In a market where specialist talent is increasingly hard to secure, understanding current engineering and manufacturing salary trends has never been more important. Employers across the UK are facing rising competition for experienced professionals, shifting candidate expectations, and ongoing pressure to balance cost with capability.
Our 2026 Remuneration Report gives a comprehensive overview of pay, benefits and hiring trends across the automotive, aerospace & defence, and FMCG (food & drink) sectors. Based on market data from over 500 mid-to-senior professionals, the report benchmarks minimum, average and upper-quartile salaries across key technical, operational and commercial roles.
Key Insights
The findings show that while 63% of professionals feel fairly remunerated, salary alone is no longer enough to attract and retain high-calibre talent. With 88% of respondents stating that a bonus scheme is important, organisations are under increasing pressure to ensure their total reward offering remains competitive and clearly communicated.
Beyond pay, candidates are placing greater value on:
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Enhanced benefits and wellbeing support
- Clear progression and leadership quality
These factors are becoming critical differentiators in a tight recruitment market.
Sector-specific salary and hiring trends
The report highlights clear differences in how demand is evolving across sectors:
Automotive
Electrification, software integration and digital architecture continue to drive demand for technically strong leaders who can also deliver commercial outcomes. Hybrid skill sets combining engineering expertise with data and systems knowledge are commanding premium salaries.
Aerospace & Defence
Investment in advanced manufacturing and next-generation programmes is increasing competition for experienced engineering, programme management and security-cleared professionals. Strategic procurement and quality leadership remain key focus areas.
FMCG (Food & Drink)
Ongoing margin pressure and sustainability targets are driving demand for commercially astute operations, supply chain and technical leaders who can deliver efficiency while supporting innovation and growth.
Why total reward matters more than ever
One of the clearest messages from the data is that competitive remuneration is holistic. Employers who align market-competitive pay with strong leadership, flexibility, development opportunities and fair internal structures are better positioned to attract and retain specialist talent - even in challenging market conditions.
Whether you are reviewing salary benchmarks, planning future hires or assessing your reward strategy, the 2026 Remuneration Report offers practical, data-led insight to support informed decision-making.
Download the full 2026 Remuneration Report to access detailed salary data, benefits analysis and hiring trends across manufacturing and engineering.
