IT engineers may well command impressive salaries in the current economic climate (see Engineers Ireland’s most recent salary survey), but when it comes to job satisfaction, they are significantly less happy than their less-well-paid engineering peers, with electrical engineers being the happiest of all. A new survey carried out in the UK by the Cabinet Office – reported on by the BBC – has been looking at the relationship between different jobs and levels of life satisfaction. The happiest workers, the research suggests, are vicars and priests, but electrical engineers are pretty jolly, too. Coming in at 14th place on a list of 274 professions, which makes them the happiest among the engineering profession, the research found that electrical engineers in the UK earn an average of £44,439 (€53,200) and score 7.739 out of a possible ten on the satisfaction rating scale. Civil engineers are next, but they only come in at 55 overall, with a mean income of £38,236 (€46,000) and a satisfaction level of 7.574. IT engineers, meanwhile, trail at number 243 on the list of 274 professions, earning a mean income of £27,064 (€32,400) and with a satisfaction rating of 6.904 – not far ahead of publicans, who were found to be the most miserable of all. In the Engineers Ireland salary survey, software engineers in this country had one of the highest median salaries (€53,000), which may well mean that members of that profession in this country are happier than their UK peers. But not necessarily so. What emerges from the UK study is that, while there is a link between earnings and life satisfaction, some quite well-paid jobs are populated by those with low levels of wellbeing – and vice versa. For example, despite an average UK salary of almost £39,000 (€46,500) a year, quantity surveyors work in the 41st most miserable occupation and scoring only 6.971 on the satisfaction scale. Are engineers in Ireland happier than their UK counterparts? Let us know what you think. In the meantime, here is the full list of professions and where they rank.

(Rank) Occupation Mean income (£s) Satisfaction rating
(1) Clergy

20,568

8.291
(2) Chief executives and senior officials

117,700

7.957
(3) Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture

31,721

7.946
(4) Company secretaries

18,176

7.93
(5) Quality assurance and regulatory professionals

42,898

7.891
(6) Health care practice managers

31,267

7.843
(7) Medical practitioners

70,648

7.836
(8) Farmers

24,520

7.808
(9) Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors

32,470

7.795
(10) Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors

35,316

7.795
(11) Senior professionals of educational establishments

49,495

7.789
(12) Physiotherapists

27,814

7.787
(13) Primary and nursery education teaching professionals

29,268

7.786
(14) Electrical engineers

44,439

7.739
(15) Fitness instructors

10,378

7.718
(16) Therapy professionals

28,524

7.714
(17) School secretaries

15,614

7.711
(18) Information technology and telecommunications directors

64,879

7.705
(19) Human resource managers and directors

54,120

7.702
(20) Financial institution managers and directors

73,911

7.701
(21) Dental nurses

15,024

7.699
(22) Musicians

21,492

7.696
(23) Farm workers

17,925

7.692
(24) Marketing and sales directors

84,377

7.688
(25) Functional managers and directors

53,574

7.687
(26) Production managers and directors in manufacturing

51,498

7.68
(27) Research and development managers

49,590

7.674
(28) Midwives

30,020

7.673
(29) Pharmacists

36,739

7.667
(29) Advertising accounts managers and creative directors

37,636

7.667
(31) Dental practitioners

53,567

7.663
(32) Sales accounts and business development managers

47,862

7.641
(33) Travel agents

18,344

7.64
(34) Secondary education teaching professionals

33,407

7.637
(35) Business, research and administrative professionals

36,012

7.636
(36) Education advisers and school inspectors

34,369

7.629
(37) Financial managers and directors

76,986

7.628
(38) Biological scientists and biochemists

37,627

7.621
(39) Natural and social science professionals

36,574

7.617
(40) Personal assistants and other secretaries

19,569

7.616
(41) Records clerks and assistants

19,146

7.615
(42) Authors, writers and translators

26,207

7.602
(43) Librarians

24,584

7.6
(44) Solicitors

44,787

7.599
(45) Chartered and certified accountants

37,850

7.597
(46) Customer service managers and supervisors

28,718

7.593
(47) IT specialist managers

48,384

7.59
(48) Leisure and sports managers

28,619

7.59
(49) Financial and accounting technicians

44,038

7.587
(50) Teaching assistants

11,796

7.587
(51) Childminders and related occupations

12,949

7.584
(52) Finance and investment analysts and advisers

46,797

7.579
(53) Business and financial project management professionals

50,038

7.575
(54) Fire service officers (watch manager and below)

