CNC Machinist Salary in East Midlands
Official ONS earnings for East Midlands, covering 6,000 jobs.
Median salary — East Midlands
£36,436
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 3.1% change on the previous year
Mean
£38,296
Jobs measured
6,000
What a typical cnc machinist takes home
On the median of £36,436, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,479
Take-home a year
£29,753
Income Tax
£4,773
National Insurance
£1,909
What most cnc machinists actually earn
Half of cnc machinists in East Midlands earn between £31,016 and £52,956. Earning above £52,956 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Metal Machining, Fitting and Instrument Making Trades” group in East Midlands.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of cnc machinists earn less than this.
How East Midlands ranks for cnc machinist pay
2nd
of 3 GB regions with a published figure
Yorkshire and The Humber tops the table on £37,090 and West Midlands sits at the bottom on £33,427. East Midlands is £654 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Metal machining setters and setter-operators
- SOC 2020 code
- 5221
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “cnc machinist” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Metal machining setters and setter-operators”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures metal machining setters and setter-operators.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
CNC Machinist salary FAQs
What is the average CNC Machinist salary in East Midlands?
The median is £36,436 a year and the mean is £38,296, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a cnc machinist earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £17.48 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for East Midlands.
What is a good CNC Machinist salary?
Half of cnc machinists earn between £31,016 and £52,956. Anything above £52,956 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a cnc machinist?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of cnc machinists earn under £26,524 and the lowest quarter under £31,016 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do cnc machinists in East Midlands earn more than the UK average?
The median in East Midlands is £36,436 against £36,048 across the UK, 1.1% higher, which places it 2nd highest of the 3 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has cnc machinist pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +3.1% for this occupation in East Midlands. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many cnc machinists are there in East Midlands?
ASHE counts around 6,000 employee jobs in “Metal machining setters and setter-operators” (SOC 5221) in East Midlands. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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