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Average Quality Control Inspector Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A quality control inspector in United Kingdom earns about 65,800 GBP a year. That's 6% 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 34,000 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 100,700 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 quality control inspector make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
65,800 GBP
5,483 GBP per month
Lowest reported
34,000 GBP
2,833 GBP per month
Highest reported
100,700 GBP
8,391 GBP per month

A typical quality control inspector working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,483 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 34,000 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 100,700 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 quality control 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 quality control inspector salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How quality control 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 quality control inspectors in United Kingdom earn less than 63,900 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 45,300 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 77,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of quality control inspectors sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 34,000 GBP. The highest stretch to 100,700 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.

34,000
Low
63,900
Median
100,700
High
45,300
25th
77,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Quality control inspector pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    39,800 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +29% from previous
    51,500 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +28% from previous
    66,100 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +26% from previous
    83,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    90,900 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +2% from previous
    93,100 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 29%. That is the point at which a quality control 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.

Quality control inspector pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    46,100 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +52% from previous
    70,000 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +40% from previous
    97,900 GBP

Quality control 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 quality control inspectors in United Kingdom earn an average of 65,700 GBP a year, while female quality control inspectors earn around 63,700 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.

Quality Control Inspector gender pay gap

3%

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

Men 65,700 GBP
Women 63,700 GBP

Pay raises for a quality control 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 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

Quality control 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.

30%

30% of quality control inspectors in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a quality control 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 1% to 3% of base salary. The remaining 70% of quality control 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

Quality control 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

Quality control inspector salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Quality control 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
  • Leeds
  • Liverpool
  • London
  • Manchester
  • Coventry
  • Sheffield
  • Birmingham
  • Leicester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion125,400 GBP118,900 GBP64,600-191,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion88,700 GBP92,600 GBP44,500-140,200 GBP
LeedsCity81,000 GBP74,200 GBP43,500-124,500 GBP
LiverpoolCity78,100 GBP78,100 GBP39,100-119,700 GBP
LondonCity77,300 GBP86,100 GBP35,000-125,400 GBP
ManchesterCity77,000 GBP73,500 GBP36,800-114,300 GBP
CoventryCity76,000 GBP69,800 GBP40,300-114,600 GBP
SheffieldCity76,000 GBP73,100 GBP39,100-114,900 GBP
BirminghamCity75,900 GBP83,400 GBP34,300-123,000 GBP
LeicesterCity75,800 GBP77,100 GBP36,700-119,700 GBP
GlasgowCity74,600 GBP71,000 GBP38,000-114,900 GBP
BristolCity74,100 GBP71,100 GBP36,900-112,700 GBP
EdinburghCity73,500 GBP75,800 GBP36,600-114,300 GBP
SomersetCity73,300 GBP73,300 GBP38,700-114,300 GBP
DerbyCity73,200 GBP73,200 GBP34,900-112,700 GBP
BradfordCity73,100 GBP69,600 GBP37,100-111,700 GBP
PlymouthCity72,700 GBP66,200 GBP40,300-111,700 GBP
WolverhamptonCity72,000 GBP80,200 GBP31,700-114,300 GBP
NewcastleCity71,600 GBP77,400 GBP31,700-114,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity71,400 GBP72,700 GBP37,200-114,600 GBP
SwanseaCity71,400 GBP76,000 GBP33,000-114,900 GBP
BelfastCity71,200 GBP70,900 GBP36,200-111,700 GBP
AberdeenCity71,100 GBP75,000 GBP32,200-111,700 GBP
YorkCity71,100 GBP69,100 GBP36,000-109,000 GBP
BrightonCity70,800 GBP71,700 GBP34,100-109,700 GBP
NottinghamCity69,600 GBP71,700 GBP33,000-111,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity69,400 GBP76,800 GBP32,900-114,600 GBP
NewportCity69,400 GBP76,800 GBP32,900-114,600 GBP
CardiffCity69,200 GBP69,200 GBP35,500-108,200 GBP
PooleCity69,100 GBP69,100 GBP33,000-107,300 GBP
LincolnCity69,100 GBP64,100 GBP36,800-105,200 GBP
ArmaghCity68,800 GBP72,700 GBP32,900-108,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity68,200 GBP72,700 GBP31,700-108,200 GBP
SouthamptonCity68,100 GBP70,700 GBP32,200-109,000 GBP
CambridgeCity68,100 GBP70,700 GBP32,200-109,000 GBP
StirlingCity67,900 GBP67,900 GBP35,500-105,200 GBP
ChesterCity67,000 GBP67,400 GBP33,200-103,600 GBP
DundeeCity66,200 GBP64,900 GBP34,400-102,700 GBP
GloucesterCity65,200 GBP69,400 GBP29,100-100,700 GBP
NorwichCity64,900 GBP61,700 GBP35,500-97,300 GBP
DerryCity64,900 GBP67,500 GBP29,400-103,600 GBP
OxfordCity64,800 GBP63,200 GBP33,600-100,100 GBP
ExeterCity64,800 GBP65,200 GBP32,600-100,700 GBP
WinchesterCity64,600 GBP64,600 GBP30,300-100,900 GBP
CanterburyCity64,500 GBP59,100 GBP34,000-96,400 GBP
NewryCity63,900 GBP63,700 GBP29,400-100,400 GBP
WalesRegion63,900 GBP67,400 GBP29,300-99,900 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion63,200 GBP60,700 GBP35,300-97,400 GBP
SalisburyCity63,100 GBP65,900 GBP27,300-97,400 GBP
LisburnCity63,100 GBP58,200 GBP32,200-95,300 GBP
WellsCity63,000 GBP57,100 GBP35,500-93,900 GBP
St DavidsCity62,600 GBP61,400 GBP32,900-95,000 GBP
StromnessCity62,600 GBP64,400 GBP26,300-96,400 GBP
AbingdonCity62,100 GBP57,800 GBP33,300-91,600 GBP
HartlepoolCity61,700 GBP58,800 GBP32,600-96,000 GBP
DurhamCity61,700 GBP66,200 GBP28,900-97,900 GBP
TruroCity60,400 GBP54,700 GBP29,600-88,300 GBP
WakefieldCity59,800 GBP63,100 GBP31,200-93,600 GBP
RiponCity58,800 GBP59,200 GBP30,300-95,100 GBP
StrontianCity58,700 GBP59,800 GBP29,600-92,300 GBP
InvernessCity58,000 GBP58,800 GBP27,300-91,500 GBP
KirkwallCity56,800 GBP51,500 GBP29,100-85,500 GBP
BangorCity56,600 GBP53,600 GBP32,200-86,100 GBP

Quality Control Inspector in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a quality control inspector make per month in United Kingdom?

    A quality control inspector in United Kingdom earns about 5,483 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 65,800 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a quality control inspector in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level quality control inspectors in United Kingdom start near 34,000 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 100,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 45,300 and 77,000 GBP.

  • Is the median quality control inspector salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 63,900 GBP, lower than the average of 65,800 GBP. Half of quality control inspectors in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for quality control inspectors in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a quality control inspector in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (65,700 vs 63,700 GBP a year).

  • Do quality control inspectors in United Kingdom get bonuses?

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

  • Do quality control inspectors earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do quality control inspectors in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A quality control inspector in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.