A person working in Engineering in Malawi typically earns around 139,000 MWK per month. Salaries range from 44,100 MWK (lowest average) to 294,000 MWK (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different Engineering careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Acoustics Engineer | 136,000 MWK |
Assembly Engineering Technician | 112,000 MWK |
Assistant Chief Engineer | 168,000 MWK |
Associate Engineer | 136,000 MWK |
Autocad Operator | 91,300 MWK |
Automation Engineer | 162,000 MWK |
Avionic System Support Engineer | 135,000 MWK |
Biochemical Engineer | 144,000 MWK |
BMS Engineer | 142,000 MWK |
Bridge and Lock Tender | 83,400 MWK |
Broadcast Engineer | 142,000 MWK |
CAD Design Engineer | 159,000 MWK |
CAD Designer | 89,600 MWK |
CAE Engineer | 143,000 MWK |
Ceramics Engineer | 141,000 MWK |
Civil Engineer | 149,000 MWK |
Commissioning Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
Communications Engineer | 161,000 MWK |
Condition Monitoring Engineer | 130,000 MWK |
Contract Associate Engineer | 147,000 MWK |
Control Systems Engineer | 140,000 MWK |
Controls Engineer | 150,000 MWK |
Controls Software Engineer | 130,000 MWK |
Corrosion Engineer | 133,000 MWK |
Design Engineer | 152,000 MWK |
Drafter | 90,700 MWK |
Drafting Manager | 172,000 MWK |
Drilling Engineer | 148,000 MWK |
Electrical Draughtsman | 72,000 MWK |
Electrical Engineer | 156,000 MWK |
Electrical Engineering Manager | 210,000 MWK |
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist | 165,000 MWK |
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler | 75,100 MWK |
Energy Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
Engine Assembler | 69,300 MWK |
Engineer | 159,000 MWK |
Engineering Account Manager | 170,000 MWK |
Engineering Chief Designer | 169,000 MWK |
Engineering Consultant | 201,000 MWK |
Engineering Key Account Manager | 205,000 MWK |
Engineering Lab Technician | 141,000 MWK |
Engineering Planning Manager | 198,000 MWK |
Engineering Production Manager | 271,000 MWK |
Engineering Project Analyst | 172,000 MWK |
Engineering Project Coordinator | 173,000 MWK |
Engineering Project Director | 301,000 MWK |
Engineering Project Manager | 212,000 MWK |
Engineering Research and Development Manager | 248,000 MWK |
Engineering Safety Coordinator | 120,000 MWK |
Engineering Sales Manager | 208,000 MWK |
Engineering Technician | 118,000 MWK |
Engineering Technologist | 115,000 MWK |
Environmental Engineer | 152,000 MWK |
Equipment Engineer | 132,000 MWK |
Equipment Engineering Manager | 196,000 MWK |
Estimator | 129,000 MWK |
Fabrication Specialist | 107,000 MWK |
Fabricator | 64,300 MWK |
Facade Engineer | 141,000 MWK |
Fiber Analyst | 82,500 MWK |
Field Engineer | 159,000 MWK |
Field Engineering Manager | 241,000 MWK |
Fire Engineer | 154,000 MWK |
Fitter and Turner | 45,800 MWK |
Forestry Strategic Planner | 170,000 MWK |
Generation Engineer | 155,000 MWK |
Genetic Engineer | 157,000 MWK |
Geological Engineer | 159,000 MWK |
Geotechnical Engineer | 156,000 MWK |
Heavy Equipment Mechanic | 78,800 MWK |
Highway Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
HSE Professional | 144,000 MWK |
HVAC Engineer | 150,000 MWK |
HVAC Supervisor | 140,000 MWK |
Industrial Engineer | 140,000 MWK |
Industrial Engineering Technologist | 138,000 MWK |
Instrument Engineer | 146,000 MWK |
Instrumentation and Control Engineer | 143,000 MWK |
Instrumentation Engineer | 144,000 MWK |
Instrumentation Manager | 151,000 MWK |
Irrigation Engineer | 145,000 MWK |
Licensed Aircraft Engineer | 157,000 MWK |
Locomotive Engineer | 143,000 MWK |
Maintenance Engineer | 144,000 MWK |
Maintenance Fitter | 53,000 MWK |
Maintenance Manager | 147,000 MWK |
Manufacturing Engineer | 138,000 MWK |
Marine Engineer | 148,000 MWK |
Materials Engineer | 149,000 MWK |
Materials Researcher | 137,000 MWK |
Materials Technician | 111,000 MWK |
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | 157,000 MWK |
Mechanical Design Engineer | 152,000 MWK |
Mechanical Designer | 127,000 MWK |
Mechanical Engineer | 150,000 MWK |
Mechanical Engineering Manager | 204,000 MWK |
Mechanical Inspector | 146,000 MWK |
Mechatronics Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
Mining Engineer | 144,000 MWK |
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer | 168,000 MWK |
