Mechanical engineers (professional): average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time mechanical engineers (professional) in the UK earned a median £51,110 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 31% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 50th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £39,125 and £62,237.
Median full-time pay: women £47,765 a year, men £51,151 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 69,000 employee jobs, 96% full-time.
From £40,580 in 2021, the median is up 25.9%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 94,400 people in this line of work, 16% of them in South East.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £33,274 | £614.90 | £15.63 | £31,785* | £598.30 | £15.87 |
| 20th percentile | £37,584 | £736.50 | £18.37 | £37,304 | £728.30 | £18.94 |
| 25th percentile | £39,125 | £776.60 | £19.91 | £38,491 | £766.60 | £20.14 |
| 30th percentile | £41,346 | £814.00 | £21.19 | £40,664 | £809.50 | £21.32 |
| 40th percentile | £46,385 | £864.70 | £22.85 | £46,241 | £862.40 | £23.00 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £51,110 | £958.20 | £25.16 | £50,594 | £958.20 | £25.55 |
| 60th percentile | £55,266 | £1,048.50 | £27.07 | £55,065 | £1,040.40 | £27.35 |
| 70th percentile | £60,000 | £1,149.90 | £28.69 | £60,000 | £1,149.90 | £29.54 |
| 75th percentile | £62,237* | £1,199.50 | £30.58 | £62,290 | £1,198.70 | £30.76 |
| 80th percentile | £68,748* | £1,252.50 | £31.47 | £68,691* | £1,252.80 | £32.37 |
| Mean | £55,148 | £1,039.70 | £26.31 | £54,255 | £1,032.00 | £26.79 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £40,580 | £769.30 | £19.70 | £40,412 | £760.20 | 31* |
| 2022 revised | £41,100 | £810.00 | £20.39 | £40,587 | £798.00 | 37 |
| 2023 revised | £43,137 | £862.40 | £22.80 | £42,955 | £861.80 | 45 |
| 2024 revised | £46,760 | £905.60 | £24.19 | £46,417 | £899.80 | 42 |
| 2025 provisional | £51,110 | £958.20 | £25.16 | £50,594 | £958.20 | 69 |
Mechanical engineers (professional) by region
UK: 94,400 (± 11,900), April 2025 to March 2026. 8 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 15,500* | ± 4,900 |
| North West | 13,300* | ± 4,400 |
| East Midlands | 12,600* | ± 4,700 |
| West Midlands | 12,500* | ± 4,600 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What mechanical engineers (professional) do
Professional mechanical engineers undertake research, design and development, direct the manufacture and manage the operation and maintenance of engines, machines, vehicle and ships’ structures, building services and other mechanical items. (ONS SOC 2020, 2122)
Also covers: automotive engineer (professional), design engineer (mechanical), marine engineer (professional), mechanical engineer (professional), certifying officer, chassis engineer, designer (mechanical), engineering inspector, engineering officer, homologation engineer, incorporated engineer, inspection officer, mechanisation engineer, motorsport engineer, nautical designer, naval architect, naval constructor and naval designer (70 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture
- Designs and develops mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles and other machinery
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems
Professional mechanical engineers usually possess an accredited university degree. After qualifying, periods of appropriate training and experience are required before membership of a chartered engineering institution is attainable. Incorporated engineers possess an accredited university degree, BTEC/SQA award or an apprenticeship leading to an NVQ/SVQ at level 4, followed by periods of training and relevant experience.
Related
Engineering professionals (median £51,082) · Civil engineers · Electrical engineers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026