Mechanical Engineer Salary in Scotland
Official ONS earnings for Scotland.
Median salary — Scotland
£38,478
gross, per year, all employees
▼ 18.6% change on the previous year
Mean
£45,668
What a typical mechanical engineer takes home
On the median of £38,478, 2026/27 tax year, Scottish rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,598
Take-home a year
£31,174
Income Tax
£5,231
National Insurance
£2,073
What most mechanical engineers actually earn
Half of mechanical engineers in Scotland earn between £37,985 and £60,876. Earning above £60,876 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 “Engineering Professionals” group in Scotland.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of mechanical engineers earn less than this.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Mechanical engineers
- SOC 2020 code
- 2122
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
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.
Mechanical Engineer salary FAQs
What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary in Scotland?
The median is £38,478 a year and the mean is £45,668, 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 mechanical engineer earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £24.76 excluding overtime, or £24.46 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for Scotland.
What is a good Mechanical Engineer salary?
Half of mechanical engineers earn between £37,985 and £60,876. Anything above £60,876 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a mechanical engineer?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of mechanical engineers earn under £30,492 and the lowest quarter under £37,985 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do mechanical engineers in Scotland earn more than the UK average?
The median in Scotland is £38,478 against £50,594 across the UK, 23.9% lower.
Has mechanical engineer pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at -18.6% for this occupation in Scotland. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
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.
Similar roles
Official figures show the market. Your salary shows what employers actually pay.
Add your salary anonymously