2004 Six Sigma Salary Survey: United States Alone

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y Matthew LeVeque, iSixSigma Senior Contributing Writer

While the main iSixSigma's 2004 Salary Survey for Six Sigma Professionals is global in perspective, the large number of respondents from the United States (1,468 of the total 2,412 used in the survey) suggests the need for a breakout for the USA alone and further breakouts of regions within the country.

Among the information derived from the regional breakouts, one factor stands above the others. The Northeast has far and away the highest average annual Six Sigma salaries. Certainly the number of corporate headquarters that are located in the Northeast has a bearing on this situation. Survey respondents in this region are paid more than in any other region in all job categories except Black Belts. And for Champions in the Northeast, the higher pay amounts to nearly $30,000 more than the national average, while Deployment Leaders earn almost $20,000 more than the national average. The salaries for Black Belts are the highest in the West.

Here are the regions, with the states, districts and possession included in each, and the number and percentage of survey respondents from each area:

Northeast (ME, MA, VT, NH, RI, CT, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, WV, DC)	212 (23.4 Percent)
Midwest (IN, MI, IL, WI, MN, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MO, IA)	531 (36.2 Percent)
South (NC, SC, TN, MS, LA, AL, AR, GA, FL, KY, PR)	312 (21.2 Percent)
West (MT, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, ID, WA, OR, NV, CA, AK, HI)	282 (19.2 Percent)

As in the global survey, average salaries for Black Belts, Master Black Belts, Champions and Deployment Leaders are broken down by levels of education and experience, as well as by 26 industry categories.

Click here to go to iSixSigma's 2004 global salary survey article.

Black Belts

By Education	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
High School	$ 69,935	$ 74,583	$ 64,500	$ 58,611	$ 82,045
Undergraduate Degree	80,152	79,678	71,470	70,452	99,006
Graduate Degree	88,098	92,866	81,284	80,476	97,767
Doctorate	95,611	117,500	86,731	85,000	93,214

By Experience	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Entry Level	$ 71,167		$ 63,750	$ 61,833	$ 87,917
3 to 5 Years	76,752	$ 77,698	69,467	68,889	90,955
5 to 10 Years	85,822	88,514	77,115	71,042	106,618
10 to 15 Years	91,746	93,362	82,727	92,500	98,393
15 or More	91,411	98,559	90,479	81,439	95,167

By Industry	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Advertising/Marketing	$ 84,156	$ 93,292	$ 85,000	$ 55,833	$102,500
Aerospace/Defense	88,324	84,615	74,800	76,923	116,959
Agriculture	69,904	95,833	66,378	47,500
Apparel	65,833	62,500	62,500	72,500
Automotive	72,502	70,000	75,036	76,042	68,929
Business/Consult. Services	86,876	99,761	82,384	77,857	87,500
Chemicals	89,271	95,962	91,500	72,955	96,667
Computer Hdw./Sftw./Srvs.	89,011	90,313	83,088	85,833	96,810
Construction	103,750	90,833	74,167		146,250
Diversified	96,875	75,833	75,000	69,167	167,500
Education/Research	102,500		75,000	65,000	167,500
Energy/Utilities	87,083	94,167	75,833	77,500	100,833
Engineering	69,034	68,571	73,190	70,000	64,375
Environment	74,167	74,167
Financial Services	83,506	98,636	71,818	74,643	88,929
Food/Beverages	75,000		75,000
Healthcare	81,888	66,591	70,962	105,000	85,000
Hospitality/Travel	72,500		67,500	77,500
Insurance	97,500		77,500		117,500
Machinery/Heavy Equip.	95,694		70,833	68,750	147,500
Manufacturing	72,891	71,912	62,672	63,981	93,000
Pharmaceuticals/Biotech.	86,042	76,250		95,833
Plastics/Rubber	80,833	82,500	100,000	60,000
Telecommunications	122,500	122,500
Transportation	73,333		62,500	84,167
Other	68,472	76,250	74,167	55,000

Master Black Belts

Average Salaries	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
United States	$ 98,752	$110,735	$103,551	$ 99,247	$ 81,474

By Education	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
High School	$ 68,750	$ 65,000		$ 72,500
Undergraduate Degree	96,759	104,167	$ 97,333	100,536	$ 85,000
Graduate Degree	100,285	107,223	106,130	99,286	88,500
Doctorate	112,540	108,409	140,500	111,250	90,000

By Experience	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Entry Level
3 to 5 Years	$ 87,840	$ 92,166	$ 92,885	$ 91,500	$ 74,808
5 to 10 Years	94,346	98,712	94,833	97,738	86,100
10 to 15 Years	101,611	116,413	106,094	99,674	84,265
15 or More	101,906	114,068	112,700	102,672	78,182

