Skip to content
worldsalaries .com

Average Automotive Project Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An automotive project manager in United Kingdom earns about 93,100 GBP a year. That's 34% above 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 45,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 140,200 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 manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
93,100 GBP
7,758 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,600 GBP
3,800 GBP per month
Highest reported
140,200 GBP
11,683 GBP per month

A typical automotive project manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 7,758 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 140,200 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 manager 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 manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How automotive project manager 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 managers in United Kingdom earn less than 92,900 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 63,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 119,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of automotive project managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 45,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 140,200 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.

45,600
Low
92,900
Median
140,200
High
63,100
25th
119,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Automotive project manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    54,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +29% from previous
    70,100 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +32% from previous
    92,600 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +25% from previous
    115,600 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    123,800 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    132,000 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 32%. That is the point at which a automotive project manager 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 manager pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    67,800 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +58% from previous
    107,300 GBP

Automotive project manager 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 managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 95,100 GBP a year, while female automotive project managers earn around 89,900 GBP. That works out to a 6% 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 Manager gender pay gap

5%

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

Men 95,100 GBP
Women 89,900 GBP

Pay raises for an automotive project manager 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 12% every 17 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 manager 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.

59%

59% of automotive project managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an automotive project manager 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 41% of automotive project managers 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 manager: 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 manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Automotive project manager 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
  • London
  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Glasgow
  • Manchester
  • Sheffield
  • Bristol
  • Liverpool
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion172,100 GBP175,100 GBP85,400-272,800 GBP
ScotlandRegion127,600 GBP127,600 GBP65,500-197,600 GBP
LondonCity105,800 GBP114,600 GBP49,400-166,600 GBP
BirminghamCity105,800 GBP114,600 GBP49,400-166,600 GBP
LeedsCity105,200 GBP103,600 GBP53,300-160,700 GBP
GlasgowCity105,200 GBP103,600 GBP53,300-160,700 GBP
ManchesterCity103,600 GBP109,000 GBP48,600-161,300 GBP
SheffieldCity103,600 GBP105,200 GBP49,800-160,700 GBP
BristolCity102,700 GBP105,800 GBP51,300-160,600 GBP
LiverpoolCity102,700 GBP96,000 GBP54,600-157,600 GBP
CoventryCity101,400 GBP94,800 GBP51,800-151,800 GBP
BradfordCity101,400 GBP107,300 GBP48,200-156,200 GBP
SomersetCity100,700 GBP95,100 GBP55,100-152,900 GBP
EdinburghCity100,700 GBP100,700 GBP52,300-156,200 GBP
NottinghamCity100,200 GBP100,200 GBP50,800-152,900 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity100,200 GBP100,200 GBP50,800-152,900 GBP
LeicesterCity99,700 GBP97,600 GBP53,600-152,700 GBP
CardiffCity99,700 GBP93,100 GBP55,600-153,800 GBP
BelfastCity99,100 GBP101,100 GBP47,100-153,800 GBP
NewcastleCity99,100 GBP103,600 GBP46,200-152,900 GBP
DerbyCity97,400 GBP87,900 GBP51,500-147,900 GBP
BrightonCity97,400 GBP100,700 GBP47,500-153,800 GBP
PlymouthCity97,200 GBP90,300 GBP50,000-147,900 GBP
WolverhamptonCity97,200 GBP105,200 GBP45,000-153,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity95,500 GBP95,500 GBP48,600-148,300 GBP
SwanseaCity95,500 GBP100,400 GBP43,800-150,100 GBP
DundeeCity93,100 GBP92,900 GBP45,600-140,200 GBP
NewportCity93,100 GBP100,200 GBP40,600-146,700 GBP
YorkCity92,900 GBP97,600 GBP45,200-148,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity92,900 GBP88,300 GBP47,200-142,300 GBP
PortsmouthCity92,600 GBP103,600 GBP45,100-151,800 GBP
AberdeenCity92,600 GBP98,000 GBP46,200-146,900 GBP
ArmaghCity92,100 GBP97,200 GBP42,700-146,700 GBP
OxfordCity92,100 GBP90,900 GBP47,800-140,200 GBP
PooleCity90,900 GBP83,300 GBP48,000-138,700 GBP
LincolnCity90,900 GBP85,400 GBP47,100-138,700 GBP
NewryCity88,600 GBP83,800 GBP43,800-134,100 GBP
DerryCity88,600 GBP88,600 GBP45,200-137,100 GBP
NorwichCity88,300 GBP93,100 GBP45,200-141,000 GBP
ExeterCity88,300 GBP96,000 GBP40,300-142,100 GBP
GloucesterCity87,900 GBP93,200 GBP42,800-140,700 GBP
CambridgeCity87,900 GBP87,900 GBP42,700-138,700 GBP
StirlingCity87,700 GBP79,000 GBP48,200-130,500 GBP
WalesRegion87,700 GBP88,500 GBP40,300-137,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity87,700 GBP90,000 GBP42,800-134,700 GBP
ChesterCity83,900 GBP81,700 GBP44,500-130,500 GBP
WakefieldCity83,900 GBP81,700 GBP44,500-130,500 GBP
CanterburyCity83,800 GBP82,300 GBP43,500-127,600 GBP
InvernessCity83,800 GBP79,000 GBP44,800-128,200 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion83,800 GBP82,300 GBP43,500-127,600 GBP
DurhamCity83,700 GBP91,600 GBP39,600-134,700 GBP
LisburnCity83,700 GBP83,300 GBP45,100-130,500 GBP
WinchesterCity83,300 GBP76,900 GBP44,200-128,200 GBP
SalisburyCity83,300 GBP86,600 GBP39,000-130,400 GBP
WellsCity80,800 GBP77,300 GBP44,300-123,000 GBP
KirkwallCity80,800 GBP77,300 GBP44,300-123,000 GBP
AbingdonCity80,500 GBP76,900 GBP44,300-123,800 GBP
TruroCity80,500 GBP79,600 GBP43,200-128,200 GBP
RiponCity80,300 GBP87,700 GBP36,500-127,600 GBP
BangorCity80,300 GBP76,800 GBP45,000-125,400 GBP
StrontianCity79,000 GBP83,300 GBP35,200-125,400 GBP
StromnessCity78,500 GBP83,900 GBP35,000-127,700 GBP
St DavidsCity78,500 GBP83,800 GBP35,600-127,700 GBP

Automotive Project Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

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

    An automotive project manager in United Kingdom earns about 7,758 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 93,100 GBP.

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

    Entry-level automotive project managers in United Kingdom start near 45,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 140,200 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 63,100 and 119,700 GBP.

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

    The median is 92,900 GBP, lower than the average of 93,100 GBP. Half of automotive project managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

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

    Men working as an automotive project manager in United Kingdom earn around 6% more than women on average (95,100 vs 89,900 GBP a year).

  • Do automotive project managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 59% of automotive project managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

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

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an automotive project manager 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 managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An automotive project manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.