Metal making and treating process operatives: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time metal making and treating process operatives in the UK earned a median £32,871 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 16% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That puts it 230th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
Median full-time pay: women £12.36 an hour, men £16.61 an hour.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40.5 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 14,000 employee jobs, 93% full-time.
From £25,985 in 2021, the median is up 26.5%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 11,500 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | £497.20 | £12.64 | £22,879* | £447.90* | £12.71 |
| 20th percentile | £25,784 | £560.30 | £13.90 | £25,350 | £538.80 | £13.78 |
| 25th percentile | £27,301 | £585.10 | £14.44 | £25,854 | £560.90 | £14.38 |
| 30th percentile | £28,181 | £596.70 | £14.52 | £27,135 | £585.30 | £14.51 |
| 40th percentile | £29,885 | £650.20 | £15.01 | £28,797 | £624.80 | £15.00 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £32,871 | £681.30 | £16.21 | £31,893 | £662.20 | £16.14 |
| 60th percentile | £36,243 | £712.70 | £17.26 | £35,283 | £705.90 | £17.14 |
| 70th percentile | £38,265* | £772.30 | £18.41 | £38,058* | £765.20 | £18.04 |
| 75th percentile | – | £794.20 | £18.93 | – | £780.50 | £18.92 |
| Mean | £33,822 | £710.00 | £16.87 | £32,814 | £682.60 | £16.81 |
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 | £25,985 | £540.10 | £12.57 | £25,260 | £537.00 | 17 |
| 2022 revised | £27,054 | £535.70 | £13.05 | £26,860 | £530.80 | 17* |
| 2023 revised | £30,544 | £592.50 | £13.63 | £30,311 | £583.00 | 13* |
| 2024 revised | £31,156 | £623.90 | £14.81 | £29,893 | £614.40 | 12* |
| 2025 provisional | £32,871 | £681.30 | £16.21 | £31,893 | £662.20 | 14* |
Metal making and treating process operatives by region
UK: 11,500 (± 4,200), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What metal making and treating process operatives do
Metal making and treating process operatives operate furnaces, ovens and other heating vessels, drawing, rolling, extruding, galvanising, forging and other metal processing equipment to smelt, shape, coat and treat metal and metal products. (ONS SOC 2020, 8115)
Also covers: degreaser (metal trades), electroplater, furnaceman (metal trades), process worker (nickel mfr), wire drawer, acid dipper, alloyman (copper), aluminium granulator, aluminium pickler, aluminium worker, annealing furnaceman, annealing man, anode attendant, anvil striker, arch bender, assistant driver, back tongsman and bar carrier (651 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Charges furnace, operates controls to regulate furnace temperature, and adds oxidising, alloying and fluxing agents as required
- Withdraws samples of molten metal for analysis, taps slag from surface of molten metal and directs flow of molten metal into casts
- Sets rolling speed, tension and space between rolls, guides the metal to and from rollers, and monitors the rolling process to detect irregularities, and ensure that the gauge and finish match required specifications
- Operates equipment to remove dirt, scale and other surface impurities by immersion in chemical solution
- Heats metal or metal articles in furnace, allows to cool for a specified time or quenches in brine, oil or water to harden, reduces brittleness and restores ductility
- Operates piercing, extruding, pressing and other metal processing equipment to shape and treat metal or metal articles
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications at level 2 and 3 in relevant areas, including metal and materials processing and finishing. are available.
Related
Process operatives (median £29,530) · Plastics process operatives · Chemical and related process operatives · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026