By Industry	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Advertising/Marketing	$100,313	$106,250	$ 96,250	$ 101,250	$ 97,500
Aerospace/Defense	101,490	109,688	107,188	95,962	93,125
Agriculture	121,667		85,833		157,500
Apparel	147,500		147,500
Automotive	88,264	107,969	97,308	90,278	57,500
Business/Consult. Services	97,714	100,357	122,500	93,167	74,833
Chemicals	100,518	112,500	108,500	111,071	70,000
Computer Hdw./Sftw./Srvs.	108,906	130,000	105,625	122,500	77,500
Construction	102,500	102,500
Diversified	112,000	135,000	98,500		102,500
Education/Research	87,083	94,167			80,000
Energy/Utilities	90,833	92,500		127,500	52,500
Engineering	86,637	93,214	90,417	101,250	61,667
Environment
Financial Services	95,991	106,250	104,500	103,214	70,000
Food/Beverages	152,000	152,000
Healthcare	85,500	99,500	82,500	87,500	72,500
Hospitality/Travel	72,500				72,500
Insurance	109,167	67,500	102,500	157,500
Machinery/Heavy Equip.	122,500		122,500
Manufacturing	99,375	122,500	105,000	87,500	82,500
Pharmaceuticals/Biotech.	95,000	117,500			72,500
Plastics/Rubber	82,500		82,500
Telecommunications	97,500		97,500
Transportation	76,250		62,500	90,000
Other	113,056	109,167		137,500	92,500

Champions

Average Salaries	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
United States	$ 99,372	$128,611	$ 86,875	$102,500	$ 79,500

By Education	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
High School	$ 61,389		$ 49,167	$ 57,500	$ 77,500
Undergraduate Degree	109,583	$145,833	94,167	110,833	87,500
Graduate Degree	95,938	103,750	96,000	106,500	77,500
Doctorate	152,500	152,500

By Experience	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Entry Level
3 to 5 Years	$ 79,583	$100,000	$ 81,250	$ 57,500
5 to 10 Years	96,875	137,500	80,000	97,500	$ 72,500
10 to 15 Years	133,750	182,500	132,500	122,500	97,500
15 or More	103,438	125,000	80,000	127,500	81,250

By Industry	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Advertising/Marketing
Aerospace/Defense	$ 97,750	$132,500	$ 78,500	$107,500	$ 72,500
Agriculture
Apparel
Automotive	91,250		91,250
Business/Consult. Services	102,813	152,500	67,500	113,750	77,500
Chemicals	197,500	197,500
Computer Hdw./Sftw./Srvs.	110,833	112,500	132,500		87,500
Construction	77,500			77,500
Diversified	87,500	102,500	72,500
Education/Research
Energy/Utilities	92,500		92,500
Engineering	117,500			117,500
Environment
Financial Services	92,500		132,500	57,500	87,500
Food/Beverages	52,500		52,500
Healthcare
Hospitality/Travel
Insurance
Machinery/Heavy Equip.
Manufacturing	72,500	72,500
Pharmaceuticals/Biotech.
Plastics/Rubber	82,500		82,500
Telecommunications
Transportation
Other

Deployment Leaders

Average Salaries	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
United States	$106,743	$126,448	$109,306	$103,500	$ 87,717

By Education	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
High School	$ 81,250	$ 67,500			$ 95,000
Undergraduate Degree	97,112	123,864	$ 87,500	$ 87,500	89,583
Graduate Degree	112,769	130,311	122,167	112,917	85,682
Doctorate	132,222	142,500	131,667	122,500

By Experience	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Entry Level	$ 75,000		$ 75,000
3 to 5 Years	78,208	$ 87,500	89,500	$ 75,833	$ 60,000
5 to 10 Years	91,625	120,000	87,500	81,500	77,500
10 to 15 Years	111,389	117,500	108,056	122,500	97,500
15 or More	122,202	138,231	143,409	116,667	90,500

By Industry	USA	Northeast	Midwest	South	West
Advertising/Marketing	$ 98,750	$102,500	$137,500	$ 67,500	$ 87,500
Aerospace/Defense	107,917	132,500	124,167	87,500	87,500
Agriculture
Apparel	122,500		122,500
Automotive	104,278	120,000	92,000	100,833
Business/Consult. Services	123,802	120,625	148,333	131,250	95,000
Chemicals	114,167	142,500	115,000	85,000
Computer Hdw./Sftw./Srvs.	112,778	144,167	109,167		85,000
Construction	88,333	155,000		62,500	47,500
Diversified	135,000	137,500	132,500
Education/Research
Energy/Utilities	102,500			102,500
Engineering	95,000	82,500	125,000	90,000	82,500
Environment
Financial Services	140,750	137,250		187,500	97,500
Food/Beverages	102,500		102,500
Healthcare	97,500	87,500			107,500
Hospitality/Travel
Insurance
Machinery/Heavy Equip.
Manufacturing	73,750	67,500	60,000	95,000
Pharmaceuticals/Biotech.	127,500	142,500		112,500
Plastics/Rubber
Telecommunications
Transportation	82,500			82,500
Other	52,500		52,500

Click here to go to iSixSigma's 2004 global salary survey article.

Real Time Salary Survey No need to wait until next year for an updated salary survey. Anytime you want, you can go online to the iSixSigma Job Shop. There you can compare your salary to other Six Sigma quality professionals and filter by role, education, experience, location and industry. All information is privacy protected. Who uses the Job Shop? This year’s iSixSigma salary survey was compiled from information volunteered by thousands of Job Shop users in 68 different countries and a wide variety of industries. Sign up for a free iSixSigma Job Shop account today.

All data is property of iSixSigma and may not be redistributed or published in any form unless prior written consent is provided by iSixSigma.

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