Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.: salary in the UK
Pay range
The dark part is the middle half of full-time employees (25% to 75%); the light bar runs from 10% to 90%. ONS doesn't publish the highest or lowest salary, and x means a figure wasn't published.
Pay by year
£20k£22k£24k£26k£28k£30kMedianP25
202120222023202420252026 (provisional)
The median went from £23,896 in 2021 to £29,256 in 2025 (+22%); for all full-time employees in the UK it changed by +25% over the same years.
Figures by year
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | x | £20,268 | £23,896 | x | x |
| 2022 | x | £21,297 | £24,155 | x | x |
| 2023 | x | £22,755 | £25,282 | x | x |
| 2024 | x | £24,803 | £27,172 | x | x |
| 2025 | x | £26,759 | £29,256 | x | x |
| 2026 | x | £27,587 | x | x | x |
ONS figures for each year, not adjusted for inflation. Years before 2021 used a different occupation classification, so they can't be compared. Earlier years are ONS's revised figures; the latest is provisional.
ONS didn't publish salary figures for Plant and machine operatives n.e.c. in 2026: too few full-time employees were in the survey sample for a reliable estimate. This is common for jobs where many people are self-employed, because the survey only covers employees.
The wider group Plant and Machine Operatives (SOC 813) has a median of £33,601 a year.
ONS did publish a mean of £34,549, which is less reliable than a median would be.
Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (P10) | x | x |
| 20th | £26,854 | £2,238 |
| 25th (P25) | £27,587 | £2,299 |
| 30th | £28,286 | £2,357 |
| 40th | £30,467 | £2,539 |
| Median (50th) | x | x |
| 60th | £32,663 | £2,722 |
| 70th | x | x |
| 75th (P75) | x | x |
| 80th | x | x |
| 90th (P90) | x | x |
Men and women
| Median | Mean | Jobs (thousands) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | £31,438 | £34,823 | x |
| Women | x | £31,104 | x |
Job titles in this occupation
ONS codes these 535 job titles to SOC 8139 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.. Pay figures are for the whole occupation, not for each title.
- Abrasive goods maker
- Accumulator charger
- Accumulator former
- Aerial engineer
- Aerial installer
- Aerial rigger
- Anvil grinder
- Armouring assistant
- Armouring machine driver
- Armouring machinist
- Assistant glazer
- Assistant grinder
- Back sawyer
- Balustrade fitter
- Band saw operator
- Band sawyer
- Bander
- Bar feeder
- Bar pointer
- Barb maker
- Barrel setter
- Barrel straightener
- Basket maker
- Battery attendant
- Battery chargeman
- Battery charger
- Battery charging hand
- Battery engineer
- Battery filler
- Battery former
- Battery machinist
- Battery maker
- Battery man
- Battery paster
- Battery tier
- Beamer
- Belt extender
- Belt remover
- Belt skiver
- Belt turner
- Bench hand
- Bench worker
- Bending machinist
- Billet breaker
- Billet grinder
- Billet shearer
- Bit grinder
- Blade grinder
- Block cutter
- Bloom shearer
- Bobbin maker
- Bobbin winder
- Boiler breaker
- Boiler scaler
- Boiler scraper
- Boiler scurfer
- Boiler washer
- Bolt header
- Bolt machinist
- Bolt maker
Show all 535 titles
- Borer
- Bow dresser
- Bow grinder
- Box fitter
- Box maker
- Braider
- Braiding machinist
- Brake operator
- Breaker
- Breaker-off
- Breeze block maker
- Brush maker
- Brusher
- Building block maker
- Bullet machinist
- Bullet maker
- Bullet trimmer
- Bullet trimming operator
- Burr grinder
- Button holer
- Button machinist
- Button maker
- Button manufacturer
- Button polisher
- Button screwer
- Button turner
- Button worker
- Buttoner-up
- Cable armourer
- Cable core maker
- Cable insulator
