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Average Solar Energy Systems Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A solar energy systems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 71,000 GBP a year. That's 2% roughly in line with 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 34,100 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 112,700 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 solar energy systems engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
71,000 GBP
5,916 GBP per month
Lowest reported
34,100 GBP
2,841 GBP per month
Highest reported
112,700 GBP
9,391 GBP per month

A typical solar energy systems engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,916 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 34,100 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 112,700 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 solar energy systems 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 solar energy systems engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How solar energy systems 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 solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 76,800 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 49,400 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 103,600 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of solar energy systems engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 34,100 GBP. The highest stretch to 112,700 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.

34,100
Low
76,800
Median
112,700
High
49,400
25th
103,600
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Solar energy systems engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    35,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +44% from previous
    50,800 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +42% from previous
    72,000 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +22% from previous
    87,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +10% from previous
    96,400 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +10% from previous
    105,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 44%. That is the point at which a solar energy systems 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.

Solar energy systems engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    42,300 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +94% from previous
    82,200 GBP

Solar energy systems 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 solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 72,700 GBP a year, while female solar energy systems engineers earn around 68,400 GBP. That works out to a 6% 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.

Solar Energy Systems Engineer gender pay gap

6%

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

Men 72,700 GBP
Women 68,400 GBP

Pay raises for a solar energy systems 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 13% every 14 months, which works out to roughly 11% 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

Solar energy systems 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.

61%

61% of solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a solar energy systems engineer a moderate-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 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 39% of solar energy systems 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

Solar energy systems 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

Solar energy systems engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Solar energy systems 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
  • Leicester
  • Bristol
  • Liverpool
  • Edinburgh
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield
  • London
  • Birmingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion130,400 GBP140,200 GBP60,700-210,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion93,600 GBP96,000 GBP47,500-146,900 GBP
LeicesterCity80,200 GBP85,400 GBP35,600-123,800 GBP
BristolCity78,900 GBP83,800 GBP35,300-125,400 GBP
LiverpoolCity78,500 GBP75,000 GBP39,000-117,100 GBP
EdinburghCity77,400 GBP75,800 GBP36,800-117,100 GBP
LeedsCity77,300 GBP72,400 GBP38,000-116,400 GBP
SheffieldCity76,800 GBP84,800 GBP36,500-125,400 GBP
LondonCity75,800 GBP83,300 GBP36,600-124,500 GBP
BirminghamCity75,100 GBP82,200 GBP34,300-123,000 GBP
SwanseaCity75,000 GBP71,600 GBP38,000-114,900 GBP
CardiffCity74,700 GBP72,000 GBP40,000-114,300 GBP
GlasgowCity74,700 GBP72,000 GBP40,000-114,300 GBP
AberdeenCity74,500 GBP70,000 GBP39,400-112,700 GBP
NottinghamCity74,500 GBP76,000 GBP35,300-114,900 GBP
CoventryCity74,300 GBP78,100 GBP35,600-118,900 GBP
SomersetCity74,200 GBP73,500 GBP39,800-114,300 GBP
NewcastleCity74,200 GBP71,200 GBP39,800-114,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity74,000 GBP79,600 GBP35,500-114,300 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity74,000 GBP73,700 GBP36,500-114,900 GBP
BelfastCity73,700 GBP80,400 GBP34,000-118,900 GBP
BrightonCity73,300 GBP73,700 GBP40,500-114,900 GBP
DerbyCity72,400 GBP67,800 GBP39,500-111,700 GBP
PlymouthCity71,900 GBP74,600 GBP34,900-116,400 GBP
ManchesterCity71,700 GBP76,000 GBP35,000-114,900 GBP
SouthamptonCity71,000 GBP73,200 GBP33,600-108,200 GBP
WolverhamptonCity71,000 GBP74,900 GBP34,100-112,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity70,800 GBP76,000 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
ArmaghCity70,600 GBP68,500 GBP38,700-108,200 GBP
LincolnCity69,200 GBP71,000 GBP35,400-109,000 GBP
BradfordCity69,200 GBP72,400 GBP33,800-111,700 GBP
YorkCity68,900 GBP70,000 GBP32,200-105,800 GBP
ChesterCity68,900 GBP72,400 GBP30,300-107,700 GBP
GloucesterCity68,100 GBP67,600 GBP36,000-105,800 GBP
WalesRegion67,900 GBP64,600 GBP33,800-102,700 GBP
DundeeCity67,800 GBP74,600 GBP33,200-111,700 GBP
NewportCity66,400 GBP74,100 GBP32,900-107,700 GBP
NorwichCity66,100 GBP71,700 GBP30,200-109,000 GBP
PooleCity66,100 GBP64,800 GBP37,200-105,200 GBP
OxfordCity65,800 GBP64,800 GBP35,300-102,700 GBP
CambridgeCity65,400 GBP67,200 GBP31,700-103,600 GBP
DerryCity65,400 GBP66,400 GBP31,700-103,600 GBP
StirlingCity65,400 GBP61,400 GBP35,300-99,700 GBP
WinchesterCity64,900 GBP59,800 GBP32,200-96,400 GBP
SalisburyCity64,800 GBP63,900 GBP35,400-100,900 GBP
HartlepoolCity64,400 GBP69,700 GBP28,900-105,800 GBP
ExeterCity63,800 GBP64,200 GBP32,200-99,700 GBP
KirkwallCity63,100 GBP64,100 GBP29,600-96,000 GBP
WakefieldCity62,500 GBP65,800 GBP29,000-98,800 GBP
DurhamCity61,800 GBP67,900 GBP29,900-100,300 GBP
NewryCity61,700 GBP66,200 GBP28,900-97,900 GBP
WellsCity61,700 GBP64,300 GBP30,800-98,100 GBP
LisburnCity61,700 GBP58,800 GBP32,600-95,500 GBP
TruroCity61,400 GBP56,400 GBP32,900-92,200 GBP
BangorCity61,200 GBP63,800 GBP30,000-99,100 GBP
AbingdonCity61,200 GBP65,200 GBP30,000-97,400 GBP
CanterburyCity60,200 GBP58,700 GBP30,200-92,100 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion60,000 GBP56,900 GBP30,200-92,100 GBP
RiponCity59,700 GBP58,800 GBP29,900-92,400 GBP
InvernessCity59,200 GBP65,200 GBP28,800-94,900 GBP
St DavidsCity58,600 GBP58,200 GBP26,400-91,000 GBP
StrontianCity58,600 GBP56,900 GBP26,500-90,000 GBP
StromnessCity58,400 GBP63,900 GBP26,500-95,100 GBP

Solar Energy Systems Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a solar energy systems engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A solar energy systems engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,916 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 71,000 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a solar energy systems engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom start near 34,100 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 112,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 49,400 and 103,600 GBP.

  • Is the median solar energy systems engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 76,800 GBP, higher than the average of 71,000 GBP. Half of solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a solar energy systems engineer in United Kingdom earn around 6% more than women on average (72,700 vs 68,400 GBP a year).

  • Do solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 61% of solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

  • Do solar energy systems engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do solar energy systems engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A solar energy systems engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 14 months, equivalent to roughly 11% a year.