Metal working machine operatives roles in the UK earn a median of £32,000 per year, equivalent to £14.54 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 2.9% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £25,000 in North East to £39,000 in North West. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £31,500/yr (2% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£32,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£14.54
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+2.9%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£28,000 – £40,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Metal working machine operatives across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| North West | £39,000 |
| South West | £34,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £33,000 |
| Scotland | £32,500 |
| East | £32,000 |
| London | £32,000 |
| Wales | £31,500 |
| West Midlands | £30,000 |
| South East | £30,000 |
| East Midlands | £29,500 |
| North East | £25,000 |
| UK | £32,000 |
Annual pay grew by +2.9% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Metal working machine operatives.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Metal working machine operatives in the UK is £32,000 per year (about £14.54 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Metal working machine operatives earn between £28,000 and £40,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Metal working machine operatives pay rose by 2.9% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Metal working machine operatives is in North West, at £39,000 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Metal working machine operatives roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Metal working machine operatives operate machines to cut, shape, abrade and otherwise machine metal, use hand and power tools to remove surplus metal and rough surfaces from castings, forgings or other metal parts, and clean, smooth and polish metal workpieces.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically received on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering are available.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.