April 2021 BIM Salary Guide
The data is in for Q2 and the BIM Salary Guide April 2021 is now available.
You can see the latest BIM salary guide here with additional detail about the variances between individual roles, disciplines and regions.
BIM Salary Guide overview
While the pay ranges have not changed dramatically, some salaries are shifting to the higher end of these bands. Employers are having to pay more for candidates with less experience, which is pushing these salaries up.
We’ve made a change to the guide for this quarter and have decided not to differentiate between disciplines any longer. BIM skills are now more transferable, making it easier for people to move from design to project management and consultancy.
We have continued to differentiate geographically, as there is still regional variation. Salaries are lower outside London but fluctuate dependant on supply and demand. Hence the Midlands and North West are paying more than other regions as demand is high, because of projects such as HS2 and the Commonwealth Games, or Government initiatives like the Northern Powerhouse.
Trends
- Demand is highest for BIM Coordinators and Managers across most levels, apart from at the top where there isn’t the budget.
- Demand for project-funded BIM specialists continues to grow as pipelines start filling up again.
- Very little demand for non-project funded roles, particularly in terms of new recruitment, due to budget caps.
- Demand remains low for firmwide leaders, with supply at stable levels. Demand is likely to increase for these at the lower end as confidence increases, leading to higher salaries as supply dries up.
- Less experienced candidates can achieve higher salaries as the supply of more experienced candidates dries up and /or costs too much.
- Demand for civils BIM experience continues to grow as the number of projects increases.
- Increasing choice of opportunities for BIM specialists outside Design and Build sectors.
Predictions
- More opportunities for project-funded BIM Coordinators and BIM Managers.
- No relaxation on salary caps for the majority of 2021, with pressure towards the higher end of the existing ranges while employers fill pipelines and see Covid control working with no big third wave.
- BIM trainees will be in more demand when market confidence has grown sufficiently to employ enough people to enable mentoring.
- More choice with management consultants, information managers, data farmers and technology vendors.
- More opportunities in civil engineering as infrastructure projects increase.
- Employers increasingly open minded about remote and hybrid working, particularly for existing staff, but it’s too early to tell how many will be willing to offer remote working on a long-term basis.
Where do you think salaries are headed?
Join us for The Great Salary Debate at 10am on Wednesday 19th May. This live webinar will feature a panel of industry experts to ponder, debate and dissect BIM salaries, with a particular focus on the proposition:
“The lack of experienced talent combined with strict salary caps will become an even greater challenge for recruiters in 2021.”