Average Mechanical Engineer Salary in Zambia for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Mechanical Engineer salary for 2024 in Zambia and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Zambian kwacha. To keep things simple, we are using the ZMW currency code instead of the currency symbol ZK.

How Much Does a Mechanical Engineer Make in Zambia?

A Mechanical Engineer working in Zambia will typically earn around 69,720 ZMW per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 38,140 ZMW to the highest average salary of 106,980 ZMW.

Average Annual Salary
69,720 ZMW
Average Monthly Salary
5,810 ZMW

Lowest Annual Salary
38,140 ZMW
Lowest Monthly Salary
3,178 ZMW

Highest Annual Salary
106,980 ZMW
Highest Monthly Salary
8,915 ZMW

These are average salaries for a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Mechanical Engineer to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Mechanical Engineer salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Mechanical Engineer Salaries in Zambia

So we've looked at the average salaries a Mechanical Engineer will earn in Zambia. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Mechanical Engineer can earn between 38,140 ZMW and 106,980 ZMW on average in Zambia. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia is 69,240 ZMW. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 69,240 ZMW, and 50% of the population earn more than 69,240 ZMW.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Mechanical Engineer salary in Zambia, 25% of the population are earning less than 45,580 ZMW while 75% of the population earn more than 45,580 ZMW.

75% of the population earn less than 85,020 ZMW, and 25% of the population earn more than 85,020 ZMW.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Mechanical Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Zambia

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average mechanical engineer salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Mechanical Engineer in Zambia that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 43,480 ZMW.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Mechanical Engineer salary would increase to 54,560 ZMW.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Mechanical Engineer, the average salary would be 71,280 ZMW.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 87,040 ZMW.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Mechanical Engineer with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 96,500 ZMW.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Mechanical Engineer with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 102,240 ZMW.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
43,480 ZMW
2-5 Years +34%
54,560 ZMW
5-10 Years +30%
71,280 ZMW
10-15 Years +21%
87,040 ZMW
15-20 Years +9%
96,500 ZMW
20+ Years +5%
102,240 ZMW

Mechanical Engineer Salary by Education Level in Zambia

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Mechanical Engineer in Zambia with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 57,440 ZMW.

  • Master's Degree. A Mechanical Engineer in Zambia with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 82,160 ZMW.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree
57,440 ZMW
Master's Degree +39%
82,160 ZMW

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Zambia is around 30,000 to 90,000 ZMW and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Mechanical Engineer Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Zambia, a male mechanical engineer will earn an average of 75,500 ZMW, while a female mechanical engineer will earn around 68,360 ZMW.

This means that a male mechanical engineer earns approximately 10% more than a female mechanical engineer for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Zambia

Male
75,500 ZMW
Female -10%
68,360 ZMW

Mechanical Engineer Average Pay Raise in Zambia

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia is around 8% every 29 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Zambia is around 5% every 28 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 8 ÷ 29 ) × 12  = 3%

What this means is that a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 3% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Zambia for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Zambia.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
8%
Energy
7%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
5%
Travel
4%
Construction
3%
Education
2%

Mechanical Engineer Bonus and Incentive Rates in Zambia

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Mechanical Engineer is a low bonus based job, with 35% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

65% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 5%.

Received Bonus
35%
No Bonus
65%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Zambia earn approximately 21% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
80,180 ZMW
Private Sector -21%
66,260 ZMW

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Mechanical Engineer

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Mechanical Engineer in Zambia.

