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Average Manufacturing Technician Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A manufacturing technician in United Kingdom earns about 26,400 GBP a year. That's 62% 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 13,900 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 38,000 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 manufacturing technician make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
26,400 GBP
2,200 GBP per month
Lowest reported
13,900 GBP
1,158 GBP per month
Highest reported
38,000 GBP
3,166 GBP per month

A typical manufacturing technician working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,200 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 13,900 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 38,000 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 manufacturing technician 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 manufacturing technician salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How manufacturing technician 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 manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom earn less than 26,500 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 15,300 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 32,900 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of manufacturing technicians sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 13,900 GBP. The highest stretch to 38,000 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.

13,900
Low
26,500
Median
38,000
High
15,300
25th
32,900
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Manufacturing technician pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    14,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +26% from previous
    17,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +36% from previous
    24,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +30% from previous
    31,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    33,000 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    34,900 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 36%. That is the point at which a manufacturing technician 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.

Manufacturing technician pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    17,900 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +53% from previous
    27,300 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +28% from previous
    35,000 GBP

Manufacturing technician 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 manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom earn an average of 26,500 GBP a year, while female manufacturing technicians earn around 25,300 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.

Manufacturing Technician gender pay gap

5%

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

Men 26,500 GBP
Women 25,300 GBP

Pay raises for a manufacturing technician 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

Manufacturing technician 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 manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a manufacturing technician 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 manufacturing technicians 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

Manufacturing technician: 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

Manufacturing technician salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Manufacturing technician 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
  • Leicester
  • Belfast
  • Somerset
  • Newcastle
  • Plymouth
  • Bristol
  • Cardiff
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion44,200 GBP46,100 GBP23,800-69,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion32,600 GBP32,600 GBP15,500-51,500 GBP
GlasgowCity27,800 GBP24,400 GBP13,500-41,100 GBP
LeicesterCity27,800 GBP23,600 GBP13,900-38,000 GBP
BelfastCity27,600 GBP24,800 GBP13,700-41,100 GBP
SomersetCity27,600 GBP23,100 GBP12,400-39,100 GBP
NewcastleCity27,400 GBP27,300 GBP13,400-42,000 GBP
PlymouthCity27,400 GBP26,200 GBP14,900-39,800 GBP
BristolCity27,400 GBP26,400 GBP13,900-45,000 GBP
CardiffCity27,300 GBP26,400 GBP15,500-42,000 GBP
BirminghamCity27,200 GBP31,400 GBP13,400-46,200 GBP
NottinghamCity27,100 GBP27,100 GBP14,700-40,300 GBP
LondonCity26,900 GBP30,800 GBP13,400-43,400 GBP
BradfordCity26,600 GBP25,800 GBP12,800-39,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity26,600 GBP29,000 GBP12,200-40,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity26,500 GBP26,500 GBP13,700-39,600 GBP
SwanseaCity26,500 GBP25,800 GBP13,900-38,700 GBP
LeedsCity26,300 GBP25,500 GBP15,200-45,000 GBP
BrightonCity26,200 GBP26,500 GBP12,800-36,500 GBP
EdinburghCity25,800 GBP25,800 GBP13,900-41,900 GBP
LiverpoolCity25,800 GBP26,500 GBP13,300-40,300 GBP
ManchesterCity25,700 GBP27,300 GBP12,500-41,100 GBP
OxfordCity25,300 GBP25,300 GBP13,400-35,600 GBP
DundeeCity24,800 GBP23,600 GBP12,200-39,100 GBP
CoventryCity24,400 GBP22,400 GBP15,100-39,100 GBP
SheffieldCity24,400 GBP26,600 GBP11,800-39,300 GBP
YorkCity24,200 GBP24,200 GBP12,200-36,800 GBP
LincolnCity23,800 GBP20,000 GBP12,200-33,000 GBP
HartlepoolCity23,700 GBP22,200 GBP13,000-37,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity23,600 GBP23,600 GBP13,400-38,000 GBP
ArmaghCity23,600 GBP27,800 GBP12,200-39,800 GBP
DerryCity23,400 GBP23,400 GBP13,000-33,000 GBP
InvernessCity23,400 GBP20,000 GBP12,200-33,000 GBP
WalesRegion23,400 GBP25,400 GBP13,200-35,200 GBP
DerbyCity23,300 GBP23,200 GBP11,400-34,900 GBP
StirlingCity23,200 GBP20,500 GBP11,900-34,100 GBP
PortsmouthCity23,100 GBP24,400 GBP10,300-36,400 GBP
PooleCity23,100 GBP22,300 GBP12,800-35,500 GBP
NewportCity23,100 GBP24,400 GBP10,300-36,400 GBP
PeterboroughCity23,100 GBP23,700 GBP12,600-34,900 GBP
WellsCity23,000 GBP18,200 GBP12,100-30,300 GBP
TruroCity23,000 GBP22,600 GBP12,300-34,100 GBP
WakefieldCity23,000 GBP21,100 GBP10,800-34,100 GBP
CanterburyCity22,600 GBP20,900 GBP9,500-31,400 GBP
KirkwallCity22,600 GBP19,400 GBP10,800-30,600 GBP
GloucesterCity22,400 GBP23,600 GBP12,200-39,500 GBP
SalisburyCity22,300 GBP23,800 GBP12,200-35,300 GBP
DurhamCity22,100 GBP25,300 GBP11,900-35,500 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion22,100 GBP20,700 GBP10,000-33,000 GBP
AberdeenCity22,000 GBP22,800 GBP10,000-35,600 GBP
NorwichCity21,500 GBP22,200 GBP12,100-36,000 GBP
NewryCity21,500 GBP20,700 GBP12,500-34,400 GBP
CambridgeCity21,500 GBP21,500 GBP12,200-36,600 GBP
LisburnCity21,500 GBP24,400 GBP12,800-34,300 GBP
StromnessCity21,400 GBP23,700 GBP9,480-31,700 GBP
ExeterCity21,300 GBP22,400 GBP9,900-35,000 GBP
ChesterCity21,300 GBP20,700 GBP12,500-33,800 GBP
BangorCity21,100 GBP18,900 GBP12,300-32,900 GBP
WinchesterCity21,100 GBP20,400 GBP12,200-32,600 GBP
St DavidsCity20,500 GBP21,400 GBP9,610-30,200 GBP
RiponCity20,100 GBP22,800 GBP11,300-33,000 GBP
StrontianCity20,000 GBP20,000 GBP7,730-30,200 GBP
AbingdonCity20,000 GBP20,900 GBP10,000-33,600 GBP

Manufacturing Technician in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a manufacturing technician make per month in United Kingdom?

    A manufacturing technician in United Kingdom earns about 2,200 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 26,400 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a manufacturing technician in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom start near 13,900 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 38,000 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 15,300 and 32,900 GBP.

  • Is the median manufacturing technician salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 26,500 GBP, higher than the average of 26,400 GBP. Half of manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a manufacturing technician in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (26,500 vs 25,300 GBP a year).

  • Do manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom get bonuses?

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

  • Do manufacturing technicians earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do manufacturing technicians in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

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