Optical Engineer | 147,000 MWK |
Optical Instrument Assembler | 71,300 MWK |
PCB Assembler | 53,500 MWK |
Photonics Engineer | 158,000 MWK |
Photonics Technician | 133,000 MWK |
Pipeline Engineer | 129,000 MWK |
Piping Designer | 79,000 MWK |
Piping Engineer | 137,000 MWK |
Planning Engineer | 143,000 MWK |
Pressure Vessel Inspector | 72,600 MWK |
Principal Cost Engineer | 149,000 MWK |
Principal Engineer | 150,000 MWK |
Principal Support Engineer | 154,000 MWK |
Process Engineer | 142,000 MWK |
Process Operator | 85,800 MWK |
Product Development Engineer | 154,000 MWK |
Product Development Technician | 107,000 MWK |
Product Engineer | 158,000 MWK |
Product Safety Engineer | 136,000 MWK |
Production Engineer | 140,000 MWK |
Project Engineer | 150,000 MWK |
Proposal Manager | 196,000 MWK |
Purchasing Engineer | 131,000 MWK |
Quality Assurance Engineer | 144,000 MWK |
Rail Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
Robotics Engineer | 168,000 MWK |
Robotics Technician | 125,000 MWK |
Safety Engineer | 154,000 MWK |
Safety Inspector | 120,000 MWK |
Safety Manager | 171,000 MWK |
Safety Officer | 77,500 MWK |
Sales Engineer | 160,000 MWK |
Scheduling Engineer | 140,000 MWK |
Service Engineer | 162,000 MWK |
Solar Engineer | 160,000 MWK |
Staff Engineer | 151,000 MWK |
Static Equipment Engineer | 148,000 MWK |
Stationary Engineer | 128,000 MWK |
Stress Engineer | 143,000 MWK |
Structural Analysis Engineer | 141,000 MWK |
Structural Designer | 126,000 MWK |
Structural Engineer | 145,000 MWK |
Structural Technician | 97,700 MWK |
Supply Chain Specialist | 151,000 MWK |
Surveyor | 113,000 MWK |
Technical Affairs Officer | 77,900 MWK |
Technical Assistant | 77,000 MWK |
Technical Engineer | 131,000 MWK |
Technical Support Engineer | 130,000 MWK |
Tender Engineer | 135,000 MWK |
Test Development Engineer | 147,000 MWK |
Transportation Engineer | 136,000 MWK |
Validation Engineer | 127,000 MWK |
Verification Engineer | 142,000 MWK |
Wastewater Engineer | 147,000 MWK |
Wind Energy Engineer | 153,000 MWK |
Wind Energy Operations Manager | 206,000 MWK |
Work Planner | 108,000 MWK |
Engineering salaries in Malawi range from 44,100 MWK per month (minimum average salary) to 294,000 MWK per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
The median salary is 133,000 MWK per month, which means that half (50%) of people working in Engineering are earning less than 133,000 MWK while the other half are earning more than 133,000 MWK. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of people working in Engineering are earning less than 79,800 MWK while 75% of them are earning more than 79,800 MWK. Also from the diagram, 75% of people working in Engineering are earning less than 205,000 MWK while 25% are earning more than 205,000 MWK.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a cerificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Malawi costs anywhere from 822,000 Kwacha(s) to 2,470,000 Kwacha(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
The decision really depends on your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Malawi who work in Engineering earn 12% more than their female counterparts on average.
Male | 148,000 MWK | |
Female | -10% | 133,000 MWK |
Engineering professionals in Malawi are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 5% every 28 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 4% granted to employees every 29 months.
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
Banking | 3% | |
Energy | 6% | |
Information Technology | 9% | |
Healthcare | 3% | |
Travel | 6% | |
Construction | 9% | |
Education | 3% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Malawi for the year 2021. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Engineering is considered to be a moderate bonus-based field due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
67% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 33% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 33% | |
No Bonus | 67% |
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The average salary for Engineering is 16% less than that of All Jobs.
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Malawi earn 14% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 156,000 MWK | |
Public Sector | +14% | 178,000 MWK |