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Average Control Systems Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A control systems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 64,800 GBP a year. That's 7% 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 30,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 99,700 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 control systems engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
64,800 GBP
5,400 GBP per month
Lowest reported
30,600 GBP
2,550 GBP per month
Highest reported
99,700 GBP
8,308 GBP per month

A typical control systems engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,400 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 30,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 99,700 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 control systems 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 control systems engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How control systems 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 control systems engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 65,100 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 43,500 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 83,100 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of control systems engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 30,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 99,700 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.

30,600
Low
65,100
Median
99,700
High
43,500
25th
83,100
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Control systems engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    35,600 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +33% from previous
    47,400 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +43% from previous
    67,800 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    83,700 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +6% from previous
    88,400 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +4% from previous
    92,200 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 43%. That is the point at which a control systems 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.

Control systems engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    45,900 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +60% from previous
    73,300 GBP

Control systems 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 control systems engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 65,100 GBP a year, while female control systems engineers earn around 61,200 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.

Control Systems Engineer gender pay gap

6%

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

Men 65,100 GBP
Women 61,200 GBP

Pay raises for a control systems 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 15 months, which works out to roughly 10% 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

Control systems 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.

58%

58% of control systems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a control systems engineer 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 42% of control systems 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

Control systems 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

Control systems engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Control systems 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
  • Sheffield
  • London
  • Edinburgh
  • Bristol
  • Liverpool
  • Cardiff
  • Leicester
  • Kingston upon Hull
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion116,400 GBP117,100 GBP57,100-180,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion87,900 GBP87,900 GBP42,700-138,700 GBP
SheffieldCity73,700 GBP74,500 GBP33,300-112,700 GBP
LondonCity73,300 GBP78,500 GBP34,000-115,600 GBP
EdinburghCity72,700 GBP72,700 GBP36,400-114,600 GBP
BristolCity71,100 GBP72,800 GBP34,000-109,700 GBP
LiverpoolCity70,800 GBP62,300 GBP38,700-105,800 GBP
CardiffCity70,100 GBP61,200 GBP37,300-102,700 GBP
LeicesterCity70,000 GBP64,400 GBP35,500-105,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity69,700 GBP69,700 GBP35,300-107,300 GBP
SomersetCity69,200 GBP64,200 GBP37,800-107,700 GBP
BradfordCity69,100 GBP71,200 GBP32,600-109,700 GBP
BirminghamCity68,800 GBP75,500 GBP31,400-108,200 GBP
GlasgowCity68,500 GBP68,400 GBP35,300-109,000 GBP
BrightonCity67,800 GBP72,700 GBP34,000-109,700 GBP
SwanseaCity67,800 GBP69,400 GBP32,200-105,200 GBP
NewcastleCity67,500 GBP68,300 GBP32,600-107,300 GBP
OxfordCity67,000 GBP65,500 GBP35,100-99,700 GBP
DerbyCity66,900 GBP62,500 GBP35,300-99,700 GBP
NottinghamCity66,400 GBP66,400 GBP34,000-105,200 GBP
LeedsCity66,100 GBP66,100 GBP33,000-105,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity66,000 GBP69,200 GBP29,300-103,600 GBP
NorwichCity66,000 GBP65,400 GBP30,600-99,700 GBP
LincolnCity66,000 GBP60,100 GBP35,300-99,100 GBP
PlymouthCity65,900 GBP63,900 GBP34,300-100,700 GBP
BelfastCity65,900 GBP65,800 GBP30,300-103,600 GBP
ArmaghCity65,900 GBP69,700 GBP30,600-102,700 GBP
ManchesterCity65,700 GBP72,800 GBP30,200-107,700 GBP
CoventryCity64,200 GBP61,600 GBP33,000-100,500 GBP
CambridgeCity63,900 GBP63,900 GBP32,200-95,600 GBP
NewportCity63,700 GBP68,200 GBP29,200-102,700 GBP
YorkCity63,500 GBP69,800 GBP31,400-102,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity63,200 GBP68,200 GBP31,300-103,600 GBP
GloucesterCity63,000 GBP63,400 GBP30,800-97,400 GBP
WalesRegion62,500 GBP62,600 GBP30,100-97,200 GBP
PeterboroughCity61,700 GBP58,800 GBP32,600-95,500 GBP
AberdeenCity61,700 GBP63,200 GBP29,200-95,600 GBP
DerryCity61,600 GBP61,600 GBP29,100-95,000 GBP
SouthamptonCity61,400 GBP61,400 GBP30,600-99,400 GBP
ChesterCity61,400 GBP56,400 GBP32,900-92,200 GBP
DurhamCity61,300 GBP65,100 GBP29,600-98,100 GBP
DundeeCity61,200 GBP65,200 GBP30,000-97,400 GBP
NewryCity60,700 GBP56,600 GBP30,600-93,800 GBP
ExeterCity60,100 GBP65,200 GBP27,200-94,400 GBP
StirlingCity60,000 GBP54,100 GBP34,100-91,700 GBP
BangorCity59,700 GBP56,100 GBP29,400-88,600 GBP
PooleCity59,200 GBP55,700 GBP33,200-88,300 GBP
WinchesterCity58,800 GBP55,700 GBP30,300-90,900 GBP
InvernessCity58,200 GBP57,800 GBP30,100-91,000 GBP
TruroCity58,100 GBP54,600 GBP27,400-85,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity57,800 GBP60,400 GBP26,400-91,700 GBP
RiponCity57,400 GBP61,600 GBP28,800-92,100 GBP
SalisburyCity57,200 GBP60,500 GBP26,200-88,600 GBP
LisburnCity57,000 GBP54,100 GBP29,900-86,600 GBP
AbingdonCity56,100 GBP51,300 GBP30,100-83,300 GBP
WellsCity55,100 GBP52,600 GBP27,400-83,800 GBP
WakefieldCity54,200 GBP52,800 GBP27,300-86,800 GBP
CanterburyCity54,100 GBP53,800 GBP26,900-84,600 GBP
KirkwallCity53,600 GBP49,100 GBP26,900-80,300 GBP
St DavidsCity53,300 GBP57,800 GBP23,600-85,500 GBP
StrontianCity52,800 GBP56,800 GBP23,700-86,400 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion52,800 GBP54,600 GBP27,400-84,500 GBP
StromnessCity51,400 GBP55,200 GBP23,300-84,600 GBP

Control Systems Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a control systems engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A control systems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,400 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 64,800 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a control systems engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level control systems engineers in United Kingdom start near 30,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 99,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 43,500 and 83,100 GBP.

  • Is the median control systems engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 65,100 GBP, higher than the average of 64,800 GBP. Half of control systems engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for control systems engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a control systems engineer in United Kingdom earn around 6% more than women on average (65,100 vs 61,200 GBP a year).

  • Do control systems engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 58% of control systems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do control systems engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do control systems engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A control systems engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 10% a year.