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Average Pressure Vessel Inspector Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A pressure vessel inspector in United Kingdom earns about 30,200 GBP a year. That's 57% 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 14,200 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 50,300 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 pressure vessel inspector make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
30,200 GBP
2,516 GBP per month
Lowest reported
14,200 GBP
1,183 GBP per month
Highest reported
50,300 GBP
4,191 GBP per month

A typical pressure vessel inspector working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,516 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 14,200 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 50,300 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 pressure vessel inspector 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 pressure vessel inspector salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.


How pressure vessel inspector 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 pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom earn less than 34,000 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 22,300 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 46,200 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of pressure vessel inspectors sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 14,200 GBP. The highest stretch to 50,300 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.

14,200
Low
34,000
Median
50,300
High
22,300
25th
46,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Pressure vessel inspector pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    16,800 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +20% from previous
    20,100 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +51% from previous
    30,300 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +35% from previous
    40,900 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +6% from previous
    43,500 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    46,000 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 51%. That is the point at which a pressure vessel inspector 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.


Pressure vessel inspector pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    19,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +92% from previous
    36,800 GBP

Pressure vessel inspector 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 pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom earn an average of 33,200 GBP a year, while female pressure vessel inspectors earn around 30,100 GBP. That works out to a 10% 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.

Pressure Vessel Inspector gender pay gap

9%

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

Men 33,200 GBP
Women 30,100 GBP

Pay raises for a pressure vessel inspector 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 11% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 9% 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

Pressure vessel inspector 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.

35%

35% of pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a pressure vessel inspector 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 65% of pressure vessel inspectors 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

Pressure vessel inspector: 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

Pressure vessel inspector salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Pressure vessel inspector 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
  • Cardiff
  • Glasgow
  • Liverpool
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • Nottingham
  • Sheffield
  • London
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion58,800 GBP64,800 GBP25,500-94,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion45,300 GBP41,500 GBP21,500-66,200 GBP
CardiffCity35,500 GBP34,000 GBP16,100-50,600 GBP
GlasgowCity35,500 GBP35,300 GBP16,100-50,600 GBP
LiverpoolCity35,300 GBP33,800 GBP15,300-51,900 GBP
LeedsCity35,300 GBP33,800 GBP15,300-51,900 GBP
ManchesterCity35,300 GBP33,600 GBP19,300-53,600 GBP
NottinghamCity35,100 GBP31,400 GBP16,000-50,000 GBP
SheffieldCity34,300 GBP39,400 GBP16,400-55,200 GBP
LondonCity33,800 GBP39,500 GBP15,500-54,900 GBP
BristolCity33,600 GBP37,200 GBP14,500-53,600 GBP
SouthamptonCity33,600 GBP30,600 GBP16,900-50,700 GBP
SomersetCity33,300 GBP35,300 GBP18,800-56,100 GBP
BirminghamCity33,300 GBP36,000 GBP17,100-51,900 GBP
LeicesterCity33,300 GBP36,500 GBP17,100-51,300 GBP
SwanseaCity33,200 GBP32,300 GBP17,000-51,500 GBP
CoventryCity33,200 GBP30,000 GBP18,300-49,400 GBP
EdinburghCity32,900 GBP30,200 GBP18,400-49,700 GBP
PlymouthCity32,900 GBP30,200 GBP18,400-48,300 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity32,600 GBP29,400 GBP15,300-49,800 GBP
NewcastleCity32,300 GBP34,000 GBP16,800-51,100 GBP
BradfordCity32,200 GBP28,900 GBP17,500-48,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity31,800 GBP35,300 GBP15,500-50,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity31,700 GBP33,000 GBP12,900-49,300 GBP
NewportCity31,400 GBP33,300 GBP15,800-46,900 GBP
LincolnCity30,800 GBP29,300 GBP17,100-45,600 GBP
ArmaghCity30,800 GBP30,300 GBP12,900-45,800 GBP
BelfastCity30,300 GBP35,300 GBP12,900-49,700 GBP
DerbyCity30,200 GBP31,400 GBP15,400-48,000 GBP
DundeeCity30,100 GBP31,800 GBP15,100-47,500 GBP
WolverhamptonCity30,100 GBP32,200 GBP14,500-47,200 GBP
PooleCity30,000 GBP32,200 GBP14,500-48,600 GBP
RiponCity29,600 GBP27,000 GBP15,500-44,300 GBP
OxfordCity29,600 GBP32,200 GBP15,400-49,700 GBP
TruroCity29,600 GBP27,300 GBP14,500-45,000 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion29,300 GBP30,100 GBP15,800-44,700 GBP
WalesRegion29,200 GBP30,800 GBP14,000-46,100 GBP
YorkCity29,200 GBP29,600 GBP13,500-44,200 GBP
AberdeenCity29,100 GBP29,100 GBP14,300-46,200 GBP
NorwichCity29,100 GBP34,100 GBP12,000-49,400 GBP
BrightonCity29,100 GBP30,200 GBP13,100-47,100 GBP
KirkwallCity27,800 GBP23,600 GBP13,900-38,000 GBP
GloucesterCity27,700 GBP30,800 GBP15,800-46,400 GBP
SalisburyCity27,700 GBP29,300 GBP15,300-46,200 GBP
StrontianCity27,600 GBP22,800 GBP14,700-39,800 GBP
DerryCity27,400 GBP26,500 GBP14,500-42,700 GBP
StromnessCity27,400 GBP26,300 GBP12,500-42,600 GBP
ExeterCity27,300 GBP29,600 GBP14,500-45,000 GBP
InvernessCity27,300 GBP27,400 GBP13,400-41,500 GBP
WinchesterCity27,300 GBP26,900 GBP13,400-41,000 GBP
CanterburyCity27,300 GBP26,900 GBP13,400-41,000 GBP
NewryCity27,300 GBP30,600 GBP14,700-46,100 GBP
AbingdonCity27,200 GBP28,800 GBP12,900-44,900 GBP
HartlepoolCity27,200 GBP31,400 GBP13,400-46,200 GBP
St DavidsCity27,000 GBP27,600 GBP12,400-39,700 GBP
BangorCity26,900 GBP26,600 GBP15,800-41,000 GBP
WakefieldCity26,500 GBP30,800 GBP13,400-42,300 GBP
LisburnCity26,400 GBP29,300 GBP12,000-45,000 GBP
CambridgeCity26,400 GBP26,900 GBP14,300-44,800 GBP
StirlingCity26,400 GBP28,900 GBP12,000-45,000 GBP
DurhamCity25,800 GBP29,200 GBP12,800-43,500 GBP
ChesterCity25,800 GBP29,200 GBP12,800-45,200 GBP
WellsCity25,700 GBP26,200 GBP13,900-39,100 GBP


Pressure Vessel Inspector in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a pressure vessel inspector make per month in United Kingdom?

    A pressure vessel inspector in United Kingdom earns about 2,516 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 30,200 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a pressure vessel inspector in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom start near 14,200 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 50,300 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 22,300 and 46,200 GBP.

  • Is the median pressure vessel inspector salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 34,000 GBP, higher than the average of 30,200 GBP. Half of pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a pressure vessel inspector in United Kingdom earn around 10% more than women on average (33,200 vs 30,100 GBP a year).

  • Do pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 35% of pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do pressure vessel inspectors earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do pressure vessel inspectors in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A pressure vessel inspector in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.