Salary upturn in provinces

Designers outside of London are reaping the benefits with healthy pay increases in 2006, according to the Design Week salary survey, published tomorrow.

While those creatives working outside of London still earn less than their city counterparts, salaries for middle to senior designers have increased on average by 12 per cent between 2005 and 2006.

Senior designers in the regions can now expect to earn more than £31 000, compared with
£27 529 in the previous year.

This is in comparison to a rise of between 5 per cent (for middleweight designers) and 0.01 per cent (for senior designers) in London, with salaries for senior designers sticking around
the £35 000 mark.

Among the best-paid experts are those in the digital field, as well as branding and interiors, with senior designers earning closer to £37 000 in London.

Most respondents to the survey anticipate increases in pay of 5 per cent and upwards, with some even predicting 15 per cent. The higher predictions are mainly for areas such as packaging, where it is difficult to recruit.

The responses received show that the need for middleweight designers has increased, while there seems to be plenty of candidates for the top positions.

The full results of the salary survey will be printed in tomorrow’s edition of Design Week.