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Average Aircraft Maintenance Technician Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom earns about 35,100 GBP a year. That's 50% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 16,000 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 51,800 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.


How much does an aircraft maintenance technician make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
35,100 GBP
2,925 GBP per month
Lowest reported
16,000 GBP
1,333 GBP per month
Highest reported
51,800 GBP
4,316 GBP per month

A typical aircraft maintenance technician working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,925 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 16,000 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 51,800 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior aircraft maintenance technician working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the aircraft maintenance technician salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.


How aircraft maintenance technician pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom earn less than 31,400 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 20,400 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 40,300 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of aircraft maintenance technicians sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 16,000 GBP. The highest stretch to 51,800 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

16,000
Low
31,400
Median
51,800
High
20,400
25th
40,300
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Aircraft maintenance technician pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical aircraft maintenance technician salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    19,100 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +43% from previous
    27,300 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +29% from previous
    35,300 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +16% from previous
    41,000 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +13% from previous
    46,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +1% from previous
    46,700 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 43%. That is the point at which a aircraft maintenance technician typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.


Aircraft maintenance technician pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving aircraft maintenance technician pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average aircraft maintenance technician salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Certificate or Diploma
    22,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +68% from previous
    37,200 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +36% from previous
    50,700 GBP

Aircraft maintenance technician gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom earn an average of 35,400 GBP a year, while female aircraft maintenance technicians earn around 34,100 GBP. That works out to a 4% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Aircraft Maintenance Technician gender pay gap

4%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 35,400 GBP
Women 34,100 GBP

Pay raises for an aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 11% every 14 months, which works out to roughly 9% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Aircraft maintenance technician bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

29%

29% of aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an aircraft maintenance technician a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary. The remaining 71% of aircraft maintenance technicians reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Aircraft maintenance technician: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Aircraft maintenance technician salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Aircraft maintenance technician pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • Leicester
  • Belfast
  • Bristol
  • Coventry
  • Sheffield
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion68,900 GBP65,100 GBP36,600-105,800 GBP
ScotlandRegion50,500 GBP44,200 GBP27,000-74,100 GBP
BirminghamCity41,000 GBP44,700 GBP20,900-67,600 GBP
LeedsCity40,700 GBP45,200 GBP17,800-64,800 GBP
ManchesterCity40,300 GBP40,600 GBP17,800-63,900 GBP
LeicesterCity39,600 GBP38,000 GBP20,900-62,600 GBP
BelfastCity39,100 GBP37,100 GBP18,200-58,200 GBP
BristolCity39,100 GBP37,100 GBP18,200-58,200 GBP
CoventryCity38,100 GBP37,300 GBP20,900-56,900 GBP
SheffieldCity38,000 GBP36,400 GBP21,100-61,400 GBP
CardiffCity38,000 GBP37,300 GBP20,200-58,600 GBP
GlasgowCity37,900 GBP39,800 GBP17,100-62,500 GBP
LondonCity37,800 GBP42,400 GBP18,600-62,600 GBP
DundeeCity37,200 GBP35,400 GBP17,100-55,400 GBP
BrightonCity37,100 GBP37,100 GBP19,000-58,100 GBP
PeterboroughCity36,800 GBP38,700 GBP18,000-57,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity36,800 GBP35,600 GBP21,100-59,800 GBP
BradfordCity36,800 GBP41,300 GBP17,900-60,100 GBP
EdinburghCity36,800 GBP37,200 GBP20,200-56,600 GBP
NottinghamCity36,800 GBP33,500 GBP20,500-54,700 GBP
AberdeenCity36,700 GBP36,700 GBP20,300-58,700 GBP
NewcastleCity36,700 GBP36,700 GBP19,200-58,200 GBP
WolverhamptonCity36,500 GBP37,900 GBP16,100-56,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity36,000 GBP33,600 GBP17,800-53,500 GBP
DerbyCity36,000 GBP35,500 GBP19,200-52,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity35,600 GBP32,600 GBP19,100-55,100 GBP
DerryCity35,500 GBP29,400 GBP17,100-50,000 GBP
SomersetCity35,400 GBP35,300 GBP19,100-57,000 GBP
PooleCity35,300 GBP31,700 GBP16,300-51,300 GBP
SwanseaCity35,300 GBP35,300 GBP15,700-55,200 GBP
YorkCity35,300 GBP37,200 GBP16,800-53,600 GBP
PlymouthCity35,200 GBP35,600 GBP20,300-56,800 GBP
LincolnCity35,100 GBP34,000 GBP18,600-53,300 GBP
ExeterCity34,400 GBP34,800 GBP15,300-56,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity34,100 GBP29,600 GBP18,400-48,300 GBP
ArmaghCity34,000 GBP34,000 GBP18,300-53,300 GBP
NewportCity33,800 GBP39,500 GBP16,800-54,100 GBP
WinchesterCity33,200 GBP29,100 GBP15,700-46,900 GBP
NorwichCity33,000 GBP32,900 GBP18,600-51,300 GBP
GloucesterCity33,000 GBP33,000 GBP15,700-51,900 GBP
PortsmouthCity33,000 GBP38,100 GBP16,800-56,100 GBP
ChesterCity32,900 GBP33,500 GBP16,400-52,000 GBP
CanterburyCity32,900 GBP33,600 GBP15,400-51,400 GBP
SalisburyCity32,200 GBP32,200 GBP17,500-51,100 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion32,200 GBP32,600 GBP12,900-49,200 GBP
WalesRegion31,800 GBP31,800 GBP15,100-49,400 GBP
KirkwallCity31,800 GBP29,400 GBP15,500-46,900 GBP
StirlingCity31,700 GBP32,200 GBP19,400-51,800 GBP
CambridgeCity31,700 GBP31,300 GBP15,700-50,000 GBP
OxfordCity31,700 GBP36,600 GBP17,000-51,100 GBP
AbingdonCity31,400 GBP30,700 GBP17,100-45,300 GBP
LisburnCity31,400 GBP34,000 GBP13,100-49,200 GBP
RiponCity30,800 GBP30,100 GBP15,800-46,700 GBP
StromnessCity30,700 GBP30,700 GBP12,000-46,700 GBP
NewryCity30,300 GBP32,200 GBP15,100-49,100 GBP
WakefieldCity30,300 GBP30,600 GBP14,500-48,600 GBP
WellsCity30,200 GBP29,100 GBP16,800-46,700 GBP
BangorCity30,100 GBP29,300 GBP13,300-46,400 GBP
St DavidsCity29,200 GBP30,300 GBP15,200-45,900 GBP
DurhamCity29,100 GBP33,300 GBP15,800-48,000 GBP
TruroCity28,900 GBP33,200 GBP15,300-46,700 GBP
InvernessCity28,900 GBP30,000 GBP12,900-47,600 GBP
StrontianCity27,400 GBP28,900 GBP12,400-43,800 GBP


Aircraft Maintenance Technician in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an aircraft maintenance technician make per month in United Kingdom?

    An aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom earns about 2,925 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 35,100 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom start near 16,000 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 51,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 20,400 and 40,300 GBP.

  • Is the median aircraft maintenance technician salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 31,400 GBP, lower than the average of 35,100 GBP. Half of aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (35,400 vs 34,100 GBP a year).

  • Do aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 29% of aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.

  • Do aircraft maintenance technicians earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an aircraft maintenance technician about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do aircraft maintenance technicians in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An aircraft maintenance technician in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 14 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.