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Average CNC Machinist Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An CNC machinist in United Kingdom earns about 45,600 GBP a year. That's 35% 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 22,300 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 70,800 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 CNC machinist make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
45,600 GBP
3,800 GBP per month
Lowest reported
22,300 GBP
1,858 GBP per month
Highest reported
70,800 GBP
5,900 GBP per month

A typical CNC machinist working in United Kingdom brings home around 3,800 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 22,300 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 70,800 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 CNC machinist 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 CNC machinist salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How CNC machinist 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 CNC machinists in United Kingdom earn less than 45,700 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 29,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 59,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of CNC machinists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 22,300 GBP. The highest stretch to 70,800 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.

22,300
Low
45,700
Median
70,800
High
29,100
25th
59,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

CNC machinist pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    24,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +38% from previous
    33,300 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +36% from previous
    45,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +26% from previous
    57,200 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    61,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    64,900 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 38%. That is the point at which a CNC machinist 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.

CNC machinist pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    35,000 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +55% from previous
    54,200 GBP

CNC machinist 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 CNC machinists in United Kingdom earn an average of 46,300 GBP a year, while female CNC machinists earn around 44,500 GBP. That works out to a 4% 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.

CNC Machinist gender pay gap

4%

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

Men 46,300 GBP
Women 44,500 GBP

Pay raises for an CNC machinist 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

CNC machinist 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.

32%

32% of CNC machinists in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an CNC machinist 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 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 68% of CNC machinists 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

CNC machinist: 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

CNC machinist salary by city and region in United Kingdom

CNC machinist 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
  • Liverpool
  • Birmingham
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Belfast
  • Edinburgh
  • Brighton
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion86,600 GBP88,000 GBP43,500-134,700 GBP
ScotlandRegion64,200 GBP64,200 GBP32,300-100,700 GBP
LiverpoolCity54,300 GBP48,000 GBP29,900-80,700 GBP
BirminghamCity53,300 GBP54,200 GBP25,300-83,300 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity51,600 GBP51,600 GBP23,700-77,300 GBP
BelfastCity51,600 GBP52,000 GBP22,800-80,200 GBP
EdinburghCity51,400 GBP51,400 GBP26,600-79,600 GBP
BrightonCity50,700 GBP53,600 GBP22,400-80,200 GBP
LeedsCity50,500 GBP47,200 GBP23,700-76,600 GBP
SheffieldCity50,500 GBP49,200 GBP25,300-75,800 GBP
SwanseaCity50,500 GBP52,600 GBP22,000-78,500 GBP
BristolCity50,300 GBP52,300 GBP24,200-78,500 GBP
GlasgowCity49,800 GBP50,000 GBP26,500-74,900 GBP
LondonCity49,800 GBP55,400 GBP23,800-80,800 GBP
ManchesterCity49,800 GBP53,300 GBP23,400-78,700 GBP
SomersetCity49,700 GBP45,600 GBP25,800-71,700 GBP
WolverhamptonCity49,400 GBP51,100 GBP24,400-76,800 GBP
LeicesterCity49,400 GBP47,800 GBP24,400-75,500 GBP
PlymouthCity49,200 GBP48,600 GBP25,800-77,000 GBP
BradfordCity49,100 GBP51,900 GBP22,000-79,600 GBP
DerbyCity48,600 GBP43,800 GBP26,600-72,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity47,800 GBP46,200 GBP24,200-73,100 GBP
SouthamptonCity47,600 GBP47,600 GBP23,400-74,100 GBP
ArmaghCity47,500 GBP49,400 GBP23,800-72,000 GBP
NewcastleCity47,400 GBP49,300 GBP23,100-75,800 GBP
CardiffCity47,200 GBP45,000 GBP27,800-74,000 GBP
CoventryCity46,700 GBP46,300 GBP24,400-71,400 GBP
NorwichCity46,700 GBP47,600 GBP23,800-70,600 GBP
LincolnCity46,300 GBP44,300 GBP22,400-69,400 GBP
PortsmouthCity46,000 GBP50,700 GBP21,100-73,100 GBP
NewportCity45,700 GBP48,000 GBP20,200-73,700 GBP
AberdeenCity45,600 GBP49,000 GBP23,200-73,100 GBP
ChesterCity45,600 GBP42,300 GBP22,200-68,900 GBP
NottinghamCity45,300 GBP45,300 GBP23,100-71,400 GBP
CambridgeCity45,200 GBP45,200 GBP20,700-69,400 GBP
DurhamCity45,100 GBP48,600 GBP18,200-69,400 GBP
HartlepoolCity45,100 GBP45,000 GBP23,000-65,700 GBP
YorkCity45,000 GBP48,200 GBP22,600-71,200 GBP
PooleCity44,900 GBP41,300 GBP23,400-65,100 GBP
StirlingCity44,500 GBP40,200 GBP22,400-66,200 GBP
OxfordCity44,200 GBP45,600 GBP22,800-68,200 GBP
DundeeCity43,800 GBP47,500 GBP22,100-71,800 GBP
SalisburyCity43,500 GBP44,200 GBP21,400-70,000 GBP
GloucesterCity43,400 GBP44,700 GBP22,600-66,400 GBP
AbingdonCity42,800 GBP38,000 GBP24,400-64,600 GBP
CanterburyCity42,700 GBP40,700 GBP23,200-63,500 GBP
NewryCity42,700 GBP44,300 GBP22,800-67,300 GBP
RiponCity42,600 GBP44,300 GBP17,800-66,900 GBP
InvernessCity42,000 GBP39,800 GBP23,000-61,700 GBP
ExeterCity41,500 GBP43,100 GBP18,200-67,200 GBP
LisburnCity41,400 GBP39,800 GBP20,000-63,200 GBP
TruroCity41,400 GBP39,800 GBP20,000-63,200 GBP
WinchesterCity41,400 GBP36,800 GBP23,800-64,300 GBP
WalesRegion40,300 GBP45,200 GBP22,000-67,800 GBP
DerryCity40,300 GBP40,300 GBP21,400-67,000 GBP
BangorCity40,300 GBP38,700 GBP23,800-63,800 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion40,000 GBP37,900 GBP20,000-59,800 GBP
WellsCity39,800 GBP36,800 GBP19,300-60,900 GBP
WakefieldCity39,500 GBP40,500 GBP23,000-63,100 GBP
St DavidsCity39,000 GBP43,500 GBP19,200-62,300 GBP
KirkwallCity39,000 GBP36,200 GBP21,100-59,900 GBP
StromnessCity36,900 GBP39,800 GBP19,100-60,100 GBP
StrontianCity36,800 GBP39,700 GBP16,300-59,800 GBP

CNC Machinist in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an CNC machinist make per month in United Kingdom?

    An CNC machinist in United Kingdom earns about 3,800 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 45,600 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an CNC machinist in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level CNC machinists in United Kingdom start near 22,300 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 70,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 29,100 and 59,700 GBP.

  • Is the median CNC machinist salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 45,700 GBP, higher than the average of 45,600 GBP. Half of CNC machinists in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for CNC machinists in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an CNC machinist in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (46,300 vs 44,500 GBP a year).

  • Do CNC machinists in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 32% of CNC machinists in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do CNC machinists earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do CNC machinists in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An CNC machinist in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 10% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.