Home / Jobs / Plant Operator

Plant Operator jobs in the UK

Live plant operator roles plus reconciled 2026 salary data by region.

784 live plant operator roles

Plant Operator salary by region (2026)

RegionSalary range (median)
London
9 live adverts		 £40,560 – £48,794 (£44,720 · 25th–75th pct)
East of England (indicative)
18 live adverts		 £29,000 – £52,054 (midpoint £42,509)
South East
45 live adverts		 £37,315 – £44,720 (£41,600 · 25th–75th pct)
South West
25 live adverts		 £28,800 – £43,680 (£41,107 · 25th–75th pct)
North West
8 live adverts		 £38,095 – £42,380 (£39,520 · 25th–75th pct)
Midlands
35 live adverts		 £32,000 – £42,640 (£37,619 · 25th–75th pct)
Yorkshire
9 live adverts		 £31,200 – £37,503 (£37,503 · 25th–75th pct)
Scotland
18 live adverts		 £28,125 – £36,875 (£33,529 · 25th–75th pct)
Wales (indicative)
10 live adverts		 £24,000 – £39,699 (midpoint £30,232)

Methodology: medians reconcile live advertised UK salaries for this role and region; 25th–75th percentiles are shown only where at least 5 live salaried listings back them — they are measured or omitted, never interpolated. Rows marked indicative are anchored to our curated 2026 baseline ranges until enough live data accrues. Listings advertising an implausible annual figure (a mislabelled hourly or daily rate) are excluded rather than converted, because converting one means guessing the hours behind it.

Market view. The ticket is the career: CPCS or NPORS categories determine what you can be booked for, and multi-ticket operators (telehandler + 360 + dumper) stay busiest. Infrastructure and rail possessions pay above general build, and long-shift weeks make real earnings strongly hours-driven.
Full salary guides →

FAQs

What does a plant operator earn in the UK?

Indicatively £30,000–£48,000 employed, with multi-ticketed 360/telehandler operators on infrastructure at the top.

CPCS or NPORS — which do employers want?

Both are recognised; major contractors and infrastructure frameworks most commonly specify CPCS.

Which plant tickets pay best?

360 excavator (above and below 10 tonnes) and telehandler, especially combined — and rail-cleared operators earn a further premium.

Search all plant operator roles

Browse Plant Operator jobs by location

Plant Operator — London Plant Operator — Manchester Plant Operator — Birmingham Plant Operator — Derby Plant Operator — Nottingham Plant Operator — Glasgow Plant Operator — Edinburgh Plant Operator — Oxford Plant Operator — Reading Plant Operator — Sheffield Plant Operator — Northampton Plant Operator — Milton Keynes Plant Operator — Aylesbury Plant Operator — Bristol Plant Operator — Cardiff Plant Operator — Swindon Plant Operator — Norwich Plant Operator — Ipswich Plant Operator — Bedford Plant Operator — Colchester Plant Operator — Middlesbrough Plant Operator — Newport Plant Operator — Luton Plant Operator — Kent Plant Operator — Essex Plant Operator — Surrey Plant Operator — Oxfordshire Plant Operator — Wrexham Plant Operator — Hertfordshire
Help others hire with confidence

Reviews on Trustpilot

Worked with Verifera as a candidate or employer? Your honest review helps the next person trust verified hiring.

Trustpilot