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Average Chemical Technican Apprentice Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A chemical technican apprentice in United Kingdom earns about 38,700 GBP a year. That's 44% 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 19,400 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 57,100 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 chemical technican apprentice make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
38,700 GBP
3,225 GBP per month
Lowest reported
19,400 GBP
1,616 GBP per month
Highest reported
57,100 GBP
4,758 GBP per month

A typical chemical technican apprentice working in United Kingdom brings home around 3,225 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 19,400 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 57,100 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 chemical technican apprentice 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 chemical technican apprentice salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How chemical technican apprentice 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 chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom earn less than 35,000 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 23,600 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 44,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of chemical technican apprentices sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 19,400 GBP. The highest stretch to 57,100 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.

19,400
Low
35,000
Median
57,100
High
23,600
25th
44,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Chemical technican apprentice pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    20,400 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +43% from previous
    29,200 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +30% from previous
    38,000 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +28% from previous
    48,600 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +1% from previous
    49,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    52,800 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 chemical technican apprentice 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.

Chemical technican apprentice pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    25,800 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +41% from previous
    36,400 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +41% from previous
    51,400 GBP

Chemical technican apprentice 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 chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom earn an average of 39,100 GBP a year, while female chemical technican apprentices earn around 37,100 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.

Chemical Technican Apprentice gender pay gap

5%

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

Men 39,100 GBP
Women 37,100 GBP

Pay raises for a chemical technican apprentice 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 10% 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

Chemical technican apprentice 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 chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a chemical technican apprentice 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 chemical technican apprentices 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

Chemical technican apprentice: 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

Chemical technican apprentice salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Chemical technican apprentice 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
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield
  • Somerset
  • Bristol
  • Leicester
  • Nottingham
  • Birmingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion75,100 GBP71,900 GBP38,000-115,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion56,100 GBP50,000 GBP31,200-84,900 GBP
LondonCity47,500 GBP50,700 GBP21,100-73,500 GBP
LeedsCity46,700 GBP48,000 GBP20,000-71,200 GBP
SheffieldCity46,300 GBP44,500 GBP23,400-70,800 GBP
SomersetCity45,200 GBP40,200 GBP22,200-67,400 GBP
BristolCity45,000 GBP43,500 GBP22,200-70,100 GBP
LeicesterCity44,500 GBP43,800 GBP23,000-66,400 GBP
NottinghamCity44,300 GBP41,100 GBP23,100-67,600 GBP
BirminghamCity43,800 GBP46,700 GBP20,900-70,000 GBP
ManchesterCity43,800 GBP46,400 GBP23,000-69,200 GBP
BrightonCity43,500 GBP43,500 GBP21,100-66,900 GBP
CoventryCity43,400 GBP40,300 GBP20,700-67,800 GBP
CardiffCity42,600 GBP37,900 GBP20,100-61,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity42,000 GBP45,000 GBP20,200-63,700 GBP
BradfordCity41,900 GBP42,800 GBP19,100-63,800 GBP
GlasgowCity41,500 GBP46,300 GBP20,000-65,700 GBP
EdinburghCity41,500 GBP38,000 GBP23,800-63,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity41,500 GBP39,300 GBP22,100-64,800 GBP
PooleCity41,300 GBP36,400 GBP23,000-59,800 GBP
SwanseaCity41,300 GBP41,300 GBP18,600-63,100 GBP
PlymouthCity40,900 GBP36,800 GBP20,000-58,800 GBP
NewportCity40,300 GBP44,300 GBP20,300-66,000 GBP
AberdeenCity40,300 GBP40,300 GBP20,200-64,600 GBP
WolverhamptonCity40,300 GBP44,300 GBP20,300-66,000 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity40,300 GBP36,700 GBP20,100-62,500 GBP
BelfastCity40,200 GBP40,000 GBP21,100-61,400 GBP
NewcastleCity40,200 GBP40,200 GBP19,300-62,300 GBP
SouthamptonCity39,800 GBP39,500 GBP20,400-61,700 GBP
DundeeCity39,800 GBP36,700 GBP21,200-62,100 GBP
LincolnCity39,400 GBP35,600 GBP17,800-58,200 GBP
ArmaghCity39,300 GBP39,300 GBP18,200-60,800 GBP
OxfordCity39,300 GBP42,700 GBP20,200-61,400 GBP
DerbyCity38,900 GBP39,100 GBP20,000-61,700 GBP
ExeterCity38,700 GBP42,600 GBP19,200-61,800 GBP
PeterboroughCity38,000 GBP41,300 GBP18,900-62,100 GBP
InvernessCity37,300 GBP38,100 GBP19,200-56,400 GBP
NorwichCity37,100 GBP33,300 GBP20,900-57,000 GBP
ChesterCity36,900 GBP37,900 GBP20,300-59,200 GBP
NewryCity36,700 GBP38,000 GBP17,900-58,500 GBP
YorkCity36,500 GBP40,300 GBP19,000-61,400 GBP
GloucesterCity36,500 GBP36,500 GBP20,900-59,200 GBP
WinchesterCity36,400 GBP35,300 GBP18,900-54,200 GBP
LisburnCity36,400 GBP39,300 GBP19,400-58,000 GBP
CambridgeCity35,600 GBP34,000 GBP20,000-57,800 GBP
WellsCity35,500 GBP35,300 GBP16,300-55,700 GBP
WalesRegion35,500 GBP35,500 GBP19,300-54,200 GBP
BangorCity35,300 GBP31,700 GBP15,700-51,300 GBP
DurhamCity35,300 GBP36,400 GBP16,800-54,100 GBP
CanterburyCity35,300 GBP34,900 GBP16,800-53,500 GBP
RiponCity35,300 GBP35,500 GBP17,500-52,800 GBP
SalisburyCity35,100 GBP35,100 GBP18,800-51,900 GBP
DerryCity35,000 GBP33,300 GBP17,800-52,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity35,000 GBP34,700 GBP19,200-54,200 GBP
StirlingCity35,000 GBP34,000 GBP17,800-54,100 GBP
AbingdonCity34,800 GBP35,500 GBP17,900-55,500 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion34,400 GBP36,800 GBP17,500-54,700 GBP
St DavidsCity34,000 GBP36,000 GBP16,100-53,500 GBP
TruroCity33,600 GBP37,100 GBP16,800-55,100 GBP
WakefieldCity33,300 GBP35,300 GBP18,800-56,100 GBP
StrontianCity33,000 GBP34,900 GBP18,300-54,700 GBP
KirkwallCity33,000 GBP35,400 GBP19,400-51,900 GBP
StromnessCity32,900 GBP33,300 GBP13,100-50,100 GBP

Chemical Technican Apprentice in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a chemical technican apprentice make per month in United Kingdom?

    A chemical technican apprentice in United Kingdom earns about 3,225 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 38,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a chemical technican apprentice in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom start near 19,400 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 57,100 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 23,600 and 44,700 GBP.

  • Is the median chemical technican apprentice salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 35,000 GBP, lower than the average of 38,700 GBP. Half of chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a chemical technican apprentice in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (39,100 vs 37,100 GBP a year).

  • Do chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom get bonuses?

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

  • Do chemical technican apprentices earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do chemical technican apprentices in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A chemical technican apprentice in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 10% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.