Vehicle paint technicians: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time vehicle paint technicians in the UK earned a median £34,531 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £4,508 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 208th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 41.4 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 5,000 employee jobs, 100% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 28.1% (from £26,954), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 15,500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | – | £605.10 | £14.97 | – | £605.80 | £14.98 |
| 30th percentile | £29,581 | £621.10 | £15.37 | £29,581 | £627.10 | £15.50 |
| 40th percentile | £31,897 | £658.50 | £16.26 | £31,897 | £659.30 | £16.41 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £34,531* | £700.80* | £16.69 | £34,531* | £722.00 | £16.82 |
| 60th percentile | £38,928* | £739.90* | £17.05 | £38,928* | £751.10* | £17.45 |
| 70th percentile | – | – | – | – | £828.40* | £19.48* |
| Mean | £37,070 | £750.50 | £17.64 | £37,070 | £753.60 | £17.89 |
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 | £26,954 | £534.20 | £12.94 | £26,937 | £532.30 | 6* |
| 2022 revised | £26,735 | £554.90 | £13.56 | £26,702 | £547.00 | 8* |
| 2023 revised | £33,232 | £637.30 | £15.22 | £31,027 | £630.40 | 9* |
| 2024 revised | £33,263 | £620.00 | £14.97 | £33,142 | £620.00 | 6* |
| 2025 provisional | £34,531* | £700.80* | £16.69 | £34,531* | £722.00 | 5* |
Vehicle paint technicians by region
UK: 15,500 (± 4,800), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What vehicle paint technicians do
Vehicle paint technicians prepare, repair and refinish vehicle surfaces using modern paint systems, coatings, wraps and associated technologies to restore or enhance vehicle appearance, protection and functionality. (ONS SOC 2020, 5233)
Also covers: car paint sprayer, coach painter, graphic applicator (vehicles), paint technician (vehicles), sprayer (vehicle trades), vehicle refinisher, vehicle wrapper, aircraft painter, body sprayer, car painter, car sprayer, cellulose sprayer, paint sprayer, paint worker, paint-work repairer, spray painter, spray polisher and undersealer (vehicles) (24 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Applies masking material to protect areas not to be coated and removes any external fixtures
- Consults vehicle colour code, chooses appropriate paint or mixes paint to achieve desired consistency and colour
- Uses hand or electrostatic spray gun to coat surfaces, adjusting nozzle and pressure valves of the gun as required
- Applies vinyl stickers and wraps to the bodywork of vehicles
- Removes masking materials and refits external fittings after completion of spraying
- Cleans and maintains spray equipment, protective clothing and spraying booth
There are no formal academic entry requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades or an equivalent qualification. Off and on-the-job training is provided. Apprenticeships at NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 are also available and take between three to four years to complete.
Related
Vehicle trades (median £37,917) · Vehicle body builders and repairers · Aircraft maintenance and related trades · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026