Metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians in the UK earned a median £40,760 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £1,721 above the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That ranks 127th of 382 occupations on this measure.
One in ten full-time jobs paid under £25,306; one in ten paid over £63,660.
Median full-time pay: women £37,914 a year, men £40,814 a year.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 241,000 employee jobs, 95% full-time.
From £31,893 in 2021, the median is up 27.8%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 135,500 people in this line of work, 13% of them in West Midlands.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £25,306 | £516.90 | £13.00 | £22,878 | £486.40 | £12.90 |
| 20th percentile | £29,492 | £587.90 | £14.44 | £27,985 | £557.30 | £14.31 |
| 25th percentile | £31,226 | £622.90 | £15.26 | £29,947 | £597.40 | £15.03 |
| 30th percentile | £33,167 | £652.60 | £15.90 | £31,881 | £632.90 | £15.64 |
| 40th percentile | £36,998 | £725.90 | £17.59 | £35,597 | £700.00 | £17.35 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £40,760 | £801.80 | £19.17 | £40,002 | £775.60 | £18.89 |
| 60th percentile | £44,546 | £870.20 | £21.12 | £43,589 | £853.40 | £20.76 |
| 70th percentile | £49,998 | £958.20 | £23.09 | £49,132 | £942.60 | £22.93 |
| 75th percentile | £52,357 | £1,009.60 | £24.61 | £51,441 | £994.50 | £24.29 |
| 80th percentile | £55,180 | £1,091.00 | £25.90 | £54,496 | £1,070.20 | £25.64 |
| 90th percentile | £63,660 | £1,291.20 | £30.05 | £63,241 | £1,273.40 | £29.87 |
| Mean | £43,217 | £854.40 | £20.52 | £41,863 | £827.80 | £20.43 |
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 | £31,893 | £631.80 | £15.09 | £31,408 | £621.90 | 313 |
| 2022 revised | £34,327 | £671.70 | £16.01 | £33,724 | £663.70 | 330 |
| 2023 revised | £36,225 | £723.40 | £17.41 | £35,366 | £710.30 | 275 |
| 2024 revised | £39,236 | £764.10 | £18.28 | £38,325 | £749.20 | 264 |
| 2025 provisional | £40,760 | £801.80 | £19.17 | £40,002 | £775.60 | 241 |
Metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians by region
UK: 135,500 (± 14,300), April 2025 to March 2026. 5 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 17,400* | ± 5,500 |
| Scotland | 16,700* | ± 4,700 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 15,800* | ± 4,600 |
| South East | 15,000* | ± 4,800 |
| North West | 14,700* | ± 4,600 |
| Wales | 9,400* | ± 2,700 |
| North East | 6,600* | ± 2,500 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians do
Metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians erect, install and repair electrical and mechanical plant and industrial machinery, fit and assemble parts and sub-assemblies in the manufacture of metal products and test and adjust new motor vehicles and engines. (ONS SOC 2020, 5223)
Also covers: agricultural engineer, bench fitter, engineering machinist, fabricator, installation engineer, maintenance fitter, mechanical engineer, adjuster (scales), agricultural fitter, agricultural mechanic, aligner (typewriters), aluminium fabricator, aluminium framer, anchor fitter, armament engineer, armament fitter, assembly engineer and assembly fitter (405 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine appropriate methods and sequence of operations
- Fits and assembles parts and/or metal sub-assemblies to fine tolerances to make marine engines, prototype metal products, agricultural machinery and machine tools
- Fits and assembles, other than to fine tolerances, prepared parts and sub-assemblies to make motor vehicles, printing and agricultural machinery, orthopaedic appliances and other metal goods
- Examines operation of, and makes adjustments to internal combustion engines and motor vehicles
- Erects, installs, repairs and services plant and industrial machinery, including railway stock, textile machines, coin operated machines, locks, sewing machines, bicycles and gas and oil appliances
Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades or a BTEC/SQA award. Apprenticeships in Engineering Maintenance at NVQ/SVQ level 3 are available.
Related
Metal machining, fitting and instrument making trades (median £39,947) · Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out · Precision instrument makers and repairers · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026