Food, drink and tobacco process operatives vs Welding trades Salary

How do Food, drink and tobacco process operatives and Welding trades salaries compare in the UK? Here is a detailed side-by-side breakdown using the latest ONS data.

Welding trades earns £6,935 more per year (24% higher)

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives

£28,647
per year (gross)
Take-home: £24,145
vs

Welding trades

£35,582
per year (gross)
Take-home: £29,139

Detailed Comparison

MetricFood, drink and tobacco process operativesWelding tradesDifference
Median Annual£28,647£35,582-£6,935
Mean Annual£29,602£37,877-£8,275
Take-Home (Net)£24,145£29,139-£4,994
Monthly (Gross)£2,387£2,965-£578
Weekly (Gross)£551£684-£133
Hourly£13.77£17.11-£3.34

Salary Range Comparison

PercentileFood, drink and tobacco process operativesWelding trades
10th (Entry)£18,174£24,483
25th£24,514£29,325
50th (Median)£28,647£35,582
75th£34,736£45,339
90th (Senior)£42,506£0

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more, a Food, drink and tobacco process operatives or a Welding trades?
A Welding trades earns more. The median salary for a Food, drink and tobacco process operatives is £28,647, whilst a Welding trades earns £35,582 — a difference of £6,935 per year.
What is the salary difference between a Food, drink and tobacco process operatives and a Welding trades?
The difference is £6,935 per year. Welding trades is the higher-paid role.
What is the take-home pay difference?
After tax and National Insurance, a Food, drink and tobacco process operatives takes home approximately £24,145 per year, whilst a Welding trades takes home £29,139. The net difference is £4,994.
Should I become a Food, drink and tobacco process operatives or a Welding trades?
From a salary perspective, Welding trades offers higher median pay. However, career choice depends on many factors including interests, qualifications, work-life balance and long-term prospects.

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