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Average Numerical Control Programmer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A numerical control programmer in United Kingdom earns about 54,900 GBP a year. That's 21% 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 27,700 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 83,300 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 numerical control programmer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
54,900 GBP
4,575 GBP per month
Lowest reported
27,700 GBP
2,308 GBP per month
Highest reported
83,300 GBP
6,941 GBP per month

A typical numerical control programmer working in United Kingdom brings home around 4,575 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 27,700 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 83,300 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 numerical control programmer 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 numerical control programmer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How numerical control programmer 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 numerical control programmers in United Kingdom earn less than 51,900 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 36,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 67,400 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of numerical control programmers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 27,700 GBP. The highest stretch to 83,300 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.

27,700
Low
51,900
Median
83,300
High
36,800
25th
67,400
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Numerical control programmer pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    32,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +40% from previous
    45,000 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +27% from previous
    57,100 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +20% from previous
    68,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    74,700 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    79,000 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 40%. That is the point at which a numerical control programmer 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.

Numerical control programmer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    39,800 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +49% from previous
    59,200 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +41% from previous
    83,300 GBP

Numerical control programmer 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 numerical control programmers in United Kingdom earn an average of 56,800 GBP a year, while female numerical control programmers earn around 55,700 GBP. That works out to a 2% 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.

Numerical Control Programmer gender pay gap

2%

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

Men 56,800 GBP
Women 55,700 GBP

Pay raises for a numerical control programmer 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

Numerical control programmer 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 numerical control programmers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a numerical control programmer 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 numerical control programmers 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

Numerical control programmer: 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

Numerical control programmer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Numerical control programmer 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
  • Birmingham
  • Sheffield
  • Glasgow
  • Bristol
  • Bradford
  • Newcastle
  • Manchester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion111,700 GBP107,300 GBP57,800-169,700 GBP
ScotlandRegion78,500 GBP74,700 GBP40,000-118,900 GBP
LondonCity70,800 GBP73,300 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
BirminghamCity67,800 GBP72,800 GBP29,600-105,800 GBP
SheffieldCity66,900 GBP61,500 GBP34,000-97,900 GBP
GlasgowCity66,200 GBP66,200 GBP33,500-105,200 GBP
BristolCity66,200 GBP63,500 GBP33,300-105,200 GBP
BradfordCity65,900 GBP60,100 GBP36,600-100,100 GBP
NewcastleCity65,200 GBP60,000 GBP33,000-95,900 GBP
ManchesterCity65,200 GBP60,500 GBP33,600-96,500 GBP
NottinghamCity64,800 GBP63,500 GBP33,600-97,300 GBP
CoventryCity64,600 GBP68,900 GBP29,400-100,700 GBP
LeicesterCity64,300 GBP63,500 GBP29,600-100,100 GBP
CardiffCity63,900 GBP67,400 GBP29,300-99,900 GBP
LiverpoolCity63,500 GBP69,800 GBP30,100-102,700 GBP
YorkCity62,600 GBP55,200 GBP32,200-93,200 GBP
PeterboroughCity62,100 GBP61,600 GBP31,300-92,600 GBP
EdinburghCity61,700 GBP59,900 GBP31,400-97,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity61,200 GBP63,200 GBP33,200-97,400 GBP
LeedsCity61,200 GBP61,200 GBP32,200-97,100 GBP
SwanseaCity60,600 GBP56,600 GBP32,300-95,000 GBP
PlymouthCity60,500 GBP59,900 GBP26,900-91,600 GBP
BelfastCity60,500 GBP57,100 GBP31,400-90,900 GBP
SomersetCity59,800 GBP64,600 GBP29,900-94,300 GBP
AberdeenCity59,700 GBP56,100 GBP29,400-88,600 GBP
WolverhamptonCity59,100 GBP64,900 GBP26,100-95,000 GBP
PooleCity59,000 GBP60,800 GBP25,500-92,100 GBP
BrightonCity58,800 GBP57,900 GBP31,700-92,100 GBP
NewportCity58,700 GBP64,600 GBP25,800-95,500 GBP
DerbyCity58,600 GBP64,300 GBP26,300-92,600 GBP
ArmaghCity58,200 GBP54,200 GBP32,900-87,400 GBP
GloucesterCity58,100 GBP51,900 GBP29,100-87,400 GBP
DundeeCity58,000 GBP57,200 GBP30,300-91,700 GBP
OxfordCity57,900 GBP57,900 GBP29,600-86,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity57,100 GBP55,200 GBP30,800-89,800 GBP
LisburnCity57,000 GBP57,000 GBP29,000-86,100 GBP
PortsmouthCity56,400 GBP63,100 GBP27,300-93,100 GBP
CanterburyCity55,600 GBP55,600 GBP26,900-83,300 GBP
LincolnCity55,600 GBP58,200 GBP26,600-83,300 GBP
ExeterCity55,100 GBP49,100 GBP29,300-84,200 GBP
DurhamCity55,100 GBP59,500 GBP23,700-85,700 GBP
WinchesterCity54,700 GBP58,200 GBP26,600-86,600 GBP
NorwichCity54,600 GBP51,900 GBP27,700-84,800 GBP
NewryCity54,200 GBP57,000 GBP26,500-85,500 GBP
CambridgeCity54,200 GBP52,300 GBP29,000-83,700 GBP
DerryCity54,100 GBP52,800 GBP26,900-87,200 GBP
BangorCity53,600 GBP54,900 GBP27,600-85,500 GBP
ChesterCity53,300 GBP55,600 GBP26,600-82,200 GBP
KirkwallCity53,300 GBP53,500 GBP26,400-79,800 GBP
WakefieldCity52,600 GBP53,300 GBP23,700-80,900 GBP
AbingdonCity52,000 GBP55,600 GBP23,600-80,500 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion51,800 GBP51,800 GBP27,300-80,500 GBP
WellsCity51,600 GBP51,900 GBP26,200-81,200 GBP
TruroCity51,400 GBP51,400 GBP26,600-80,400 GBP
RiponCity51,400 GBP47,100 GBP29,000-77,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity51,300 GBP51,300 GBP25,500-80,400 GBP
StirlingCity51,100 GBP55,200 GBP23,600-84,500 GBP
SalisburyCity51,100 GBP47,100 GBP26,500-78,200 GBP
WalesRegion51,100 GBP50,300 GBP26,300-79,800 GBP
InvernessCity51,100 GBP51,400 GBP23,600-80,800 GBP
St DavidsCity50,800 GBP44,200 GBP27,300-74,100 GBP
StromnessCity50,000 GBP56,100 GBP23,500-80,000 GBP
StrontianCity49,000 GBP45,200 GBP27,600-73,100 GBP

Numerical Control Programmer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a numerical control programmer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A numerical control programmer in United Kingdom earns about 4,575 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 54,900 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a numerical control programmer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level numerical control programmers in United Kingdom start near 27,700 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 83,300 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 36,800 and 67,400 GBP.

  • Is the median numerical control programmer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 51,900 GBP, lower than the average of 54,900 GBP. Half of numerical control programmers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for numerical control programmers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a numerical control programmer in United Kingdom earn around 2% more than women on average (56,800 vs 55,700 GBP a year).

  • Do numerical control programmers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

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

  • Do numerical control programmers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do numerical control programmers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

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