Job Title Category Salary
Acoustics Engineer Engineering 62,460 ZMW
Assembly Engineering Technician Engineering 47,400 ZMW
Assistant Chief Engineer Engineering 72,700 ZMW
Associate Engineer Engineering 56,460 ZMW
AutoCAD Drafter Engineering 36,020 ZMW
Autocad Operator Engineering 39,800 ZMW
Automation Engineer Engineering 65,920 ZMW
Automation Engineer Engineering 69,580 ZMW
Avionic System Support Engineer Engineering 60,600 ZMW
Biochemical Engineer Engineering 57,320 ZMW
BMS Engineer Engineering 60,480 ZMW
Bridge and Lock Tender Engineering 34,160 ZMW
Broadcast Engineer Engineering 61,620 ZMW
CAD Design Engineer Engineering 64,560 ZMW
CAD Designer Engineering 42,040 ZMW
CAE Engineer Engineering 60,840 ZMW
Ceramics Engineer Engineering 55,840 ZMW
Chemical Engineer Engineering 66,100 ZMW
Civil Drafter Engineering 42,460 ZMW
Civil Engineer Engineering 65,800 ZMW
Civil Site Engineer Engineering 66,260 ZMW
Civil Technician Engineering 36,700 ZMW
Commissioning Engineer Engineering 58,000 ZMW
Communications Engineer Engineering 70,880 ZMW
Condition Monitoring Engineer Engineering 55,840 ZMW
Contract Associate Engineer Engineering 57,800 ZMW
Contract Engineer Engineering 58,720 ZMW
Control Systems Engineer Engineering 61,680 ZMW
Controls Engineer Engineering 60,920 ZMW
Controls Software Engineer Engineering 54,140 ZMW
Corrosion Engineer Engineering 57,080 ZMW
Design Engineer Engineering 68,360 ZMW
Director of Engineering Engineering 134,600 ZMW
Drafter Engineering 38,700 ZMW
Drafting Manager Engineering 76,540 ZMW
Drilling Engineer Engineering 62,100 ZMW
Drilling Foreman Engineering 20,300 ZMW
Electrical Draughtsman Engineering 34,160 ZMW
Electrical Engineer Engineering 72,420 ZMW
Electrical Engineering Manager Engineering 87,640 ZMW
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist Engineering 65,080 ZMW
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler Engineering 34,540 ZMW
Energy Engineer Engineering 67,900 ZMW
Engine Assembler Engineering 26,660 ZMW
Engineer Engineering 68,580 ZMW
Engineering Account Manager Engineering 77,060 ZMW
Engineering Chief Designer Engineering 75,220 ZMW
Engineering Consultant Engineering 90,900 ZMW
Engineering Key Account Manager Engineering 95,760 ZMW
Engineering Lab Technician Engineering 61,620 ZMW
Engineering Manager Engineering 86,520 ZMW
Engineering Planning Manager Engineering 92,240 ZMW
Engineering Production Manager Engineering 110,500 ZMW
Engineering Project Analyst Engineering 72,120 ZMW
Engineering Project Coordinator Engineering 77,380 ZMW
Engineering Project Director Engineering 136,200 ZMW
Engineering Project Leader Engineering 85,440 ZMW
Engineering Project Manager Engineering 89,120 ZMW
Engineering Research and Development Manager Engineering 99,080 ZMW
Engineering Safety Coordinator Engineering 47,400 ZMW
Engineering Sales Manager Engineering 87,880 ZMW
Engineering Technician Engineering 50,020 ZMW
Engineering Technologist Engineering 45,600 ZMW
Environmental Engineer Engineering 61,460 ZMW
Equipment Engineer Engineering 59,480 ZMW
Equipment Engineering Manager Engineering 87,880 ZMW
Estimator Engineering 56,460 ZMW
Fabrication Specialist Engineering 43,800 ZMW
Fabricator Engineering 31,080 ZMW
Facade Engineer Engineering 62,060 ZMW
Fiber Analyst Engineering 38,260 ZMW
Field Engineer Engineering 65,940 ZMW
Field Engineering Manager Engineering 111,900 ZMW
Fire Engineer Engineering 63,500 ZMW
Fitter and Turner Engineering 21,400 ZMW
Forestry Strategic Planner Engineering 74,540 ZMW
Generation Engineer Engineering 64,300 ZMW
Genetic Engineer Engineering 69,240 ZMW
Geological Engineer Engineering 61,760 ZMW
Geotechnical Engineer Engineering 66,940 ZMW
Heavy Equipment Mechanic Engineering 35,340 ZMW
Highway Engineer Engineering 63,480 ZMW
HSE Professional Engineering 56,460 ZMW
HVAC Engineer Engineering 72,780 ZMW
HVAC Supervisor Engineering 57,080 ZMW
Industrial Engineer Engineering 60,160 ZMW
Industrial Engineering Technologist Engineering 62,460 ZMW
