Architects, engineers and construction professionals working in North America earn far more than those in Europe, according to a new global salary survey.

The 2017 AEC Industry Salary Survey revealed "major regional differences in pay" across the fields of architecture, engineering and construction.

The research shows that 32 per cent of industry workers in the US and Canada make more than $100,000, in comparison to just 9 per cent in western Europe, and none in eastern Europe.

More than 6,500 executives in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries across the globe were contacted to take part in the survey, with 67 per cent responding from the US and 14 per cent from Europe.

The survey found that while the majority of workers in Europe earned less than $75,000 per year, the majority of employees in the US and Canada enjoyed a bigger salary.

"There are major regional differences in pay in the AEC industry," said the report, which is produced by BIM supplier ClearEdge3D.

"Eighty-five per cent of AEC executives in western Europe make less than $75,000 per year versus 92 per cent in eastern Europe, and 41 per cent in the US and Canada."

The report, which details salary, experience and education levels for specific job titles, also found a "substantial salary gender gap", despite the fact that women have comparable experience levels and slightly higher education levels.

The findings conclude that the percentage of men earning $100,000 or more in the industry is seven per cent greater than women.

At the lower end of the salary scale the gap is even greater, with 36 per cent of women earning less than $50,000 – nearly double the number of men in the same pay bracket.

But the survey also suggests that women are better educated than their male counterparts – 58 per cent of women have a four-year degree, compared to 54 per cent for men.

"Although females have been making strides in this male-dominated industry, the gender gap appears to still exist," says the report.

David Adjaye recently spoke out about gender disparity in the architecture industry, saying that he is "embarrassed as a male" that women still need to fight for equality.

Other results show that despite a growth in the industry, more than a third of workers did not receive a pay increase in 2016.

However, those who did receive a pay rise had a healthy increase, with 40 per cent receiving between 3 and 15 per cent.