CIPD membership is an emblem of expertise and cutting-edge skills – providing instant recognition amongst people professionals and employers.
Highly sought-after, CIPD members’ earning potential far exceeds that of professionals with no membership or CIPD certification.
This report presents key statistics and data demonstrating the earning potential for CIPD members and the value that employers place on CIPD qualifications and CIPD membership.
Key findings
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, people professionals with a CIPD qualification earned on average 12% more than those without a CIPD qualification.
- HR manager-level Chartered Members could potentially earn on average £9,900 more than professionals with no CIPD membership.
- CIPD certification was the most common certification asked for in all HR job posts published March 2022 to February 2023.
- Some of the largest companies, such as BMW and Santander, have asked for CIPD-qualified candidates in their job postings. The number of companies and jobs posted requesting CIPD qualifications look to be on an upward trajectory.
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR admin-level roles requesting a CIPD qualification pay up to £5,600 more than those not requesting CIPD qualifications.
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR roles requesting CIPD qualifications pay up to £4,400 more than those not requesting CIPD qualifications.
- CIPD chartered membership was the most common CIPD membership asked for in all HR job posts published between March 2022 and February 2023.
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, 276 companies, including Microsoft and Network Rail, requested CIPD membership in their HR job posts – and the number keeps growing.
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR manager-level roles requesting CIPD chartered membership offered up to £17,200 more than those not requesting CIPD membership.
- Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR roles requesting CIPD associate membership offered up to £4,400 and on average £3,000 more than those not requesting CIPD membership.
CIPD qualifications
An increasing demand for CIPD qualifications
An increasing number of job posts advertised are asking for candidates with a CIPD qualification – and not just for HR roles. Between March 2022 and February 2023, CIPD qualifications were the 10th-most requested certification amongst all job posts – ahead of First Aid Certification or an MBA.
Key companies that posted HR job posts, specifically, and requesting CIPD qualifications include the NHS, Amazon, and the BBC.
Over the last ten years, the number of companies asking for a CIPD qualification has also increased. Slightly dipping during the pandemic in 2020/2021, this number is on the rise again, matching pre-pandemic figures and is only looking to increase in the coming years.
As more companies look for CIPD qualifications, the number of job posts requesting CIPD qualifications has also increased rapidly over the last ten years. This year’s figures alone have increased 115% compared to ten years ago.
CIPD qualifications and salary potential
Based on job posts active between March 2022 and February 2023, HR admin-level roles requesting a CIPD qualification pay up to £5,600 (+24%) more than the roles that do not. The graph below shows the difference in salary potential between candidates with a CIPD qualification and those without.
Between March 2022 and February 2023, job postings for officer-level roles that requested a CIPD qualification offered up to £4,100 (+15%) more compared to job postings that did not request a CIPD qualification. This is in line with salary data over the last ten years, where the average earning potential increase for candidates with CIPD qualifications has been +£3,800 (+15%).
Between 2022 and 2023, HR roles requesting CIPD qualifications, across all levels, paid up to £4,400 (16%) more than job posts not requesting CIPD qualifications. The graph below shows the difference between salaries for HR jobs at any level.
These figures are in line with what has been happening in the sector over the last ten years, with HR roles requesting CIPD qualifications offering on average up to £4,600 (17%) more than those not requesting CIPD qualifications.
CIPD membership
A significant number of employers, including Microsoft, TfL and Sony, who advertised posts between March 2022 and February 2023 have asked for candidates with CIPD membership.
CIPD Chartered Member was the most in-demand CIPD membership grade in all job posts published.
The value of CIPD membership
CIPD Associate Membership
Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR officer-level roles requesting CIPD Associate Membership offered up to £5,500 (19%) more than those not requesting no CIPD membership.
This has been the case over the last ten years, with HR officer-level roles requesting CIPD associate membership offering on average £3,400 (13%) more than those not requesting CIPD membership.
Across all levels, HR roles requesting CIPD associate membership pay up to £7,600 (25%) more than those not requesting CIPD membership, and HR roles not requiring CIPD membership offered average salaries between £28,500 and £30,000, as compared to those wanting CIPD associate membership, which offered salaries between £31,000 and £37,600, as seen in the graph below.
CIPD chartered membership
The value of CIPD membership, and the higher salary potential, is even more evident amongst senior roles, including at HR manager and director level.
Between March 2022 and February 2023, HR manager-level roles asking for Chartered Members offered up to £17,200 (36%) more than those not requesting CIPD membership.
Over the last ten years, roles requesting Chartered Membership offered up to £13,200 (29%) and on average £6,900 (16%) more than those not requesting CIPD membership. Between March 2022 and February 2023, these roles offered £9,900 (21%) more than those not wanting CIPD membership.
Background to the data
Graphs have been remade to reflect the CIPD brand; all data and statistics are from Lightcast. Source: Lightcast™, accessed 09/03/2023. Lightcast data is created from a collection of government sources that are combined to provide multi-layered cross-checking. These sources are collected and combined to create Lightcast’s industry and occupation data, as well as staffing patterns used to connect the two. Twice a year, Lightcast updates its data with more than 20 million data points describing labour market conditions across the United Kingdom. It is the most accurate and reliable source of labour market information available today.
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