to attract engineers. As part of our services, (along with the usual recruitment stuff) we review your package to identify what improvements can be made to help you hire. So, if you’re struggling to hire and want some expert advice – with no fees attached – then contact me today! 

What Next?

If you’re in the market for a new role, check out the current Quality Engineer vacancies we have at the minute.

The Specialist Behind the Blog

Our specialist recruiter Tash manages our Technical Engineering desk. She has almost a decade of recruitment experience. The majority spent recruiting within this particular industry.

Want to learn a bit more about Tash? Read this blog.