Engineering salaries in the UK, from apprentice to chartered engineer

The guide is aimed at students considering a career in engineering and at parents and carers assisting them with their decision. It explains the salaries engineers in the UK earn at each stage, from the first year of an apprenticeship to senior and chartered positions, and shows how pay varies among disciplines.

The figures are typical ones taken from Prospects, the graduate careers service in the UK, or from salary surveys by various professional institutions; they indicate what is normal, not what you can expect to receive. Your pay will vary according to your employer, sector, and work location.

The short answer

Graduate engineers typically begin with a salary ranging from £25,000 to £35,000, the amount depending on their area of specialization. After a few years in the profession, a great many earn between £35,000 and £50,000. Senior or chartered civil and electrical engineers can earn between £55,000 and £80,000 or even more.

The median full-time salary for all jobs in the UK was £39,039 in April 2025^[1], and in 2024 working-age graduates from all subjects had a median income of £42,000.

From the first day of their apprenticeship, they are paid while receiving training.

Apprentices

An apprentice is an employee and has a wage as well as a contract; the law esAn apprentice is an employee with a wage and a contract; the law sets the minimum an employer can pay. From April 2026, the rate for apprentices will be £8 per hour, applying to apprentices under 19 and those 19 or over in their first apprenticeship year.dAfter the first year, apprentices aged 19 or older are paid the National Minimum Wage for their age^[2]. For example, a 21-year-old apprentice who has completed their first year must receive at least £12.71 per hour.pThe minimum acts as a floor rather than a typical wage, and degree apprenticeships leading to a full bachelor’s degree can offer higher salaries. Prospects lists the starting salaries for Level 6 engineering degree apprenticeships in 2026:cs: £21,776

• Babcock, embedded electronic systems: £23,776^[3]
• Network Rail, civil engineering: £24,500^[4]
• Jaguar Land Rover, applied professional engineering: £26,092^[5]

Another possibility is to do a year in industry as a paid position. AccordingAnother option is to do a year in industry as a paid position. According to EDT, students on its placements generally earn between £17,000 and £23,000, varying by age, experience, and company.ps.

Graduates, by discipline

The table gives the typical earnings for graduates in the job that each disciThe table shows typical earnings for graduates in the job most associated with each discipline. The first column shows starting salaries. The second shows salaries for engineers several years into their careers. The third applies to senior engineers who lead projects or teams and those with chartered status.

The median figures for chemical engineering come from the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ own salary survey, not from Prospects’ salary ranges.

Engineers in the field of control and instrumentation - those who work on the cEngineers in control and instrumentation, who work on control systems of automated plants and factories, begin with a salary ranging from £25,000 to £30,000. Further information on this career path can be found under automation engineering.r with the Engineering Council at one of three levels:

• To be an Engineering Technician (EngTech), you must apply proven techniques and procedures when dealing with practical engineering problems, and one way of qualifying is by completing an approved apprenticeship.
• To be an Incorporated Engineer (IEng), you are required to maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology^[24]; one way of qualifying is by obtaining an HNC, an HND or a foundation degree and then completing further study up to degree level.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) is the highest level of professional registration^[25]; in order to achieve it, one must have an accredited MEng or an accredited bachelor’s degree together with additional study to reach master’s level.

Having chartered status does have a clear effect on salary. In the InstitutioChartered status clearly affects salary. In the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ salary survey, median earnings of chartered chemical engineers are £93,000 compared with £49,950 for those not chartered. The difference is apparent between ages 30 and 34, with median earnings of £72,000 and £52,000 respectively.fNo salary survey is available for Incorporated Engineers. The closest figure is from Prospects for experienced electronics engineers, who may work at the incorporated engineer level, with salaries around £30,000 to £45,000.l specialists,Wages increase for engineers who become technical specialists, lead large projects, or manage teams. According to Prospects, structural engineers can earn over £80,000 as technical directors. Some leading software engineers earn over £100,000. Engineering directors in consulting civil engineering can earn considerably more than £80,000^[7].

• employer, the industry and on the level of demand for the skills.
• The salary levels in the field of civil engineering are higher in London and the South East^[26].
• As for your qualifications and experience, having a masteHaving a master’s degree or placement experience entitles you to a starting salary at the upper end of the range.e.

Find your discipline

The page for each discipline explains what the work entails, the subjects you will need, the ways of entering it and the starting salary, together with sources:

• Aerospace engineering
• Automation engineering
• Biomedical engineering
• Chemical engineering
• Civil engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Electronic engineering
• Manufacturing engineering
• Mechanical engineering^[27][28]
• Software and systems engineering
• Structural engineering

Not sure which one suits you? Compare them all on choose a discipline.