Instrument Engineer Engineering 61,400 ZMW
Instrument Technician Engineering 35,500 ZMW
Instrumentation and Control Engineer Engineering 64,040 ZMW
Instrumentation Designer Engineering 55,580 ZMW
Instrumentation Engineer Engineering 61,840 ZMW
Instrumentation Manager Engineering 60,460 ZMW
Irrigation Engineer Engineering 63,480 ZMW
Licensed Aircraft Engineer Engineering 66,140 ZMW
Locomotive Engineer Engineering 63,480 ZMW
Maintenance Engineer Engineering 58,240 ZMW
Maintenance Fitter Engineering 23,500 ZMW
Maintenance Manager Engineering 60,920 ZMW
Manufacturing Engineer Engineering 61,620 ZMW
Marine Engineer Engineering 62,060 ZMW
Materials Engineer Engineering 64,040 ZMW
Materials Researcher Engineering 58,440 ZMW
Materials Technician Engineering 44,780 ZMW
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer Engineering 66,100 ZMW
Mechanical Design Engineer Engineering 70,260 ZMW
Mechanical Designer Engineering 53,840 ZMW
Mechanical Engineering Manager Engineering 89,800 ZMW
Mechanical Inspector Engineering 60,920 ZMW
Mechatronics Engineer Engineering 72,180 ZMW
Mining Engineer Engineering 64,720 ZMW
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer Engineering 69,240 ZMW
Optical Engineer Engineering 61,620 ZMW
Optical Instrument Assembler Engineering 35,560 ZMW
PCB Assembler Engineering 22,420 ZMW
Photonics Engineer Engineering 69,040 ZMW
Photonics Technician Engineering 61,180 ZMW
Pipeline Engineer Engineering 58,440 ZMW
Piping Designer Engineering 32,420 ZMW
Piping Engineer Engineering 58,280 ZMW
Planning Engineer Engineering 67,300 ZMW
Pressure Vessel Inspector Engineering 29,320 ZMW
Principal Cost Engineer Engineering 61,620 ZMW
Principal Engineer Engineering 62,060 ZMW
Principal Support Engineer Engineering 66,020 ZMW
Process Engineer Engineering 64,640 ZMW
Process Operator Engineering 37,740 ZMW
Product Development Engineer Engineering 64,040 ZMW
Product Development Technician Engineering 42,960 ZMW
Product Engineer Engineering 65,800 ZMW
Product Safety Engineer Engineering 62,100 ZMW
Production Engineer Engineering 66,100 ZMW
Project Engineer Engineering 69,060 ZMW
Proposal Manager Engineering 83,420 ZMW
Purchasing Engineer Engineering 58,800 ZMW
Quality Assurance Engineer Engineering 60,600 ZMW
Rail Engineer Engineering 64,920 ZMW
Regional Field Engineer Engineering 67,020 ZMW
Robotics Engineer Engineering 77,400 ZMW
Robotics Technician Engineering 51,400 ZMW
Safety Engineer Engineering 60,920 ZMW
Safety Inspector Engineering 45,720 ZMW
Safety Manager Engineering 75,500 ZMW
Safety Officer Engineering 32,200 ZMW
Sales Engineer Engineering 67,320 ZMW
Scheduling Engineer Engineering 56,640 ZMW
Service Engineer Engineering 62,860 ZMW
Solar Engineer Engineering 66,940 ZMW
Staff Engineer Engineering 62,420 ZMW
Static Equipment Engineer Engineering 62,100 ZMW
Stationary Engineer Engineering 61,180 ZMW
Stress Engineer Engineering 59,380 ZMW
Structural Analysis Engineer Engineering 64,040 ZMW
Structural Designer Engineering 55,820 ZMW
Structural Engineer Engineering 59,940 ZMW
Structural Technician Engineering 41,900 ZMW
Supply Chain Specialist Engineering 60,020 ZMW
Surveyor Engineering 50,580 ZMW
Technical Affairs Officer Engineering 31,340 ZMW
Technical Assistant Engineering 34,080 ZMW
Technical Engineer Engineering 55,940 ZMW
Technical Support Engineer Engineering 55,840 ZMW
Tender Engineer Engineering 57,800 ZMW
Test Development Engineer Engineering 66,020 ZMW
Test Engineer Engineering 60,160 ZMW
Transportation Engineer Engineering 60,020 ZMW
Validation Engineer Engineering 58,000 ZMW
Verification Engineer Engineering 60,600 ZMW
Wastewater Engineer Engineering 64,300 ZMW
Wind Energy Engineer Engineering 64,200 ZMW
Wind Energy Operations Manager Engineering 80,060 ZMW
Work Planner Engineering 44,140 ZMW

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Zambia, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Lusaka 70,840 ZMW

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