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Average Technical Draughtsman Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A technical draughtsman in United Kingdom earns about 27,000 GBP a year. That's 61% 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 13,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 42,500 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 technical draughtsman make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
27,000 GBP
2,250 GBP per month
Lowest reported
13,600 GBP
1,133 GBP per month
Highest reported
42,500 GBP
3,541 GBP per month

A typical technical draughtsman working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,250 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 13,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 42,500 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 technical draughtsman 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 technical draughtsman salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How technical draughtsman 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 technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom earn less than 28,800 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 17,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 33,300 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of technical draughtsmans sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 13,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 42,500 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.

13,600
Low
28,800
Median
42,500
High
17,100
25th
33,300
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Technical draughtsman pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    14,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +31% from previous
    18,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +39% from previous
    25,800 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +37% from previous
    35,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    35,000 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +14% from previous
    39,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 39%. That is the point at which a technical draughtsman 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.

Technical draughtsman pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    18,600 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +59% from previous
    29,600 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +34% from previous
    39,800 GBP

Technical draughtsman 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 technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom earn an average of 28,800 GBP a year, while female technical draughtsmans earn around 27,800 GBP. That works out to a 4% 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.

Technical Draughtsman gender pay gap

3%

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

Men 28,800 GBP
Women 27,800 GBP

Pay raises for a technical draughtsman 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 9% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 7% 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

Technical draughtsman 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.

32%

32% of technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a technical draughtsman 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 68% of technical draughtsmans 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

Technical draughtsman: 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

Technical draughtsman salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Technical draughtsman 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
  • Birmingham
  • Somerset
  • Leeds
  • Glasgow
  • Liverpool
  • Derby
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion47,400 GBP49,400 GBP23,400-76,000 GBP
ScotlandRegion35,400 GBP40,900 GBP15,700-59,800 GBP
LeicesterCity30,800 GBP27,300 GBP17,000-46,100 GBP
BristolCity30,800 GBP30,100 GBP14,300-45,900 GBP
BirminghamCity30,800 GBP30,200 GBP15,100-48,600 GBP
SomersetCity30,700 GBP29,600 GBP14,200-47,800 GBP
LeedsCity30,700 GBP26,100 GBP16,400-46,300 GBP
GlasgowCity30,100 GBP26,300 GBP16,100-44,500 GBP
LiverpoolCity30,000 GBP33,200 GBP12,900-47,200 GBP
DerbyCity29,300 GBP30,800 GBP12,000-46,200 GBP
LondonCity29,200 GBP33,200 GBP13,900-45,300 GBP
SheffieldCity29,100 GBP29,100 GBP14,300-46,200 GBP
ManchesterCity28,900 GBP27,200 GBP16,800-46,400 GBP
NottinghamCity28,800 GBP27,700 GBP13,000-45,000 GBP
NewcastleCity28,800 GBP27,100 GBP12,400-40,300 GBP
ChesterCity27,600 GBP22,800 GBP14,700-39,800 GBP
CardiffCity27,400 GBP28,900 GBP13,500-44,500 GBP
BelfastCity27,400 GBP31,300 GBP15,300-46,300 GBP
SouthamptonCity27,300 GBP26,300 GBP13,400-42,500 GBP
AberdeenCity27,300 GBP26,600 GBP13,900-39,700 GBP
BradfordCity27,300 GBP25,500 GBP13,500-42,700 GBP
BrightonCity27,100 GBP25,800 GBP14,900-40,700 GBP
CambridgeCity27,100 GBP27,200 GBP13,700-43,500 GBP
OxfordCity27,000 GBP24,800 GBP14,200-40,300 GBP
PortsmouthCity27,000 GBP28,900 GBP12,600-42,800 GBP
PooleCity26,900 GBP26,400 GBP13,400-44,300 GBP
SwanseaCity26,900 GBP27,300 GBP12,000-42,500 GBP
CoventryCity26,900 GBP26,900 GBP15,800-45,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity26,900 GBP28,900 GBP13,000-42,300 GBP
EdinburghCity26,900 GBP30,700 GBP13,500-44,700 GBP
YorkCity26,500 GBP27,800 GBP14,300-41,500 GBP
DundeeCity26,500 GBP25,800 GBP13,900-40,300 GBP
HartlepoolCity26,500 GBP24,200 GBP13,400-39,800 GBP
WinchesterCity26,500 GBP25,800 GBP12,800-40,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity26,400 GBP26,900 GBP14,300-44,800 GBP
StirlingCity25,800 GBP28,800 GBP13,700-42,600 GBP
PlymouthCity25,800 GBP25,800 GBP12,000-44,300 GBP
ExeterCity25,800 GBP22,800 GBP12,400-41,300 GBP
NewportCity25,800 GBP27,200 GBP13,900-43,200 GBP
WalesRegion25,700 GBP23,600 GBP11,400-39,600 GBP
WolverhamptonCity25,500 GBP31,300 GBP13,700-44,900 GBP
CanterburyCity25,300 GBP20,700 GBP11,400-35,000 GBP
ArmaghCity24,800 GBP27,600 GBP14,700-39,000 GBP
GloucesterCity24,800 GBP22,400 GBP13,700-36,200 GBP
DerryCity24,800 GBP27,800 GBP11,900-40,500 GBP
NorwichCity24,800 GBP27,000 GBP13,000-39,700 GBP
NewryCity24,200 GBP23,500 GBP12,800-35,600 GBP
LincolnCity24,200 GBP24,200 GBP11,400-41,300 GBP
InvernessCity23,800 GBP20,400 GBP12,200-33,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion23,700 GBP22,800 GBP13,900-36,900 GBP
LisburnCity23,600 GBP23,800 GBP15,100-39,500 GBP
St DavidsCity23,300 GBP24,400 GBP12,800-34,800 GBP
DurhamCity23,300 GBP24,200 GBP10,800-36,900 GBP
TruroCity23,300 GBP23,200 GBP11,400-34,900 GBP
StrontianCity23,100 GBP20,400 GBP11,800-36,500 GBP
WakefieldCity23,100 GBP23,700 GBP12,600-35,600 GBP
SalisburyCity23,100 GBP22,800 GBP12,200-34,800 GBP
RiponCity22,400 GBP23,700 GBP13,000-37,100 GBP
AbingdonCity22,200 GBP22,200 GBP11,900-35,000 GBP
WellsCity22,200 GBP22,200 GBP11,900-35,300 GBP
KirkwallCity22,200 GBP22,200 GBP11,900-34,900 GBP
BangorCity22,000 GBP22,000 GBP10,200-37,100 GBP
StromnessCity21,300 GBP24,800 GBP12,400-35,600 GBP

Technical Draughtsman in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a technical draughtsman make per month in United Kingdom?

    A technical draughtsman in United Kingdom earns about 2,250 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 27,000 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a technical draughtsman in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom start near 13,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 42,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 17,100 and 33,300 GBP.

  • Is the median technical draughtsman salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 28,800 GBP, higher than the average of 27,000 GBP. Half of technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a technical draughtsman in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (28,800 vs 27,800 GBP a year).

  • Do technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 32% of technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do technical draughtsmans earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do technical draughtsmans in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A technical draughtsman in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 9% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 7% a year.