2026 CAD Salaries
£44,200 average salary for CAD professionals in the UK
+ 9.5% from £40,400 in 2025
£43,200 average salary for SolidWorks professionals
£47,500 average salary for Revit professionals
£50,000 average salary for Rhino professionals
CAD salaries have continued to rise, although growth has slowed compared to the immediate post-pandemic period.
Over the past five years, Intermediate CAD Designer salaries have increased by around 18%, rising from approximately £31,000 to £36,500. This reflects sustained demand for experienced, technically capable designers who can operate with limited supervision.
Junior CAD Designer salaries have also risen, though at a more gradual pace. Entry-level pay has moved upwards as employers compete for talent earlier in the career cycle and place greater value on strong fundamentals and adaptability.
At senior and management level, salary growth has been more pronounced. Senior CAD Designers and Design Managers now typically earn 15-20% more than they did five years ago, with the strongest gains seen in roles that combine technical delivery with leadership or project responsibility.
Year on year growth from 2025 to 2026 has generally sat in the 4-5% range. This points to a market that is stabilising rather than contracting, with employers remaining competitive but taking a more measured approach to salary increases.
Regionally, London and the South East continue to command the highest salaries overall. However, the gap between regions has narrowed over the past five years, with areas such as the Midlands, North West and South West seeing steady progression, particularly at intermediate and senior levels.
Overall, the data suggests the CAD market has reset onto a higher baseline. While rapid growth has eased, salaries remain materially stronger than they were five years ago, especially for experienced CAD professionals.
Pay Rises and Employer Behaviour
This year, around 66% of CAD professionals reported receiving a substantial pay rise in the past six months. This is slightly lower than last year and suggests employers are being more selective in how salary increases are applied.
When you look at how those pay rises link to sentiment, a clear pattern emerges. Respondents who received a substantial pay rise reported an average score of around 4 out of 5 for both how rewarding they find their role and how appreciated they feel by their employer. By comparison, those who did not receive a pay rise typically scored closer to 3 out of 5, indicating a more neutral or mixed experience.
This suggests pay rises are closely linked to engagement rather than being used as a blanket retention tool. Employers appear to be rewarding individuals who already feel valued, trusted, and embedded within the business, rather than attempting to solve dissatisfaction purely through salary.
There are also regional differences. Professionals based in London were more likely to report receiving a pay rise, while respondents in the North East were least likely. This reflects ongoing variation in demand, workload, and commercial pressure across regions.
Overall, the data points to a more targeted approach to pay. Employers remain willing to invest in their CAD teams, but salary increases are increasingly tied to performance, responsibility, and perceived contribution rather than applied automatically.
Job Movement and Motivation
This year, around 43% of CAD professionals said they are actively considering a job move. This is broadly in line with last year and reinforces that movement remains a normal part of the CAD market rather than a sign of instability.
Salary remains the single most common motivator, cited by just over 40% of respondents, particularly at junior and intermediate level. However, the data shows a clear shift as seniority increases. Senior CAD Designers, Design Managers and Directors are far less likely to move purely for money.
At higher levels, respondents were more likely to prioritise work life balance, career progression and feeling valued within the business. This ties closely to the sentiment data, where those scoring lower on appreciation and reward were significantly more likely to be exploring new opportunities, even if their salary was competitive.
Another interesting pattern is intent versus urgency. While many respondents are open to moving, a much smaller proportion are actively applying. This suggests a market where candidates are cautious, selective, and willing to wait for the right role rather than making reactive moves.
Overall, the data points to a candidate-led but considered market. CAD professionals are open to change, but decisions are increasingly driven by long-term fit rather than short-term gains.
Five Year View of the CAD Market
Looking at the data over the past five years, the CAD market has undergone a clear reset rather than a short-term fluctuation.
Salaries across most job levels now sit materially higher than they did five years ago, with the strongest gains concentrated at intermediate, senior and management level. While year on year increases have moderated recently, the overall baseline has shifted upwards and has remained stable.
Working patterns have changed permanently. Hybrid working is now the norm rather than the exception, even in roles that remain largely office based. Candidates increasingly expect some flexibility, and employers offering rigid arrangements are consistently finding it harder to attract experienced CAD professionals.
