Mechanical engineer
You design machines, engines and products. Get in with a degree, a college course or an apprenticeship. Chartered Engineer (CEng) is a legally protected title you can earn later.
ONS
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
Medians for full-time employee jobs. ONS hides estimates it rates unreliable (CV over 20%).
View sourceEngC
- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
CEng, IEng, EngTech and ICTTech are legally protected titles, awarded through licensed professional engineering institutions.
View sourceHow to get there
2 routes. Engineering degree · Degree apprenticeship
Engineering degree Degree
Mechanical, electromechanical, mechatronics or manufacturing engineering.
- School2 or 3 A levels
Including maths and physics.
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- DegreeAccredited MEng, or BEng + master's
The academic qualifications that make CEng applications simplest.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- WorkPlacement year or internship helps
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- GoalChartered Engineer (CEng)
Through a licensed institution such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
Degree apprenticeship Level 6
Earn while you study.
- SchoolGCSEs + A levels
Or equivalent.
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- Level 6Manufacturing Engineer or Electro-Mechanical Engineer apprenticeship
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- GoalMechanical engineer
You can still become CEng without an accredited degree, through a work-based assessment.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
At school
GCSEs (Years 10–11) and A levels (Years 12–13), or equivalents.
- A levels
- 2 or 3 A levels including maths and physics for a degree.
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- T Level
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, including English and maths, for the T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering.
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- UCAS points
- An A* = 56 points. Many courses ask for grades instead of points.
UCAS
The new UCAS Tariff: ten things applicants need to knowUCAS- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
An A* at A level is worth 56 Tariff points. Only about a third of courses use Tariff points in their entry requirements; most ask for grades.
View source
Pay by region
Pay is in pounds (£) per year, before tax, for full-time employees. ASHE counts employees only, so self-employed people (most barristers, many contractors) are not in these figures.
Mechanical engineers SOC 2122
- UK median £51,110
- Bottom 25% under £39,125
- Top 25% over £62,237
| Region (where people work) | Median pay | Jobs | How exact |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £58,482 | — | Rough estimate |
| South West | £51,657 | — | Rough estimate |
| South East | £49,114 | — | Rough estimate |
| West Midlands | £44,874 | — | Rough estimate |
Regions where ONS did not publish a reliable figure are left out. "Rough estimate" = ONS rates it CV 10–20%: use it with care. A region is listed only where ONS published a median for that job.ONS
Starting vs experienced (National Careers Service)
- Mechanical engineer: starter £28,000 · experienced £60,000
NCS
Mechanical engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026