A person working in Engineering in Sierra Leone typically earns around 4,810,000 SLL per month. Salaries range from 1,530,000 SLL (lowest average) to 10,200,000 SLL (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 | 4,380,000 SLL |
Assembly Engineering Technician | 3,640,000 SLL |
Assistant Chief Engineer | 5,250,000 SLL |
Associate Engineer | 4,280,000 SLL |
Autocad Operator | 2,960,000 SLL |
Automation Engineer | 4,860,000 SLL |
Avionic System Support Engineer | 4,640,000 SLL |
Biochemical Engineer | 4,440,000 SLL |
BMS Engineer | 4,490,000 SLL |
Bridge and Lock Tender | 2,620,000 SLL |
Broadcast Engineer | 4,620,000 SLL |
CAD Design Engineer | 4,950,000 SLL |
CAD Designer | 2,990,000 SLL |
CAE Engineer | 4,590,000 SLL |
Ceramics Engineer | 4,280,000 SLL |
Civil Engineer | 4,810,000 SLL |
Commissioning Engineer | 4,600,000 SLL |
Communications Engineer | 5,070,000 SLL |
Condition Monitoring Engineer | 4,060,000 SLL |
Contract Associate Engineer | 4,520,000 SLL |
Control Systems Engineer | 4,900,000 SLL |
Controls Engineer | 4,620,000 SLL |
Controls Software Engineer | 4,370,000 SLL |
Corrosion Engineer | 4,320,000 SLL |
Design Engineer | 4,740,000 SLL |
Drafter | 3,000,000 SLL |
Drafting Manager | 5,490,000 SLL |
Drilling Engineer | 4,480,000 SLL |
Electrical Draughtsman | 2,440,000 SLL |
Electrical Engineer | 5,040,000 SLL |
Electrical Engineering Manager | 6,560,000 SLL |
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist | 5,160,000 SLL |
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler | 2,500,000 SLL |
Energy Engineer | 5,110,000 SLL |
Engine Assembler | 2,220,000 SLL |
Engineer | 5,300,000 SLL |
Engineering Account Manager | 5,700,000 SLL |
Engineering Chief Designer | 5,600,000 SLL |
Engineering Consultant | 6,630,000 SLL |
Engineering Key Account Manager | 6,660,000 SLL |
Engineering Lab Technician | 4,730,000 SLL |
Engineering Planning Manager | 6,770,000 SLL |
Engineering Production Manager | 8,650,000 SLL |
Engineering Project Analyst | 5,740,000 SLL |
Engineering Project Coordinator | 5,590,000 SLL |
Engineering Project Director | 9,940,000 SLL |
Engineering Project Manager | 6,810,000 SLL |
Engineering Research and Development Manager | 7,950,000 SLL |
Engineering Safety Coordinator | 3,770,000 SLL |
Engineering Sales Manager | 6,410,000 SLL |
Engineering Technician | 3,770,000 SLL |
Engineering Technologist | 3,700,000 SLL |
Environmental Engineer | 4,900,000 SLL |
Equipment Engineer | 4,540,000 SLL |
Equipment Engineering Manager | 6,520,000 SLL |
Estimator | 3,930,000 SLL |
Fabrication Specialist | 3,290,000 SLL |
Fabricator | 2,100,000 SLL |
Facade Engineer | 4,880,000 SLL |
Fiber Analyst | 2,770,000 SLL |
Field Engineer | 5,120,000 SLL |
Field Engineering Manager | 8,280,000 SLL |
Fire Engineer | 4,950,000 SLL |
Fitter and Turner | 1,570,000 SLL |
Forestry Strategic Planner | 5,770,000 SLL |
Generation Engineer | 4,730,000 SLL |
Genetic Engineer | 5,250,000 SLL |
Geological Engineer | 5,050,000 SLL |
Geotechnical Engineer | 5,190,000 SLL |
Heavy Equipment Mechanic | 2,440,000 SLL |
Highway Engineer | 4,840,000 SLL |
HSE Professional | 4,400,000 SLL |
HVAC Engineer | 5,140,000 SLL |
HVAC Supervisor | 4,540,000 SLL |
Industrial Engineer | 4,630,000 SLL |
Industrial Engineering Technologist | 4,510,000 SLL |
Instrument Engineer | 4,750,000 SLL |
Instrumentation and Control Engineer | 4,870,000 SLL |
Instrumentation Engineer | 4,850,000 SLL |
Instrumentation Manager | 4,820,000 SLL |
Irrigation Engineer | 4,650,000 SLL |
Licensed Aircraft Engineer | 5,360,000 SLL |
Locomotive Engineer | 4,510,000 SLL |
Maintenance Engineer | 4,460,000 SLL |
Maintenance Fitter | 1,620,000 SLL |
Maintenance Manager | 4,650,000 SLL |
Manufacturing Engineer | 4,560,000 SLL |
Marine Engineer | 4,740,000 SLL |
Materials Engineer | 4,590,000 SLL |
Materials Researcher | 4,420,000 SLL |
Materials Technician | 3,580,000 SLL |
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | 5,130,000 SLL |
Mechanical Design Engineer | 4,990,000 SLL |
Mechanical Designer | 4,020,000 SLL |
Mechanical Engineer | 4,960,000 SLL |
Mechanical Engineering Manager | 6,500,000 SLL |
