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Average CAD Design Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A CAD design engineer in United Kingdom earns about 69,400 GBP a year. It sits roughly in line with the national average.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 34,300 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 105,200 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 a CAD design engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
69,400 GBP
5,783 GBP per month
Lowest reported
34,300 GBP
2,858 GBP per month
Highest reported
105,200 GBP
8,766 GBP per month

A typical CAD design engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,783 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 34,300 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 105,200 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 CAD design 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 CAD design engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How CAD design 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 CAD design engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 66,900 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 45,700 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 81,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of CAD design engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 34,300 GBP. The highest stretch to 105,200 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.

34,300
Low
66,900
Median
105,200
High
45,700
25th
81,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

CAD design engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a CAD design 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 CAD design engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    41,100 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +30% from previous
    53,500 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +33% from previous
    70,900 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +17% from previous
    83,100 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +10% from previous
    91,600 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +5% from previous
    95,900 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 33%. That is the point at which a CAD design 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.

CAD design engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    57,100 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +38% from previous
    79,000 GBP

CAD design 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 CAD design engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 68,800 GBP a year, while female CAD design engineers earn around 66,900 GBP. That works out to a 3% 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.

CAD Design Engineer gender pay gap

3%

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

Men 68,800 GBP
Women 66,900 GBP

Pay raises for a CAD design 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 12% every 16 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

CAD design 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.

30%

30% of CAD design engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a CAD design engineer 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 70% of CAD design 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

CAD design 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

CAD design engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

CAD design 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
  • Glasgow
  • Sheffield
  • Birmingham
  • London
  • Manchester
  • Edinburgh
  • Bradford
  • Nottingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion128,400 GBP123,800 GBP66,200-199,700 GBP
ScotlandRegion86,800 GBP85,500 GBP45,600-134,700 GBP
GlasgowCity78,500 GBP78,500 GBP37,900-119,700 GBP
SheffieldCity77,000 GBP70,500 GBP39,600-116,400 GBP
BirminghamCity76,900 GBP83,000 GBP36,600-124,500 GBP
LondonCity74,200 GBP80,500 GBP33,800-119,700 GBP
ManchesterCity74,100 GBP68,100 GBP41,700-114,600 GBP
EdinburghCity73,700 GBP74,000 GBP36,900-116,400 GBP
BradfordCity73,500 GBP66,100 GBP38,000-112,700 GBP
NottinghamCity73,500 GBP72,400 GBP39,500-114,900 GBP
SomersetCity73,500 GBP79,700 GBP33,000-115,600 GBP
LeedsCity73,200 GBP73,200 GBP34,900-112,700 GBP
NewcastleCity73,100 GBP66,400 GBP39,400-109,700 GBP
BrightonCity72,700 GBP69,700 GBP36,800-108,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity71,900 GBP78,900 GBP33,600-114,300 GBP
BristolCity71,000 GBP69,400 GBP37,300-109,000 GBP
LeicesterCity70,000 GBP73,100 GBP33,000-108,200 GBP
SouthamptonCity69,700 GBP70,800 GBP35,000-109,700 GBP
BelfastCity69,600 GBP66,200 GBP37,100-109,000 GBP
AberdeenCity69,400 GBP64,500 GBP35,000-102,700 GBP
CardiffCity69,400 GBP74,100 GBP30,700-109,700 GBP
CoventryCity69,200 GBP73,500 GBP35,300-112,700 GBP
PlymouthCity68,900 GBP68,200 GBP30,300-105,800 GBP
SwanseaCity68,900 GBP64,300 GBP35,500-103,600 GBP
DerbyCity68,200 GBP73,500 GBP33,600-108,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity67,900 GBP72,700 GBP30,300-107,700 GBP
ArmaghCity67,600 GBP61,700 GBP33,800-99,700 GBP
ExeterCity67,600 GBP58,800 GBP35,500-100,500 GBP
YorkCity67,400 GBP62,100 GBP35,300-99,700 GBP
DundeeCity67,400 GBP65,500 GBP33,600-103,600 GBP
NorwichCity67,400 GBP64,500 GBP33,600-103,600 GBP
WolverhamptonCity67,300 GBP71,400 GBP29,600-109,000 GBP
HartlepoolCity66,900 GBP61,500 GBP34,000-97,900 GBP
NewryCity66,900 GBP66,900 GBP31,400-103,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity66,400 GBP67,800 GBP35,100-105,200 GBP
LincolnCity65,500 GBP67,400 GBP29,100-99,700 GBP
DerryCity65,500 GBP61,700 GBP32,900-97,300 GBP
PooleCity65,500 GBP67,300 GBP30,700-100,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity64,600 GBP64,400 GBP31,800-100,700 GBP
WalesRegion64,600 GBP58,800 GBP35,300-99,100 GBP
GloucesterCity64,400 GBP61,700 GBP33,800-99,700 GBP
OxfordCity64,100 GBP64,100 GBP31,800-99,100 GBP
NewportCity64,100 GBP69,700 GBP27,300-100,700 GBP
InvernessCity63,000 GBP64,300 GBP31,400-95,900 GBP
BangorCity62,600 GBP63,900 GBP30,100-95,500 GBP
SalisburyCity62,100 GBP58,600 GBP30,700-92,500 GBP
DurhamCity61,700 GBP66,400 GBP29,600-97,300 GBP
LisburnCity61,500 GBP61,500 GBP29,600-96,400 GBP
ChesterCity61,300 GBP61,700 GBP29,200-94,500 GBP
TruroCity60,800 GBP60,800 GBP30,000-94,000 GBP
WakefieldCity60,400 GBP61,400 GBP28,900-92,900 GBP
WinchesterCity60,400 GBP63,000 GBP26,100-94,300 GBP
StirlingCity60,200 GBP62,300 GBP26,400-96,000 GBP
CambridgeCity59,900 GBP60,200 GBP30,200-95,100 GBP
AbingdonCity59,200 GBP60,800 GBP29,600-92,900 GBP
CanterburyCity59,000 GBP59,000 GBP27,300-90,300 GBP
RiponCity58,200 GBP55,200 GBP30,200-90,000 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion57,800 GBP57,800 GBP28,900-90,000 GBP
St DavidsCity54,900 GBP49,300 GBP30,700-83,300 GBP
StromnessCity54,900 GBP61,400 GBP27,400-86,800 GBP
WellsCity54,600 GBP58,500 GBP27,000-86,600 GBP
KirkwallCity54,200 GBP57,100 GBP27,300-86,600 GBP
StrontianCity54,100 GBP49,300 GBP30,700-81,900 GBP

CAD Design Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a CAD design engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A CAD design engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,783 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 69,400 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a CAD design engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level CAD design engineers in United Kingdom start near 34,300 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 105,200 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 45,700 and 81,000 GBP.

  • Is the median CAD design engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 66,900 GBP, lower than the average of 69,400 GBP. Half of CAD design engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for CAD design engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a CAD design engineer in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (68,800 vs 66,900 GBP a year).

  • Do CAD design engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 30% of CAD design engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.

  • Do CAD design engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do CAD design engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A CAD design engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.