28,183

7.574
(55) Civil engineers

38,236

7.574
(56) Purchasing managers and directors

51,806

7.572
(57) Health professionals

30,081

7.569
(58) Train and tram drivers

45,489

7.566
(59) Pharmaceutical technicians

20,815

7.564
(60) Air travel assistants

22,001

7.556
(61) Higher education teaching professionals

39,076

7.556
(62) Property, housing and estate managers

40,209

7.552
(63) Health services and public health managers and directors

49,015

7.549
(64) Actuaries, economists and statisticians

61,584

7.542
(65) Nurses

26,158

7.534
(66) Engineering professionals

41,421

7.532
(67) Bank and post office clerks

19,908

7.53
(68) Mechanical engineers

44,176

7.528
(69) Production managers and directors in construction

47,452

7.524
(70) Management consultants and business analysts

42,811

7.522
(71) Counsellors

19,220

7.51
(72) Sports coaches, instructors and officials

11,762

7.507
(73) Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors

25,011

7.506
(74) Police officers (sergeant and below)

39,346

7.501
(75) Garage managers and proprietors

38,112

7.493
(76) Managers and directors in transport and distribution

40,856

7.493
(77) Financial administrative occupations

18,323

7.49
(78) Playworkers

7,400

7.489
(79) Further education teaching professionals

28,043

7.488
(80) Social services managers and directors

39,961

7.487
(81) Managers and proprietors in other services

36,405

7.486
(82) IT project and programme managers

49,128

7.486
(83) Human resources and industrial relations officers

28,999

7.483
(84) Health associate professionals

21,569

7.481
(85) Design and development engineers

39,890

7.474
(86) Financial accounts managers

40,952

7.472
(87) Buyers and procurement officers

31,454

7.471
(88) Production and process engineers

38,475

7.47
(89) Taxation experts

45,360

7.469
(90) Nursery nurses and assistants

11,580

7.468
(91) Pharmacy and other dispensing assistants

11,920

7.458
(92) Welfare professionals

26,568

7.448
(93) IT business analysts, architects and systems designers

43,848

7.442
(94) Educational support assistants

11,569

7.442
(95) Construction project managers and related professionals

42,066

7.441
(96) Quality control and planning engineers

34,868

7.439
(97) Architects

44,024

7.433
(98) Public relations professionals

31,818

7.426
(99) Special needs education teaching professionals

28,894

7.424
(100) Medical radiographers

31,505

7.422
(101) Medical secretaries

17,314

7.421
(102) Credit controllers

19,724

7.421
(103) Groundsmen and greenkeepers

18,816

7.419
(104) Hairdressers and barbers

10,174

7.417
(105) Child and early years officers

21,634

7.417
(106) Teaching and other educational professionals

18,697

7.413
(107) Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks

20,646

7.411
(108) Legal professionals

75,399

7.406
(109) Planning, process and production technicians

29,789

7.406
(110) Public services associate professionals

28,430

7.403
(111) Journalists, newspaper and periodical editors

35,117

7.402
(112) Environment professionals

33,220

7.402
(113) Aircraft maintenance and related trades

34,511

7.394
(114) Other administrative occupations

15,744

7.386
(115) Business and related associate professionals

30,171

7.381
(116) Receptionists

12,595

7.379
(117) Programmers and software development professionals

40,165

7.377
(118) Vocational and industrial trainers and instructors

26,490

7.376
(119) Psychologists

34,174

7.376
(120) IT operations technicians

29,815

7.376
(121) Scaffolders, stagers and riggers

30,591

7.375
(122) Legal associate professionals

29,492

7.367
(123) Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants

22,694

7.366
(124) Business and related research professionals

32,053

7.366
(125) Plant and machine operatives

24,278

7.366
(126) Office managers

28,790

7.366
(127) Sales supervisors

18,383

7.358
(128) Engineering technicians

32,528

7.357
(129) Draughtspersons

29,702

7.352
(130) Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers

27,832

7.35
(131) Human resources administrative occupations

19,633

7.35
(131) Metal working production and maintenance fitters

29,173

7.35
(133) Conference and exhibition managers and organisers

24,696

7.35
(134) Electronics engineers

36,751

7.348
(135) Office supervisors

25,138

7.345
(136) Houseparents and residential wardens

17,420

7.34
(137) Medical and dental technicians

26,922

7.339
(138) Business sales executives

32,880

7.338
(139) Precision instrument makers and repairers

29,334

7.333
(140) Telecommunications engineers

32,253

7.329
(141) Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors

29,594

7.328
(142) Senior care workers

17,064

7.324
(143) Inspectors of standards and regulations

28,628

7.318
(144) Arts officers, producers and directors

35,825

7.315
(145) School midday and crossing patrol occupations

3,167

7.314
(146) Construction and building trades supervisors

33,036

7.313
(147) Information technology and telecommunications professionals

40,222

7.308
(148) Careers advisers and vocational guidance specialists

22,752

7.307
(149) Sales administrators

19,573

7.307
(150) Health and safety officers

33,445

7.3
(151) Sewing machinists

13,982

7.297
(152) Managers and directors in retail and wholesale

29,009

7.297
(153) Occupational therapists

27,353

7.294
(154) Estate agents and auctioneers

24,783

7.291
(155) Welfare and housing associate professionals

19,156

7.283
(156) Finance officers

22,090

7.278
(157) Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)

