Profile Pensions has investigated how employer contributions to pensions vary based on industry and gender and which sectors offer the best pension planning with high contributions from employers.

The Best and Worst Industries for Employer Contributions

The financial and insurance industry has been revealed as the most advantageous option for obtaining support. Although, as a sector renowned for its remunerative staff benefits, it’s no surprise that employer contributions are at an average of 9.5%. The education industry also fares very well in terms of pension options, with teachers receiving a rewarding 9.3% average contribution. This is followed by the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply industry, however, this is significantly lower than the prior two with average contributions of only 7.1%.

At the other end of the scale, agriculture, forestry and fishing jobs offered the minimum legal contribution of just 2%, making it them worst occupations for creating a satisfactory pension pot. As an industry which is also climate dependant, this further defers individuals seeking a financially secure retirement after an unpredictable career. The accommodation and food services sector received a similarly low employer contribution of just 2.1%. While the arts and entertainment industry had the third lowest employer contribution, where it reaches only 2.5% on average. Although as a notoriously competitive industry, it’s anticipated that employers can get away with such a low contribution and a major factor to consider when navigating the risky world of entertainment.

Not All Pensions are Created Equal: The Gender Gap

Gender stereotypes still exist across industries with men receiving an overall higher contribution rate than women, at 4.6% compared with 4.4%. Education, as a female dominated industry, was the only industry where women outperform men in terms of employer contribution, where they receive 1.4% more annually. These high pensions also mean that teachers are likely to fare better in retirement than those in typically high-earning careers like real estate or finance. In technical areas, men acquired higher contributions and in the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply industry, men had an employer contribution of 7.4% compared with 4.2% for women.

When looking at the gender differences, it’s clear an effort to increase the employer contribution in the male permeated professions should be made in order to incentify women to pursue these types of careers. Generally we know women are more likely to have lower incomes and more interrupted careers as a result of their caring responsibilities. Ensuring the pension contributions doesn't penalise them is as much of an organisational culture issue as it is a government policy issue.

Interested in Better Contributions? Here are the Jobs and Salaries Available in These Generous Sectors

We have crunched the numbers on the jobs available and average salaries for the most generous industries. The education industry has 102,805 jobs available in the UK, making teaching the most in high demand profession. When combined with the competitive employer contribution, it’s one of the best options for graduates seeking stability when finding a job and creating a secure retirement package. On the other hand, the administrative and supportive services sector has the lowest average salary bracket, equating to only £544 in contributions each year; an unattractive choice in terms of wages both during and post career.

The mining and quarrying industry offers the most enticing average compensation for it’s workforce with an annual salary of £39,51, although has only 2404 available positions in the UK each year. Similarly, the agricultural, forestry and fishing sector has an average income of £29.451. However it has the fewest number of jobs available and lowest employer contribution compared to any other industry, making it a very risky option in the long term.