jobfacts

Mechanical engineers (professional)

SOC 2020 2122

Professional mechanical engineers undertake research, design and development, direct the manufacture and manage the operation and maintenance of engines, machines, vehicle and ships’ structures, building services and other mechanical items.

Also calledMotorsport engineerPerformance engineerWorks engineerEngineering consultantResearcherDesign engineerand 70 more titles
Typical full-time pay£51,1002025 Provisional
People in the job94,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month2,600↑ 20%on last year · 70th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time mechanical engineers (professional) earn between £39,100 and £62,200 a year.

What full-time mechanical engineers (professional) earn, 2025
£51,100 typical£33,300lowest 10%£62,20075%£68,700top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£39,100–£62,200)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£33,300
Lowest 20% earn less than£37,600
25%£39,100
Median£51,100
75%£62,200
Top 20% earn more than£68,700
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £51,100
London!£58,500
East of England!£51,700
South West!£51,700
South East!£49,100
Yorkshire and The Humber!£47,900
West Midlands!£44,900
Wales!£44,400
Scotland!£38,500
North East!£35,700
North WestNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £51,100
London£58,500 (small sample)
East of England£51,700 (small sample)
South West£51,700 (small sample)
South East£49,100 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£47,900 (small sample)
West Midlands£44,900 (small sample)
Wales£44,400 (small sample)
Scotland£38,500 (small sample)
North East£35,700 (small sample)
North WestNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £43,100
  • 2024 £46,800
  • 2025 Provisional£51,100
↑ 18% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 2,600 jobs for mechanical engineers (professional) are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (3 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20263,036
Jul 20264,481
Jun 20263,839
May 20262,540
Apr 20261,933
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20262,013
Jan 20262,499
Dec 20251,383
Nov 20252,604
Oct 20252,609
Sept 20252,120
Aug 20252,119
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 20252,751
Apr 20252,047
Mar 20252,310
Feb 20252,098
Jan 20251,823
Dec 20241,073
Nov 20241,652
Oct 20241,702
Sept 20241,958
Aug 20241,927
Jul 20242,097
Jun 20241,866
May 20242,222
Apr 20242,240
Mar 20242,165
Feb 20242,107
Jan 20242,807
Dec 20232,350
Nov 20232,384
Oct 20232,229
Sept 20232,152
Aug 20232,376
Jul 20232,582
Jun 20233,317
May 20233,087
Apr 20232,615
Mar 20233,086
Feb 20233,482
Jan 20233,815
Dec 20223,519
Nov 20223,898
Oct 20223,614
Sept 20223,499
Aug 20224,138
Jul 20224,097
Jun 20223,940
May 20224,293
Apr 20223,642
Mar 20224,282
Feb 20223,927
Jan 20223,746
Dec 20213,074
Nov 20212,809
Oct 20213,162
Sept 20213,022
Aug 20212,925
Jul 20213,633
Jun 20213,038
May 20213,750
Apr 20213,521
Mar 20214,098
Feb 20212,454
Jan 20212,633
Dec 20202,121
Nov 20202,219
Oct 20202,314
Sept 20202,024
Aug 20201,941
Jul 20201,787
Jun 20201,889
May 20201,722
Apr 20202,364
Mar 20203,573
Feb 20203,736
Jan 20203,288
Dec 20192,411
Nov 20193,147
Oct 20193,206
Sept 20193,196
Aug 20193,333
Jul 20194,485
Jun 20194,387
May 20193,933
Apr 20192,730
Mar 20192,955
Feb 20192,845
Jan 20193,200
Dec 20181,977
Nov 20182,503
Oct 20182,493
Sept 20182,767
Aug 20182,597
Jul 20182,724
Jun 20182,719
May 20182,834
Apr 20182,654
Mar 20182,803
Feb 20182,763
Jan 20183,066
Dec 20172,372
Nov 20172,740
Oct 20172,585
Sept 20172,377
Aug 20172,564
Jul 20172,482
Jun 20173,147
May 20173,231
Apr 20173,122
Mar 20173,291
Feb 20172,793
Jan 20173,682
Is there a shortage of mechanical engineers (professional)?
Elevated

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was critical.

  • Visas grantedWell above usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
41%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London1,265
Manchester250
Birmingham245
Bristol, City of207
Glasgow City161
Leeds129
Cambridge109
Belfast106
Nottingham100
Westmorland and Furness91
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where mechanical engineers (professional) are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 1,030 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, Spain, Netherlands, ranking it 17th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of mechanical engineers (professional)
5.7%!
30%!
26%
18%!
14%!
6.1%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–245.7% (small sample)
25–3430% (small sample)
35–4426%
45–5418% (small sample)
55–6414% (small sample)
65+6.1% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent64%
Higher education below degree8.8%
A levels or equivalent18%
GCSEs or equivalent!6.4%
Other qualifications–
Not published
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent64%
Higher education below degree8.8%
A levels or equivalent18%
GCSEs or equivalent6.4% (small sample)
Other qualificationsNot published
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: engineering activities and related technical consultancy (19%), machining (8.9%), defence activities (5.9%), manufacture of engines and turbines, except aircraft, vehicle and cycle engines (3.4%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
64%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
3
from level 4, including degree apprenticeships
Apprenticeships take
2 to 5 years
typically

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in motorsport or automotive engineering.

Employers may also accept related subjects, like:

  • mechanical engineering
  • aeronautical engineering
  • materials science
  • software development
  • electrical or electronic engineering

Choosing a course that includes an internship or industry placement can give you an advantage when looking for jobs. It can also help if you want to join a graduate training scheme with a motorsport engineering company, or their suppliers.

You can check if universities are involved in schemes like Formula Student and Greenpower. These provide opportunities to get hands-on experience and to make contacts within the industry.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an engineering technician apprenticeship, then go on to train on a higher or degree apprenticeship in an engineering subject.

Engineering apprenticeships include:

  • Engineering Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Engineering Manufacturing Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Electro-Mechanical Engineer Level 6 Apprenticeship (on a level with incorporated engineer status)
  • Manufacturing Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Volunteering

Volunteering at motorsport events is a good way to make contacts in the industry and to get yourself known. Motorsport UK and British Motorsports Marshals Club have lots of ways you can get involved.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

A good way to meet employers is to attend motorsport shows. You can speak directly to companies to find out what skills, experience and qualifications they're looking for.

Read motorsport magazines and follow companies on social media for news and job opportunities.

If you want to learn more about being a racing driver, check out the advice from Motorsport UK.

Further information

You can get more information about careers in motorsport from:

  • Motorsport Industry Association
  • Motorsport UK
  • This is Engineering

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for motorsport engineer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

3 for this job

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls
  • determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture
  • designs and develops mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles and other machinery
  • ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards
  • organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems

Skills

  • adjust engineering designs
  • approve engineering design
  • perform scientific research
  • use technical drawing software
  • adjust voltage
  • advise architects
  • advise on irrigation projects
  • advise on pollution prevention
  • analyse production processes for improvement
  • analyse stress resistance of products
  • analyse test data
  • apply advanced manufacturing
  • apply medical first aid on board ship
  • apply technical communication skills

Knowledge

  • engineering principles
  • engineering processes
  • mechanical engineering
  • mechanics
  • technical drawings
  • 3D modelling
  • aerodynamics
  • agricultural production principles

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Working with ideas and solving problems

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for science, research, engineering and technology professionals, a group of 28 jobs that includes mechanical engineers (professional).
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 18%about 394,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.