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Average Microsystems Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A microsystems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 69,800 GBP a year. It sits roughly in line with the national average.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 36,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 105,800 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 a microsystems engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
69,800 GBP
5,816 GBP per month
Lowest reported
36,500 GBP
3,041 GBP per month
Highest reported
105,800 GBP
8,816 GBP per month

A typical microsystems engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,816 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 36,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 105,800 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 microsystems 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 microsystems engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How microsystems 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 microsystems engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 66,700 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 46,400 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 83,300 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of microsystems engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 36,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 105,800 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.

36,500
Low
66,700
Median
105,800
High
46,400
25th
83,300
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Microsystems engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    38,900 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +41% from previous
    54,700 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +27% from previous
    69,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    85,500 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +11% from previous
    95,000 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    100,400 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 41%. That is the point at which a microsystems 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.

Microsystems engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    49,400 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +45% from previous
    71,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +47% from previous
    105,200 GBP

Microsystems 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 microsystems engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 68,500 GBP a year, while female microsystems engineers earn around 66,200 GBP. That works out to a 3% 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.

Microsystems Engineer gender pay gap

3%

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

Men 68,500 GBP
Women 66,200 GBP

Pay raises for a microsystems 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 17 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

Microsystems 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.

30%

30% of microsystems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a microsystems engineer 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 70% of microsystems 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

Microsystems 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

Microsystems engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Microsystems 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
  • Glasgow
  • Leeds
  • Leicester
  • Birmingham
  • Manchester
  • London
  • Liverpool
  • Edinburgh
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion134,100 GBP130,500 GBP67,800-205,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion100,700 GBP105,800 GBP47,200-158,900 GBP
GlasgowCity81,600 GBP75,100 GBP45,100-125,400 GBP
LeedsCity80,700 GBP74,600 GBP43,500-123,000 GBP
LeicesterCity79,600 GBP80,400 GBP37,900-124,500 GBP
BirminghamCity79,600 GBP87,200 GBP36,400-127,700 GBP
ManchesterCity79,000 GBP77,300 GBP38,900-124,500 GBP
LondonCity78,700 GBP86,600 GBP37,300-128,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity78,200 GBP78,200 GBP36,800-118,900 GBP
EdinburghCity76,800 GBP81,300 GBP35,600-123,000 GBP
SheffieldCity76,600 GBP74,000 GBP38,700-115,600 GBP
BradfordCity75,900 GBP73,800 GBP39,600-117,100 GBP
CardiffCity75,800 GBP75,800 GBP36,800-118,900 GBP
BristolCity74,600 GBP71,400 GBP39,600-116,400 GBP
BrightonCity74,300 GBP80,000 GBP36,500-119,700 GBP
SomersetCity74,100 GBP74,100 GBP36,700-116,400 GBP
NottinghamCity73,700 GBP78,500 GBP36,500-115,600 GBP
BelfastCity73,100 GBP69,400 GBP37,800-114,600 GBP
CoventryCity73,100 GBP67,800 GBP39,100-109,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity72,700 GBP77,000 GBP33,000-114,900 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity72,400 GBP75,800 GBP35,500-114,300 GBP
WolverhamptonCity72,300 GBP78,700 GBP35,300-117,100 GBP
YorkCity71,900 GBP71,400 GBP36,400-114,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity71,900 GBP74,600 GBP34,900-116,400 GBP
GloucesterCity71,700 GBP73,800 GBP32,900-111,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity71,400 GBP79,600 GBP35,100-116,400 GBP
OxfordCity70,700 GBP68,900 GBP36,700-109,700 GBP
PlymouthCity70,000 GBP64,900 GBP36,900-107,300 GBP
DundeeCity70,000 GBP65,900 GBP35,500-105,800 GBP
DerbyCity69,800 GBP69,800 GBP36,500-111,700 GBP
AberdeenCity69,800 GBP74,100 GBP30,700-109,700 GBP
NewportCity69,800 GBP76,900 GBP32,200-114,900 GBP
SwanseaCity69,700 GBP73,300 GBP35,100-111,700 GBP
NewcastleCity69,600 GBP73,300 GBP33,300-111,700 GBP
PooleCity69,400 GBP69,400 GBP33,000-105,800 GBP
ExeterCity69,200 GBP66,100 GBP37,200-107,700 GBP
LisburnCity68,900 GBP64,300 GBP35,500-103,600 GBP
NorwichCity67,800 GBP62,600 GBP33,000-100,700 GBP
AbingdonCity67,000 GBP61,400 GBP33,300-97,300 GBP
CambridgeCity66,700 GBP69,100 GBP30,200-105,200 GBP
DerryCity66,200 GBP68,500 GBP34,100-107,300 GBP
ArmaghCity66,100 GBP73,200 GBP33,200-107,700 GBP
StirlingCity65,800 GBP65,800 GBP32,900-103,600 GBP
ChesterCity65,800 GBP68,900 GBP33,600-105,800 GBP
DurhamCity64,800 GBP68,200 GBP31,300-103,600 GBP
RiponCity64,500 GBP61,700 GBP32,900-98,700 GBP
LincolnCity64,400 GBP60,700 GBP36,600-100,500 GBP
WalesRegion64,200 GBP68,800 GBP30,000-102,700 GBP
CanterburyCity63,900 GBP58,800 GBP35,500-97,600 GBP
TruroCity63,800 GBP60,000 GBP35,400-97,100 GBP
NewryCity63,800 GBP64,200 GBP32,200-99,700 GBP
WinchesterCity62,600 GBP62,600 GBP32,200-97,300 GBP
SalisburyCity62,500 GBP64,900 GBP29,300-98,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity62,300 GBP62,500 GBP33,300-97,100 GBP
StromnessCity61,700 GBP66,400 GBP29,600-97,300 GBP
WakefieldCity61,700 GBP64,300 GBP30,800-98,100 GBP
StrontianCity61,500 GBP59,900 GBP31,400-94,800 GBP
KirkwallCity61,400 GBP54,100 GBP32,600-88,500 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion61,300 GBP57,200 GBP30,300-94,100 GBP
InvernessCity60,100 GBP63,200 GBP31,300-94,900 GBP
BangorCity59,800 GBP55,500 GBP32,200-92,300 GBP
WellsCity59,200 GBP54,700 GBP33,200-91,000 GBP
St DavidsCity57,800 GBP57,100 GBP30,800-88,600 GBP

Microsystems Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

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

    A microsystems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,816 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 69,800 GBP.

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

    Entry-level microsystems engineers in United Kingdom start near 36,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 105,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 46,400 and 83,300 GBP.

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

    The median is 66,700 GBP, lower than the average of 69,800 GBP. Half of microsystems engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

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

    Men working as a microsystems engineer in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (68,500 vs 66,200 GBP a year).

  • Do microsystems engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 30% of microsystems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.

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

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

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

    A microsystems engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.