29,845

7.277
(158) Routine inspectors and testers

24,787

7.277
(159) Beauticians and related occupations

12,418

7.271
(160) IT user support technicians

29,457

7.27
(161) Other elementary services occupations

10,750

7.269
(162) Paramedics

36,841

7.263
(163) Managers and directors in storage and warehousing

32,133

7.259
(164) Legal secretaries

17,951

7.253
(165) Transport and distribution clerks and assistants

23,583

7.25
(166) Typists and related keyboard occupations

16,421

7.248
(167) Marketing associate professionals

30,051

7.237
(168) Chartered surveyors

35,480

7.236
(169) Product, clothing and related designers

29,301

7.224
(170) Leisure and travel service occupations

15,568

7.222
(170) Housing officers

23,001

7.222
(172) Officers of non-governmental organisations

21,454

7.22
(173) Gardeners and landscape gardeners

17,595

7.22
(174) Estimators, valuers and assessors

32,185

7.22
(175) Social workers

28,182

7.217
(176) Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers

23,178

7.202
(177) Laboratory technicians

21,168

7.194
(178) Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters

20,525

7.193
(179) Electrical and electronic trades

30,696

7.193
(180) Stock control clerks and assistants

20,891

7.19
(181) Local government administrative occupations

20,351

7.189
(182) Electricians and electrical fitters

30,055

7.185
(183) Protective service associate professionals

35,510

7.183
(184) Graphic designers

25,330

7.178
(185) Chemical and related process operatives

25,307

7.177
(186) Elementary sales occupations

12,301

7.174
(187) National government administrative occupations

20,330

7.174
(188) Web design and development professionals

29,870

7.169
(189) Paper and wood machine operatives

20,557

7.157
(190) Housekeepers and related occupations

12,947

7.157
(191) Science, engineering and production technicians

26,710

7.151
(192) Artists

28,258

7.149
(193) Electrical and electronics technicians

28,893

7.13
(194) Quality assurance technicians

27,303

7.129
(195) Caretakers

16,114

7.126
(196) Library clerks and assistants

12,190

7.125
(197) Customer service occupations

16,525

7.123
(198) Nursing auxiliaries and assistants

15,618

7.121
(199) Chemical scientists

35,492

7.113
(200) Cooks

11,346

7.106
(201) Elementary administration occupations

11,896

7.105
(202) Sales related occupations

18,782

7.103
(203) Butchers

17,681

7.103
(204) Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors

23,402

7.1
(204) Driving instructors

29,166

7.1
(206) Catering and bar managers

17,934

7.096
(207) Metal machining setters and setter-operators

27,223

7.095
(208) Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians

25,238

7.095
(209) Chefs

17,391

7.09
(210) Construction and building trades

26,682

7.08
(211) Metal working machine operatives

22,044

7.08
(212) Communication operators

26,715

7.078
(213) Animal care services occupations

14,980

7.073
(214) Prison service officers (below principal officer)

26,616

7.071
(215) Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants

