Process, plant and machine operatives

Median full-time salary in this group: £34,936 a year. 39 occupations, highest median first.

Process, plant and machine operatives

Median £32,767

• Rail construction and maintenance operatives 8153
  £49,009
• Scaffolders, stagers and riggers 8151
  £48,764
• Road construction operatives 8152
  £41,451
• Water and sewerage plant operatives 8134
  £39,440
• Production, factory and assembly supervisors 8160
  £38,303
• Chemical and related process operatives 8113
  £34,538
• Construction operatives n.e.c. 8159
  £34,006
• Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods) 8142
  £33,637
• Metal making and treating process operatives 8115
  £33,386
• Routine inspectors and testers 8143
  £33,348
• Metal working machine operatives 8120
  £33,118
• Plastics process operatives 8114
  £32,592
• Weighers, graders and sorters 8144
  £32,075
• Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters 8145
  £31,824
• Paper and wood machine operatives 8131
  £31,498
• Food, drink and tobacco process operatives 8111
  £30,400
• Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c. 8149
  £30,343
• Printing machine assistants 8135
  £29,965
• Assemblers (electrical and electronic products) 8141
  £29,863
• Textile process operatives 8112
  £29,314
• Sewing machinists 8146
  £25,442
• Process operatives n.e.c. 8119
  x
• Mining and quarry workers and related operatives 8132
  x
• Energy plant operatives 8133
  x
• Plant and machine operatives n.e.c. 8139
  x

Transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives

Median £37,730

• Train and tram drivers 8231
  £74,376
• Rail transport operatives 8234
  £58,370
• Crane drivers 8221
  £49,106
• Marine and waterways transport operatives 8232
  £44,520
• Large goods vehicle drivers 8211
  £41,735
• Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. 8229
  £39,461
• Other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c. 8239
  £37,235
• Bus and coach drivers 8212
  £36,488
• Air transport operatives 8233
  £34,839
• Road transport drivers n.e.c. 8219
  £32,672
• Fork-lift truck drivers 8222
  £32,308
• Delivery drivers and couriers 8214
  £29,914
• Taxi and cab drivers and chauffeurs 8213
  £29,887
• Driving instructors 8215
  x

Other groups

• Managers, directors and senior officials£60,000
• Professional occupations£50,683
• Associate professional occupations£40,000
• Administrative and secretarial occupations£31,918
• Skilled trades occupations£37,419
• Caring, leisure and other service occupations£28,497
• Sales and customer service occupations£28,276
• Elementary occupations£29,135

Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (full-time employees, gross annual pay, UK, tax year ending 5 April 2026). Provisional figures may be revised.