HVAC sales engineers who work in London and the South East are receiving much higher average salaries than their northern counterparts, according to a new survey by specialist HVAC recruiter Thornhvac. 

The commercial heating sector revealed the most marked results as 60% of commercial heating sales engineers covering the Midlands and the North of England earn a basic salary below £40K compared to 35% in London and the South East.  

Meanwhile, in London and the South East 16% of heating sales earn an annual basic salary above £50K compared to just 5% in the Midlands and the North. 

In the ventilation sector 42% of sales engineers in London and the South East earn an annual basic salary above £45K compared to 36% of sales engineers in the Midlands and 17% in the North of England.

Air conditioning sales engineers are also paid more in the South East where 42% earn an annual basic salary above £45K compared to 16% in the Midlands and 28% in the North. 

The survey gathered data from commercial, domestic and industrial sales engineers and managers working in regional, national and international ventilation sales roles and found that although HVAC sales professionals can earn more in London and the South East, those working in the North are more satisfied with their pay. 

Two thirds (66%) of respondents working in the ventilation sector in London and the South East felt they were paid below market rates. 71% of respondents in the North of England and 64% of respondents in the Midlands were satisfied with their rate of pay. 

These trends were reflected in other HVAC sectors, with almost half of commercial heating sales engineers in the South East feeling they are paid below market rates. In contrast 65% of respondents in the North of England and 63% of respondents in the Midlands are satisfied with their rate of pay. 

With regard to bonuses, the Midlands offers the highest bonus packages nationally for sales professionals in the ventilation sector. Here, a third of ventilation sales engineers earn a bonus worth over £20K on top of their basic salary. 18% of sales engineers in the South East and just 5% in the North of England fall into the top bonus bracket.

To download the Thornhvac survey reports visit www.thornhvac.co.uk/reports