16,526

7.068
(216) Welding trades

26,735

7.063
(217) Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators

24,242

7.047
(218) Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers

11,041

7.046
(219) Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors

14,562

7.042
(220) Merchandisers and window dressers

16,239

7.041
(221) Large goods vehicle drivers

25,602

7.039
(222) Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers

16,820

7.037
(223) Youth and community workers

20,240

7.017
(224) Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers

20,182

7.012
(225) Bricklayers and masons

22,476

7.006
(226) Market research interviewers

7,122

7
(226) Other skilled trades

23,431

7
(228) Carpenters and joiners

24,029

6.991
(229) Food, drink and tobacco process operatives

18,133

6.986
(230) Kitchen and catering assistants

8,865

6.985
(231) Sales and retail assistants

10,097

6.982
(232) Roundspersons and van salespersons

21,375

6.982
(233) Other drivers and transport operatives

24,420

6.979
(234) Quantity surveyors

38,855

6.971
(235) Retail cashiers and check-out operators

9,509

6.968
(236) Cleaners and domestics

8,067

6.961
(237) Shelf fillers

11,174

6.959
(238) Assemblers and routine operatives

20,161

6.958
(239) Elementary process plant occupations

19,409

6.94
(240) Painters and decorators

22,700

6.936
(241) Printers

26,833

6.921
(242) Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers

21,403

6.907
(243) IT engineers

27,064

6.904
(244) Waiters and waitresses

7,651

6.893
(245) Metal making and treating process operatives

24,941

6.881
(246) Plasterers

21,155

6.88
(247) Bakers and flour confectioners

16,948

6.873
(248) Mobile machine drivers and operatives

25,472

6.86
(249) Assemblers (electrical and electronic products)

19,590

6.846
(250) Refuse and salvage occupations

19,454

6.844
(251) Care workers and home carers

12,804

6.844
(252) Bus and coach drivers

23,095

6.841
(253) Roofers, roof tilers and slaters

21,921

6.837
(254) Taxi and cab drivers and chauffeurs

16,416

6.834
(255) Van drivers

18,744

6.817
(256) Elementary storage occupations

18,430

6.812
(257) Fork-lift truck drivers

21,444

6.797
(258) Parking and civil enforcement occupations

18,065

6.795
(259) Call and contact centre occupations

15,339

6.78
(260) Window cleaners

12,561

6.747
(261) Construction operatives

21,057

6.746
(262) Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations

15,679

6.742
(263) Security guards and related occupations

20,841

6.733
(264) Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)

22,854

6.723
(265) Plastics process operatives

21,066

6.722
(266) Bar staff

7,317

6.686
(267) Care escorts

7,343

6.614
(268) Sports and leisure assistants

11,651

6.607
(269) Telephone salespersons

17,362

6.605
(270) Floorers and wall tilers

23,547

6.571
(271) Industrial cleaning process occupations

15,241

6.563
(272) Debt, rent and other cash collectors

17,371

6.561
(273) Elementary construction occupations

20,910

6.389
(274) Publicans and managers of licensed premises

25,222

6.38