Mechanical engineers roles in the UK earn a median of £47,500 per year, equivalent to £24.50 per hour as of 2025. Pay decreased 2.7% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £35,500 in North East to £58,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 4 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £51,110/yr (7% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£47,500
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£24.50
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
-2.7%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£39,000 – £58,500
25th – 75th percentile
UK Employment (2024)
~234,000
estimated employees
122 of 180 areas not disclosed by ONS
Employment Change
2021–2024
2021: ~170,000 → 2024: ~234,000
Market Signal
Growing marketPay and employment are both rising — competition for workers is increasing.
Employment figures from ONS Annual Population Survey (APS). Counts are estimates; suppressed cells (small samples) are excluded from totals.
Median annual pay for Mechanical engineers across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £58,500 |
| South West | £51,500 |
| South East | £49,000 |
| North West | £49,000 |
| East Midlands | £49,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £48,000 |
| West Midlands | £45,000 |
| Wales | £44,500 |
| Scotland | £38,500 |
| North East | £35,500 |
| UK | £47,500 |
Annual pay fell by -2.7% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Mechanical engineers.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Mechanical engineers roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
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.
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.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.