Building engineers have a significant potential for growth, both professionally and personally. With an estimated 12,000 jobs to be added by 2028, the demand for skilled building engineers and maintenance technicians shows no signs of slowing in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. This high demand for skilled workers in the commercial real estate industry has made the struggle to find qualified entry-level talent even harder — let’s explore why.
Even at the Entry-Level, You Can Expect a Competitive Compensation and Benefits Package
While compensation can vary based on experience, title and company, here is the expected average annual salary for the most common positions in building engineering:
- Maintenance Engineer/Technician I (Entry-Level) — $ 59,000
- Maintenance Engineer/Technician II (Mid-Level) — $72,000
- Building Engineer/Operating Engineer – $86,000
- Chief/Lead Building Engineer — $104,000
- Regional/Portfolio Building Engineer — $137,000
- Director of Engineering/Operations — $167,000
Data Sources: AOBA-PMA 2021 Wage and Benefits Survey, CEL & Associates, Inc. 2021 National Real Estate Compensation Survey, EMSI-BurningGlass
In addition to base compensation, these positions often include a competitive benefits package:
- Overtime for hourly employees
- Paid Time Off (PTO) — holidays, vacation, sick days
- Annual bonus
- Uniforms and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Health, prescription, vision, and dental insurance
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Retirement (pension, 401(k), or other retirement vehicle)
- Flexible spending accounts
- Wellness programs
- Employee assistance programs
- Education, training, and development