Introduction
The Jordanian engineer is a fundamental pillar in building the national economy, as engineering professionals contribute to the construction, infrastructure, technology, and industry sectors. To protect the rights of these professionals and ensure a decent standard of living for its members, the Jordan Engineers Association has established a clear minimum salary scale, based on the provisions of Article (6/f) of the Association’s Law and Article (3/b) of its bylaws. However, reality reveals a clear gap between what the Association stipulates and what many engineers actually receive, particularly in the private sector.
Engineer Salary Scale Issued by the Jordan Engineers Association
The Jordan Engineers Association Council, in its session held on 28/7/2008, decided to set the minimum monthly wages for engineers working in the private sector according to years of experience, effective from 1/9/2008. It should be noted that these figures do not include social security contributions required from the employer or overtime work.
| Years of Experience (since graduation) | Minimum Monthly Salary (Jordanian Dinar) |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1 year | JD 400 |
| 1 – 2 years | JD 430 |
| 2 – 3 years | JD 470 |
| 3 – 4 years | JD 520 |
| 4 – 5 years | JD 580 |
| 5 – 6 years | JD 650 |
| 6 – 7 years | JD 720 |
| 7 – 8 years | JD 800 |
| 8 – 9 years | JD 890 |
| 9 – 10 years | JD 990 |
| 10 – 11 years | JD 1,100 |
| 11 – 12 years | JD 1,220 |
| More than 12 years | JD 1,350 |
Note: These figures represent the minimum set by the Association. In actual practice, the salaries of many engineers exceed these figures depending on the nature of the company, sector, and specialization.
Leadership and Special Position Allowances
The Association also stipulated granting additional percentages above the base salary for certain categories:
- Project managers, department heads, and division heads: an allowance of no less than 20% of the salary.
- Engineers working outside their designated locations (outside the city or in the field): an allowance of no less than 15% to cover field, travel, and transportation allowances.
- Consulting engineers and experts (those with advanced experience): an allowance of no less than 50% of the salary.
- If an engineer is entitled to more than one allowance, the higher allowance is granted, not their sum.
Actual Market Salary Compared to the Association Scale
According to Jordanian labor market studies, the average engineer salary in Jordan ranges between JD 720 and JD 2,480 per month depending on specialization, experience, and sector. The overall average is approximately JD 1,490, a figure that reflects an unequal distribution, as a large percentage of engineers earn less than this average.
Frequently Asked Questions About Engineer Salaries in Jordan
Q: Is the Association salary scale mandatory for all companies?
Yes, the Jordan Engineers Association decided to apply the salary scale to all private companies and contracting firms, and mandated registering engineers with social security in accordance with this scale. However, actual implementation still suffers from clear shortcomings.
Q: What is the highest salary an engineer can receive in Jordan?
According to market data, the salary of an engineer with high experience and a leadership position reaches between JD 2,000 and JD 2,480 or more, especially in the oil, gas, telecommunications, and international project sectors.
Q: Do engineer salaries differ between the public and private sectors?
Yes, the market average indicates that private sector salaries exceed public sector salaries by approximately 8% on average, although this varies depending on the company and specialization.
Q: Does engineering specialization affect salary?
Absolutely. Specializations such as chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, and telecommunications engineering typically command higher salaries compared to traditional civil engineering or architectural engineering, due to market demand.
Q: Does obtaining a master’s degree affect salary?
Yes, very significantly; the average salary increases from approximately JD 950 for a bachelor’s degree holder to around JD 1,830 for a master’s degree holder, an increase of approximately 93%. However, the economic feasibility depends on the nature of the specialization and job market opportunities.
Q: What should an engineer do if the employer pays less than the Association’s minimum?
The engineer has the right to file a complaint with the Jordan Engineers Association, which has the authority to intervene and require the employer to apply the salary scale, and even freeze the company’s projects in case of deliberate refusal. The Association also ensures the salary of the resident engineer registered on various residential and construction projects by requiring the full deposit of the resident engineer’s salary in advance in the Association’s fund as a basic condition for licensing the project, and then the Association disburses this deposit as monthly salaries to the resident engineer.
Conclusion
The Jordan Engineers Association salary scale represents a minimum to protect engineers’ rights, not a ceiling for their ambitions. While a newly graduated engineer starts at JD 400, salaries grow progressively with accumulated experience to reach JD 1,350 and above. Actual income is affected by additional factors such as specialization, sector, nature of work (employee or independent), and the size of projects undertaken. The golden equation for the Jordanian engineer remains: accumulated years of experience + in-demand market specialization + large-scale projects = rewarding and sustainable professional income.