- Cable machine driver
- Cable machinist
- Cable maker
- Cable operator
- Cable trimmer
- Cable winder
- Cable worker
- Cable wrapper
- Cabling machine driver
- Cabling machinist
- Calender driver
- Car breaker
- Car dismantler
- Carbon block maker
- Carbon machinist
- Carbon moulder
- Carbon tissue maker
- Card clothier
- Card clothing grinder
- Card dresser
- Card fettler
- Card finisher
- Card grinder
- Card nailer
- Card stripper
- Card top clipper
- Cardroom grinder
- Cathode coater
- Cell former
- Cell maker
- Chain maker
- Chaser
- Chipper
- Circle setter
- Closer
- Closer driver
- Closing machinist
- Coil shearer
- Coiler
- Cold header
- Cold roll greaser
- Cold smith
- Comb grinder
- Comb leather maker
- Comb straightener
- Combine operator
- Compactor operator
- Compo man
- Conveyor erector
- Conveyor extender
- Conveyor feeder
- Conveyor mover
- Conveyor puller
- Conveyor remover
- Conveyor shifter
- Conveyor turner
- Cooker operator
- Copper winder
- Core cutting machinist
- Core winder
- Cork machinist
- Coverer
- Crayon maker
- Crimper
- Cropper
- Cropper operator
- Cut nail maker
- Cutler
- Cutlery etcher
- Cutlery worker
- Cutter's helper
- Cutting machinist
- Cylinder preparer
- Cylinder tester-rectifier
- Damper fuse setter
- Dandy roll maker
- Design cutter
- Die caser
- Dipper
- Dismantler
- Doctor maker
- Dry grinder
- Duct erector
- Edge tool setter
- Edge tool worker
- Electrical insulator
- Electrical maintenance hand
- Electrode maker
- Element maker
- Emery wheel grinder
- End capper and sealer
- Engine breaker
- Engraver's machinist
- Etcher
- Expander
- Eyelet machinist
- Fasher
- Feed maker
- Fettler
- Filament coater
- Filament former
- Filament shaper
- Filament spiraller
- Filament winder
- File cutter
- File setter
- File stripper
- Filler
- Filler-up
- Finer
- Finisher
- Fire lighter maker
- Fish hook bender
- Flattener
- Flitter
- Forker
- Fountain pen polisher
- Frame helper
- Frame oiler
- Frame setter
- Fume plant attendant
- Gas mantle maker
- Gas regulator
- Girder reconditioner
- Gland packer
- Glazer's assistant
- Grading machinist
- Grainer
- Graphite turner
- Greaser
- Grinder
- Grinder and polisher
- Guard maker
- Guillotine hand
- Guillotine machinist
- Guillotine operator
- Gunner
- Hafter
- Handbag frame maker
- Handyman
- Hard straightener
- Header
- Header-up
- Heading machinist
- Heald dresser
- Heald maker
- Hood frame maker
- Hose armourer
- Hot saw worker
- Hot sawyer
- Incandescent mantle maker
- Insulating machine driver
- Insulating winder
- Insulation cutter
- Iron plate straightener
- Jobbing grinder
- Joggler
- Joggling machinist
- Jointer
- Kerner
- Key smith
- Keysmith
- Kiln greaser
- Knife bender
- Knife hand
- Lapper
- Lapping machine driver
- Laser operator
- Lathe operator
- Layer
- Layer-up
- Layer-up machine driver
- Lead paster
- Lead worker
- Leading hand
- Lift adjuster
- Lift machinery attendant
- Lino worker
- Linoleum worker
- Lithographic plate preparer
- Loom oiler
- Lubrication attendant
- Lubrication engineer
- Lubricator
- Machine extruder
- Machine fettler
- Machine maintenance hand
- Machine oiler
- Machinery dismantler
- Machinery servicer
- Machinist
- Maintenance assistant
- Maintenance hand
- Maintenance man
- Maker-up
- Manufacturer
- Marker
- Marker maker
- Match box maker
- Match maker
- Matrix maker
- Mechanical spray operator
- Metal bar coverer
- Metal furniture manufacturer
- Metal slitter
- Mica driller
- Micanite driller
- Mill setter-out
- Milling machinist
- Motor cycle rectifier
- Moulder
- Nail machinist
- Needle grinder
- Needle maker
- Needle setter
- Odd worker
- Oiler
- Oiler and bander
- Oiler and beltman