There has also been a gradual regional rebalancing. While London and the South East continue to dominate in terms of salary and opportunity, other regions have closed the gap. Areas such as the Midlands and North West now support a larger and more established CAD workforce than they did five years ago, particularly at intermediate and senior levels.
Technology has continued to evolve steadily rather than dramatically. Core platforms such as AutoCAD and SolidWorks remain firmly embedded, while Revit and BIM-led workflows have become standard in construction environments. The shift has been evolutionary, not disruptive.
Overall, the five year data shows a market that has matured. Rapid change has given way to steadier progression, with candidates placing greater emphasis on stability, development and long-term fit alongside salary.
Job Security and Confidence
Confidence in job security has improved slightly compared to last year, but it remains mixed across seniority levels.
In the latest survey, around 58% of CAD professionals said they feel secure or very secure in their current role. This is up from approximately 55% last year, suggesting a modest increase in confidence as businesses stabilise following several uncertain years.
Security levels vary noticeably by seniority. Senior CAD Designers, Design Managers and Directors are significantly more likely to feel secure, while junior level professionals report lower confidence. This reflects greater exposure to project pipelines, commercial decision making, and long-term planning at higher levels within organisations.
There is also a clear link between job security and engagement. Respondents who feel secure are far more likely to report higher scores for feeling appreciated and rewarded in their role. Those who feel less secure tend to sit closer to neutral across these measures and are more likely to be open to a job move.
Overall, the data suggests improving stability across the CAD market, but with ongoing uncertainty for less experienced professionals. Employers who communicate clearly around workload, pipeline and progression are better placed to retain talent, particularly at junior and intermediate level.
Workplace Stress and Deadlines
Deadline pressure remains a consistent feature of CAD roles, although it is not evenly felt across the market.
In this year’s survey, around 20% of CAD professionals rated deadline stress at the highest end of the scale. The majority sit closer to the middle, suggesting that while pressure is common, it is not overwhelming for most.
Stress levels increase noticeably with seniority. Senior CAD Designers and Design Managers are more likely to report higher pressure, reflecting greater responsibility for delivery, coordination and client expectations. Junior roles tend to report lower stress, although this rises sharply in fast-paced or poorly resourced teams.
There is also a clear relationship between stress and flexibility. Respondents working in hybrid roles generally reported lower stress scores than those in fully office-based positions, even where workloads were similar. This suggests that autonomy and flexibility play an important role in managing pressure.
Overall, deadlines remain a key challenge within CAD roles, but the data indicates that working patterns and team structure have a meaningful impact on how manageable that pressure feels day to day.
Software Usage Across the CAD Market
oftware usage has shifted gradually over the past five years, with some clear trends emerging.
AutoCAD remains the most widely used platform, appearing in around 70% of responses across all regions and seniority levels. Its usage has remained broadly consistent year on year, reinforcing its position as a baseline requirement across much of the CAD market.
The most notable change has been the growth in Revit usage. In earlier surveys, Revit featured in around 25–30% of responses. In the latest data, this has increased to closer to 40%, most commonly alongside AutoCAD rather than as a standalone tool. This reflects the continued expansion of BIM-led workflows, particularly within construction and building services roles.
SolidWorks usage has remained relatively stable overall, but has become more concentrated by sector. It continues to dominate within product design and manufacturing roles, while appearing less frequently in construction-focused positions than it did five years ago.
Another clear shift is the increase in multi-software roles. A higher proportion of respondents now report using two or more CAD platforms regularly compared to earlier surveys, where single-software roles were more common.
Workforce Demographics
In the latest survey, around 42% of respondents were aged between 25 and 34, making this the largest age group represented. This proportion has increased steadily over the past five years and reflects the growing number of graduates and early-career professionals entering CAD roles through university routes, apprenticeships and on-the-job training.
Respondents under the age of 35 now account for just over half of the total dataset, highlighting a strong pipeline of emerging talent across the industry. This is most noticeable in regions such as the Midlands and North West, where a higher proportion of junior and intermediate roles are being filled by younger candidates.
At the same time, experienced professionals continue to form the backbone of senior and management level roles. The data shows a clear progression curve, with responsibility, job security and salary increasing sharply with experience rather than age alone.
How CADagency Can Help
Whether you’re looking to advance your career or find the perfect candidate for your team, CADagency is here to support you. Our expertise in connecting CAD professionals with employers ensures the best outcomes for both candidates and companies.
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