Mechanical Inspector | 4,560,000 SLL |
Mechatronics Engineer | 5,010,000 SLL |
Mining Engineer | 4,910,000 SLL |
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer | 5,000,000 SLL |
Optical Engineer | 4,720,000 SLL |
Optical Instrument Assembler | 2,450,000 SLL |
PCB Assembler | 1,790,000 SLL |
Photonics Engineer | 5,360,000 SLL |
Photonics Technician | 4,350,000 SLL |
Pipeline Engineer | 4,580,000 SLL |
Piping Designer | 2,700,000 SLL |
Piping Engineer | 4,540,000 SLL |
Planning Engineer | 4,680,000 SLL |
Pressure Vessel Inspector | 2,350,000 SLL |
Principal Cost Engineer | 4,950,000 SLL |
Principal Engineer | 4,870,000 SLL |
Principal Support Engineer | 4,850,000 SLL |
Process Engineer | 4,510,000 SLL |
Process Operator | 2,840,000 SLL |
Product Development Engineer | 5,220,000 SLL |
Product Development Technician | 3,540,000 SLL |
Product Engineer | 5,190,000 SLL |
Product Safety Engineer | 4,520,000 SLL |
Production Engineer | 4,600,000 SLL |
Project Engineer | 5,250,000 SLL |
Proposal Manager | 6,000,000 SLL |
Purchasing Engineer | 4,430,000 SLL |
Quality Assurance Engineer | 4,890,000 SLL |
Rail Engineer | 4,950,000 SLL |
Robotics Engineer | 5,250,000 SLL |
Robotics Technician | 3,780,000 SLL |
Safety Engineer | 4,890,000 SLL |
Safety Inspector | 3,680,000 SLL |
Safety Manager | 5,940,000 SLL |
Safety Officer | 2,520,000 SLL |
Sales Engineer | 5,300,000 SLL |
Scheduling Engineer | 4,250,000 SLL |
Service Engineer | 4,860,000 SLL |
Solar Engineer | 5,200,000 SLL |
Staff Engineer | 4,870,000 SLL |
Static Equipment Engineer | 4,480,000 SLL |
Stationary Engineer | 4,500,000 SLL |
Stress Engineer | 4,270,000 SLL |
Structural Analysis Engineer | 4,470,000 SLL |
Structural Designer | 4,350,000 SLL |
Structural Engineer | 4,920,000 SLL |
Structural Technician | 3,210,000 SLL |
Supply Chain Specialist | 4,710,000 SLL |
Surveyor | 3,510,000 SLL |
Technical Affairs Officer | 2,550,000 SLL |
Technical Assistant | 2,510,000 SLL |
Technical Engineer | 4,080,000 SLL |
Technical Support Engineer | 4,060,000 SLL |
Tender Engineer | 4,350,000 SLL |
Test Development Engineer | 4,520,000 SLL |
Transportation Engineer | 4,620,000 SLL |
Validation Engineer | 4,220,000 SLL |
Verification Engineer | 4,410,000 SLL |
Wastewater Engineer | 4,870,000 SLL |
Wind Energy Engineer | 4,870,000 SLL |
Wind Energy Operations Manager | 6,340,000 SLL |
Work Planner | 3,220,000 SLL |
Engineering salaries in Sierra Leone range from 1,530,000 SLL per month (minimum average salary) to 10,200,000 SLL per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
The median salary is 4,910,000 SLL per month, which means that half (50%) of people working in Engineering are earning less than 4,910,000 SLL while the other half are earning more than 4,910,000 SLL. 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 2,900,000 SLL while 75% of them are earning more than 2,900,000 SLL. Also from the diagram, 75% of people working in Engineering are earning less than 7,700,000 SLL while 25% are earning more than 7,700,000 SLL.
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 Sierra Leone costs anywhere from 28,500,000 Leone(s) to 85,500,000 Leone(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 Sierra Leone who work in Engineering earn 13% more than their female counterparts on average.
Male | 5,040,000 SLL | |
Female | -12% | 4,450,000 SLL |
Engineering professionals in Sierra Leone 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 | 6% | |
Energy | 3% | |
Information Technology | 9% | |
Healthcare | 6% | |
Travel | 3% | |
Construction | 9% | |
Education | 6% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Sierra Leone 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.
64% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 36% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 36% | |
No Bonus | 64% |
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.
City | Average Salary |
Freetown | 4,910,000 SLL |
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Sierra Leone earn 14% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 5,250,000 SLL | |
Public Sector | +14% | 5,990,000 SLL |