The facility management professional of 2011, on average, is college educated, manages more than 1 million square feet of space and multiple employees, has experienced a growth in job responsibilities over the past two years, and is enjoying a base salary increase of 8 percent from 2007 levels, according to the results of an International Facility Management Association salary and demographics survey.

The "Profiles 2011 Salary and Demographics Report," based on a survey of 4,353 facility professionals from 45 countries around the world, points to a career path that compensates its practitioners well. Combining base salary and bonus pay, the average facility professional now pulls in $99,578 in total compensation annually — up from $91,766 in 2007. Even those entering the profession do well, as practitioners with three or fewer years in facility management earn $65,000 a year, up from $56,000 in 2004.

While today's facility managers are well compensated, they are also well educated, with 83 percent having attended college and 64 percent earning a bachelor's degree or higher. Those with college degrees largely studied business (33 percent), engineering (16 percent), facility management (14 percent) or liberal arts (9 percent). Twenty percent of facility professionals surveyed report having a master's or doctoral degree.

More young people are entering facility management, even as the average age of a facility manager is 49. Nine percent of 2011 survey respondents were 34 or younger, up from 7 percent in 2007. Of this group, the majority are women. Twelve percent of female survey respondents were 34 or younger, compared to only 8 percent of their male counterparts. Similarly, 23 percent of women surveyed were 35 to 44 years old, as opposed to 21 percent of men.

Women are also slightly more likely to be pursuing two of IFMA's credentials — the Facility Management Professional and Sustainability Facility Professional designations — than men, as 12 percent of female respondents have or are working toward FMPs and 7 percent are working toward SFPs.

As with previous surveys, education level also plays a large role in compensation. Survey respondents with a master's degree report earning an average base pay of $101,629, up from $96,750 in 2007 and $87,000 in 2004. Those with a bachelor's degree report a base pay of $87,000, an increase from $82,000 in 2007 and $75,000 in 2004. In total, facility professionals in eight industry sectors — including chemical/pharmaceutical, electronics, the federal government and the media — make an average of $100,000 or more each year.

Similarly, facility managers with the Certified Facility Manager designation report earning $12,524 more per year than their counterparts without the credential. Those holding a CFM earn on average $101,540 per year in compensation.

Survey respondents with a CFM and six to ten years of full-time work experience, for example, report making $15,536 more per year than the average facility manager with similar experience, while those with an FMP and six to ten years of full-time work experience make $8,727 more.

Additional analysis of 2011 salary data shows that each year a facility manager spends in the field adds $698 to their overall compensation. Similarly, each year an individual spends with their current employer adds $612 per year to their salary.

Geographic location also plays a role in compensation. Those living in the Northeast report earning on average $8,837 more than their counterparts, while those in the Pacific report earning on average $8,255 more. Canadian facility professionals also see a geographic compensation benefit, earning $7,076 more than the average facility manager.

More information on this study is available here.