SOC 5223 Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades

Metal working production and maintenance fitters Salary

Median salary £40,002 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £40,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For metal working production and maintenance fitters, £40,760 is the typical (median) pay. That is around the UK full-time median of £39,039 — +4.0% versus the national average. Experienced metal working production and maintenance fitters (top 25%) earn over £51,441.

About this role

Metal working production and maintenance fitters assemble, install, maintain and repair metal-based machinery, equipment and mechanical systems. They work from engineering drawings, using hand tools, power tools and precision measuring instruments.

Key responsibilities

Assembling and fitting mechanical components and systems
Maintaining and repairing industrial machinery and equipment
Reading engineering drawings and technical specifications
Using precision measuring instruments to check tolerances
Diagnosing mechanical faults and implementing repairs

Qualifications and entry routes

Typically requires an apprenticeship or NVQ Level 3 in mechanical engineering or fitting. EngTech registration through IMechE is the professional standard. CSCS or CCNSG card may be required for site work.

Career outlook

Consistent demand across manufacturing and process industries. Skills shortages persist, particularly in petrochemical and power generation sectors.

Key skills

Mechanical fitting Engineering drawing interpretation Precision measurement Fault diagnosis Machine maintenance

Common industries

Manufacturing
Process industries
Oil and gas
Power generation
Defence

Data coverage

SOC code 5223

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 223,000

Median Salary

£40,002

Mean Salary

£41,863

Jobs (000s)

223k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £23kP25: £30kMedian: £40kP75: £51kP90: £63k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£22,878

0-2 years

Mid Level

£29,947

3-7 years

Senior

£51,441

8-15 years

Leadership

£63,241

15+ years

Potential career growth: +176% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +38.9%Real growth: +0.6%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 19.0%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£40,002

Full-time Only

£40,760

Full-time premium: +£758

Metal working production and maintenance fitters salary: common questions

How much do metal working production and maintenance fitters earn in the UK?

Metal working production and maintenance fitters earn a median of £40,760 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £29,947 and £51,441.

Is £40,760 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for metal working production and maintenance fitters?

Entry-level metal working production and maintenance fitters typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £29,947, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £22,878.

How much do the highest-paid metal working production and maintenance fitters earn?

The best-paid 10% of metal working production and maintenance fitters earn over £63,241 a year, and the top 25% over £51,441 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have metal working production and maintenance fitters salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median metal working production and maintenance fitters pay has risen from £29,268 to £40,760 — +39% in cash terms, or +1.0% after CPIH inflation. That is roughly in line with inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for metal working production and maintenance fitters?

Male metal working production and maintenance fitters earn a median £40,096 and female metal working production and maintenance fitters £32,474 — a gap of +19% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).