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Average CAD Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A CAD manager in United Kingdom earns about 85,100 GBP a year. That's 22% 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 39,100 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 134,100 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 manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
85,100 GBP
7,091 GBP per month
Lowest reported
39,100 GBP
3,258 GBP per month
Highest reported
134,100 GBP
11,175 GBP per month

A typical CAD manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 7,091 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 39,100 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 134,100 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 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 CAD manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How CAD 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 CAD managers in United Kingdom earn less than 92,400 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 59,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 123,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of CAD managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 39,100 GBP. The highest stretch to 134,100 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.

39,100
Low
92,400
Median
134,100
High
59,800
25th
123,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

CAD manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    45,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +34% from previous
    60,500 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +42% from previous
    85,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +25% from previous
    107,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    114,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +8% from previous
    123,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 42%. That is the point at which a CAD 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.

CAD manager pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    49,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +102% from previous
    100,300 GBP

CAD 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 CAD managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 87,000 GBP a year, while female CAD managers earn around 81,700 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.

CAD Manager gender pay gap

6%

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

Men 87,000 GBP
Women 81,700 GBP

Pay raises for a CAD 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 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 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.

62%

62% of CAD managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a CAD 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 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 38% of CAD 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

CAD 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

CAD manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

CAD 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
  • Bristol
  • Liverpool
  • Edinburgh
  • Cardiff
  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion148,300 GBP158,700 GBP66,200-233,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion108,200 GBP112,700 GBP55,200-172,300 GBP
LondonCity96,400 GBP105,800 GBP44,500-152,700 GBP
BristolCity95,300 GBP103,600 GBP44,500-151,800 GBP
LiverpoolCity95,000 GBP88,500 GBP48,000-142,300 GBP
EdinburghCity94,900 GBP95,200 GBP45,000-148,300 GBP
CardiffCity92,900 GBP87,600 GBP46,700-141,000 GBP
BirminghamCity92,100 GBP100,500 GBP41,500-147,900 GBP
LeedsCity91,700 GBP88,600 GBP45,300-140,700 GBP
SheffieldCity90,900 GBP100,400 GBP40,300-146,700 GBP
BradfordCity90,000 GBP88,500 GBP45,100-139,100 GBP
GlasgowCity88,600 GBP87,200 GBP45,000-137,100 GBP
BrightonCity88,600 GBP83,000 GBP44,200-132,000 GBP
PlymouthCity88,000 GBP90,900 GBP45,100-139,100 GBP
LeicesterCity87,800 GBP96,600 GBP39,700-142,100 GBP
SouthamptonCity87,700 GBP86,100 GBP42,700-134,100 GBP
ArmaghCity86,800 GBP80,500 GBP45,000-130,500 GBP
SomersetCity86,800 GBP84,800 GBP45,200-134,100 GBP
ManchesterCity86,600 GBP88,000 GBP43,500-134,700 GBP
CoventryCity86,100 GBP88,600 GBP41,500-137,100 GBP
NottinghamCity86,100 GBP87,800 GBP41,500-137,100 GBP
NewcastleCity85,500 GBP79,600 GBP44,300-127,600 GBP
DerbyCity85,500 GBP81,700 GBP44,500-130,500 GBP
WolverhamptonCity85,100 GBP90,600 GBP39,100-134,100 GBP
OxfordCity84,200 GBP81,200 GBP43,400-127,700 GBP
YorkCity83,800 GBP86,400 GBP38,900-128,400 GBP
SwanseaCity83,700 GBP77,100 GBP44,300-123,800 GBP
GloucesterCity83,700 GBP77,100 GBP44,300-123,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity83,700 GBP84,800 GBP40,300-130,400 GBP
CambridgeCity83,700 GBP83,000 GBP41,700-127,600 GBP
AberdeenCity83,300 GBP81,600 GBP42,700-128,400 GBP
BelfastCity83,300 GBP91,700 GBP39,100-130,400 GBP
NewportCity83,100 GBP93,100 GBP40,500-134,100 GBP
PeterboroughCity83,100 GBP90,900 GBP40,500-134,700 GBP
ExeterCity82,200 GBP83,300 GBP41,300-128,200 GBP
DundeeCity81,900 GBP88,700 GBP36,800-132,000 GBP
WalesRegion80,900 GBP75,800 GBP42,500-124,500 GBP
PortsmouthCity80,400 GBP85,700 GBP36,800-127,600 GBP
LincolnCity79,800 GBP83,400 GBP39,300-128,200 GBP
NorwichCity79,600 GBP83,800 GBP35,300-125,400 GBP
NewryCity78,200 GBP84,800 GBP36,500-125,400 GBP
TruroCity77,300 GBP72,400 GBP40,900-114,300 GBP
StirlingCity76,900 GBP72,300 GBP41,700-117,100 GBP
DurhamCity76,800 GBP83,800 GBP34,700-121,800 GBP
DerryCity75,400 GBP76,900 GBP36,800-117,100 GBP
PooleCity74,900 GBP74,500 GBP40,300-115,600 GBP
LisburnCity73,800 GBP70,700 GBP37,900-114,900 GBP
ChesterCity73,500 GBP78,700 GBP35,400-117,100 GBP
StrontianCity73,100 GBP74,500 GBP33,300-112,700 GBP
InvernessCity73,100 GBP78,100 GBP33,300-114,900 GBP
StromnessCity73,100 GBP78,200 GBP32,900-114,900 GBP
HartlepoolCity72,700 GBP78,500 GBP34,000-115,600 GBP
SalisburyCity72,400 GBP69,200 GBP36,800-114,600 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion72,400 GBP67,800 GBP39,500-111,700 GBP
WinchesterCity72,000 GBP68,300 GBP36,200-112,700 GBP
BangorCity71,400 GBP76,000 GBP35,300-114,900 GBP
WakefieldCity70,500 GBP78,900 GBP32,600-116,400 GBP
KirkwallCity69,700 GBP70,600 GBP33,600-108,200 GBP
RiponCity69,700 GBP73,200 GBP33,600-108,200 GBP
CanterburyCity69,700 GBP67,300 GBP37,100-109,000 GBP
WellsCity69,100 GBP71,100 GBP33,500-107,700 GBP
AbingdonCity68,300 GBP70,700 GBP34,000-109,700 GBP
St DavidsCity65,700 GBP69,800 GBP33,300-105,800 GBP

CAD Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

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

    A CAD manager in United Kingdom earns about 7,091 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 85,100 GBP.

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

    Entry-level CAD managers in United Kingdom start near 39,100 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 134,100 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 59,800 and 123,000 GBP.

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

    The median is 92,400 GBP, higher than the average of 85,100 GBP. Half of CAD managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

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

    Men working as a CAD manager in United Kingdom earn around 6% more than women on average (87,000 vs 81,700 GBP a year).

  • Do CAD managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 62% of CAD managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

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

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

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

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