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Average Automotive Project Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An automotive project engineer in United Kingdom earns about 48,600 GBP a year. That's 30% 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 22,200 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 72,400 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 automotive project engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
48,600 GBP
4,050 GBP per month
Lowest reported
22,200 GBP
1,850 GBP per month
Highest reported
72,400 GBP
6,033 GBP per month

A typical automotive project engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 4,050 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 22,200 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 72,400 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 automotive project engineer 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 automotive project engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How automotive project engineer 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 automotive project engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 50,000 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 32,600 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 61,500 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of automotive project engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 22,200 GBP. The highest stretch to 72,400 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.

22,200
Low
50,000
Median
72,400
High
32,600
25th
61,500
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Automotive project engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an automotive project engineer 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 automotive project engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    26,100 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +40% from previous
    36,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +35% from previous
    49,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    61,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    63,500 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +9% from previous
    69,200 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 40%. That is the point at which a automotive project engineer 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.

Automotive project engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving automotive project engineer 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 automotive project engineer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    35,100 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +56% from previous
    54,700 GBP

Automotive project engineer 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 automotive project engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 50,000 GBP a year, while female automotive project engineers earn around 47,500 GBP. That works out to a 5% 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.

Automotive Project Engineer gender pay gap

5%

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

Men 50,000 GBP
Women 47,500 GBP

Pay raises for an automotive project engineer 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 16 months, which works out to roughly 8% 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

Automotive project engineer 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.

58%

58% of automotive project engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an automotive project engineer a moderate-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 3% to 6% of base salary. The remaining 42% of automotive project engineers 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

Automotive project engineer: 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

Automotive project engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Automotive project engineer 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
  • Manchester
  • Liverpool
  • Leicester
  • Somerset
  • Coventry
  • Bristol
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Bradford
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion95,500 GBP96,400 GBP45,900-146,900 GBP
ScotlandRegion65,900 GBP65,900 GBP32,600-102,700 GBP
ManchesterCity58,200 GBP61,400 GBP25,800-87,400 GBP
LiverpoolCity58,100 GBP53,600 GBP29,100-86,600 GBP
LeicesterCity56,100 GBP54,300 GBP29,300-85,100 GBP
SomersetCity55,700 GBP49,200 GBP31,300-83,400 GBP
CoventryCity55,600 GBP51,100 GBP28,900-83,800 GBP
BristolCity55,500 GBP57,200 GBP25,500-86,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity55,400 GBP55,400 GBP26,500-81,900 GBP
BradfordCity55,200 GBP55,300 GBP26,500-84,800 GBP
PlymouthCity54,600 GBP51,500 GBP26,400-80,000 GBP
SouthamptonCity54,300 GBP54,300 GBP25,800-81,400 GBP
LondonCity54,200 GBP58,600 GBP26,500-85,800 GBP
LeedsCity53,800 GBP52,300 GBP27,400-83,000 GBP
GlasgowCity53,300 GBP51,400 GBP26,900-81,600 GBP
SwanseaCity53,300 GBP53,500 GBP26,400-79,800 GBP
SheffieldCity52,800 GBP54,100 GBP27,300-83,000 GBP
EdinburghCity52,800 GBP52,800 GBP26,200-83,800 GBP
BirminghamCity52,300 GBP59,700 GBP23,600-85,500 GBP
NewcastleCity51,800 GBP51,900 GBP24,800-80,400 GBP
BelfastCity51,800 GBP53,500 GBP27,400-83,300 GBP
PortsmouthCity51,500 GBP58,200 GBP22,400-83,800 GBP
CardiffCity51,300 GBP46,700 GBP26,300-79,700 GBP
NottinghamCity51,300 GBP51,300 GBP26,600-79,600 GBP
OxfordCity51,100 GBP51,500 GBP26,600-77,100 GBP
DerbyCity50,700 GBP45,000 GBP26,900-74,200 GBP
NorwichCity50,500 GBP49,200 GBP25,300-75,800 GBP
GloucesterCity50,000 GBP49,200 GBP22,200-76,600 GBP
BrightonCity49,700 GBP51,300 GBP22,400-79,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity49,700 GBP54,700 GBP23,400-82,300 GBP
PooleCity49,400 GBP45,300 GBP24,200-73,200 GBP
NewportCity49,200 GBP54,100 GBP21,300-77,000 GBP
AberdeenCity49,100 GBP51,500 GBP22,400-79,600 GBP
StirlingCity48,600 GBP42,300 GBP23,700-69,600 GBP
SalisburyCity48,200 GBP49,700 GBP22,100-71,700 GBP
ExeterCity47,500 GBP50,800 GBP20,700-73,300 GBP
DundeeCity47,500 GBP45,600 GBP21,300-72,400 GBP
PeterboroughCity47,400 GBP45,300 GBP24,400-74,600 GBP
DerryCity46,200 GBP46,200 GBP24,400-70,900 GBP
DurhamCity46,000 GBP49,800 GBP20,000-71,900 GBP
ArmaghCity45,800 GBP49,300 GBP23,700-75,000 GBP
LincolnCity45,800 GBP45,000 GBP23,600-73,100 GBP
YorkCity45,800 GBP49,800 GBP23,400-76,000 GBP
CanterburyCity45,700 GBP42,700 GBP22,800-67,800 GBP
WalesRegion45,700 GBP47,800 GBP22,300-72,400 GBP
HartlepoolCity45,700 GBP46,700 GBP20,400-69,600 GBP
NewryCity45,700 GBP44,500 GBP23,400-68,500 GBP
CambridgeCity45,600 GBP45,600 GBP21,500-69,700 GBP
ChesterCity45,000 GBP41,500 GBP22,800-66,100 GBP
BangorCity45,000 GBP42,400 GBP23,500-65,800 GBP
LisburnCity44,500 GBP46,400 GBP23,500-69,400 GBP
InvernessCity44,500 GBP43,500 GBP22,200-69,700 GBP
WakefieldCity44,500 GBP42,500 GBP23,800-66,900 GBP
WinchesterCity44,300 GBP38,000 GBP23,800-64,800 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion43,800 GBP45,600 GBP22,200-71,700 GBP
TruroCity43,500 GBP43,500 GBP23,800-67,500 GBP
WellsCity43,500 GBP41,700 GBP23,700-66,900 GBP
RiponCity43,400 GBP43,800 GBP22,000-66,100 GBP
AbingdonCity42,700 GBP40,300 GBP22,100-66,000 GBP
StrontianCity41,500 GBP43,100 GBP18,200-67,200 GBP
St DavidsCity40,200 GBP44,300 GBP17,800-63,500 GBP
KirkwallCity40,200 GBP38,000 GBP20,100-63,700 GBP
StromnessCity38,900 GBP45,000 GBP20,200-64,900 GBP

Automotive Project Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an automotive project engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    An automotive project engineer in United Kingdom earns about 4,050 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 48,600 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an automotive project engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level automotive project engineers in United Kingdom start near 22,200 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 72,400 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 32,600 and 61,500 GBP.

  • Is the median automotive project engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 50,000 GBP, higher than the average of 48,600 GBP. Half of automotive project engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for automotive project engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an automotive project engineer in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (50,000 vs 47,500 GBP a year).

  • Do automotive project engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 58% of automotive project engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do automotive project engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do automotive project engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An automotive project engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.