- Oiler and cleaner
- Oiler and greaser
- Oilman
- Pantograph operator
- Paper lapper
- Parer
- Paster
- Pearl button cutter
- Pearl shell cutter
- Pen maker
- Pen nib maker
- Pencil maker
- Pin machinist
- Pin scourer
- Pin setter
- Pipe bender
- Pipe moulder
- Plate cutting machinist
- Plate edge planer
- Plate grainer
- Plate planing machinist
- Plate trimmer
- Pneumatic chipper
- Pointer
- Power presser
- Preparer
- Preparer and sealer
- Press houseman
- Presser
- Printing machine oiler
- Process operator
- Process worker
- Prop straightener
- Puller
- Puller-up
- Pulleyman
- Pumper
- Pumpman
- Pumpman-dipper
- Pumpsman
- Rail breaker
- Rail sawyer
- Reeler
- Refrigerator operator
- Repairer's helper
- Reshearer
- Rigger
- Rivet carrier
- Rivet catcher
- Rivet heater
- Rivet machinist
- Rivet maker
- Rivet warmer
- Rod pointer
- Rodder
- Roller
- Roller sawyer
- Rolling machinist
- Rope machinist
- Rope maker
- Rotary cutting machinist
- Rotary shearer
- Router
- Router and mounter
- Safety man
- Sand mill operator
- Sanding machinist
- Saw backer
- Saw bench hand
- Saw doctor
- Saw driver
- Saw hammerer
- Saw maker
- Saw man
- Saw operator
- Saw plate straightener
- Saw repairer
- Saw setter
- Saw sharpener
- Saw smith
- Sawing machinist
- Sawyer
- Scale presser
- Scaler
- Scissors grinder
- Scourer
- Scrap baler
- Scrap breaker
- Scrap burner
- Scrap shearsman
- Screw maker
- Screw making machinist
- Screwer
- Scythe fitter
- Semi-skilled engineer
- Serrator
- Setter-up
- Shaft examiner
- Shaftman
- Shaper
- Sharpener
- Shear driver
- Shear operator
- Shearer
- Shearing machinist
- Shearman
- Shears driver
- Shears operator
- Sheave greaser
- Sheavesman
- Sheet parer
- Ship boiler scaler
- Ship breaker
- Ship dismantler
- Ship's boiler scaler
- Sieve maker
- Sleever
- Slitter
- Slitter operator
- Socket machinist
- Spindle maker
- Spinner
- Spreading shop assistant
- Spring machinist
- Spring maker
- Spring mattress maker
- Spring seat maker
- Spring weaver
- Spring worker
- Springer
- Steel chipper
- Steel crate maker
- Steel grinder
- Steel inspector
- Steel man
- Steel slitter
- Steel straightener
- Steel supervisor
- Still pumpman
- Stitcher
- Stone polisher
- Straight grinder
- Straightener
- Strander
- Stranding machinist
- Stretcher operator
- Stripper and grinder
- Stubber
- Super finer
- Supporter
- Surface grinder
- Surgical mechanic
- Swager
- Swarfer
- Swing grinder
- Syphon pumper
- Tack maker
- Tape sewer
- Taper
- Taper maker
- Taping machinist
- Television aerial erector
- Television aerial fitter
- Thermal insulator
- Tin foil slitter
- Tip cutter
- Tool filer
- Toother
- Trim machinist
- Trimmer
- Trimming machinist
- Trouncer
- Tub mender
- Tub repairer
- Tube bender
- Tube brusher
- Tube expander
- Tube manipulator
- Tube polisher
- Tubing machine driver
- Tungsten plate former
- Turner
- Turnover man
- Twisted-in brush maker
- Twister
- Umbrella mechanic
- Umbrella rib maker
- Valveman
- Valveman's assistant
- Veiner
- Wash bay attendant
- Washer maker
- Waxer
- Weight adjuster
- Weld dresser
- Wet grinder
- Wet stone grinder
- Wheel packer
- Wheel truer
- Wheel truer-up
- Wheeler
- Wheelman
- Whetter
- Wick maker
- Winder
- Wire basket maker
- Wire bender
- Wire braider
- Wire cable maker
- Wire former
- Wire frame maker
- Wire hand
- Wire heald threader
- Wire mattress maker
- Wire polisher
- Wire rope winder
- Wire spinner
- Wire spooler
- Wire straightener
- Wire strander
- Wire turner
- Wire winder
- Wire worker
- Woollen fettler
- Worksetter
Similar occupations
All jobs in Process, plant and machine operatives
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.