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Last updated: 21 October 2026. Figures as of: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional, Table 14 (SOC 2020, full-time employees). ONS is scheduled to publish ASHE 2026 provisional results on 22 October 2026, and we’ll update this guide when they’re out. Minimum wage rates from April 2026 (GOV.UK).
Written by WageNorth Editorial. Fact-check: pending human review.
Part 1 of 2: How we ranked them, the full list, and trades 1–8
In this guide:
- How we ranked them, the full list, and trades 1–8 (this page)
- Trades 9–16, side-by-side comparison, how to choose and training routes
How we built this list
- Data: ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, Table 14.7a: gross annual pay for full-time employees, by 4-digit SOC 2020 occupation.
- “Trades”: occupations in SOC major group 5, “Skilled trades occupations”. We focused on construction, electrical, metal, engineering and vehicle trades, and left out agricultural, food and textile trades.
- Ranking: by median, the point where half earn more and half earn less.
- What ASHE covers: employees only. ASHE doesn’t include the self-employed, which matters because many plumbers, electricians and builders work for themselves. Annual figures cover employees who were in the same job for more than a year, and they refer to the tax year ending 5 April 2025.
- Data quality: ONS marks less reliable estimates. Where ONS didn’t publish a job estimate, we say so. Job estimates are rounded, in thousands, and ONS describes them as indicative.
For comparison, the median for all full-time employees in this table was £39,039.
The full list at a glance
| Rank | Occupation (SOC 2020) | Median annual pay, full-time | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers | £64,322 | Not published |
| 2 | Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c. | £48,571 | 20 |
| 3 | Aircraft maintenance and related trades | £45,779 | 11 |
| 4 | Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors | £45,150 | 61 |
| 5 | Construction and building trades supervisors | £45,021 | 42 |
| 6 | Pipe fitters | £42,580 | Not published |
| 7 | Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers | £41,662 | 47 |
| 8 | Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers | £41,166 | Not published |
| 9 | Metal working production and maintenance fitters | £40,760 | 209 |
| 10 | Precision instrument makers and repairers | £40,062 | 9 |
| 11 | Telecoms and related network installers and repairers | £39,998 | 24 |
| 12 | Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out | £39,902 | Not published |
| 13 | Electricians and electrical fitters | £39,647 | 91 |
| 14 | Security system installers and repairers | £39,002 | 8 |
| 15 | Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers | £37,881 | 53 |
| 16 | Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians | £37,458 | 92 |
“n.e.c.” means “not elsewhere classified”.
1. Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers: median £64,322
This is the highest median in the group, but ONS didn’t publish a job estimate for full-time annual pay, which suggests a small sample. Treat the figure with caution. The work involves building and maintaining trains and rolling stock, usually through employer or apprenticeship training.
2. Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c.: median £48,571
This group covers specialist electrical and electronic trades not counted elsewhere. Pay runs from £31,541 (10th percentile) to £59,799 (75th), with about 20,000 jobs.
3. Aircraft maintenance and related trades: median £45,779
These workers maintain aircraft structures and systems. The 25th percentile is £36,379, and there are about 11,000 jobs. Licensed engineers who certify aircraft work need a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Check the CAA’s licensing pages for the categories.
4. Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors: median £45,150
These are supervisors of electricians, fitters and similar trades. Pay runs from £32,299 (10th percentile) to £53,837 (75th), with about 61,000 jobs. This is typically a step up after years in a trade.
See also
In short: the best-paid trades for employees are specialist rail, electrical and aircraft roles and supervisors, at roughly £45,000–£64,000 at the median full-time.
5. Construction and building trades supervisors: median £45,021
Site supervisors and trade foremen run day-to-day work on building sites. Pay runs from £30,689 (10th percentile) to £53,679 (75th), with about 42,000 jobs. People usually move up after working in a trade such as bricklaying, carpentry or plumbing. Site roles typically also need a CSCS or equivalent card and health and safety training.
6. Pipe fitters: median £42,580
Pipe fitters install and maintain industrial pipework in places such as power plants, refineries and factories. ONS didn’t publish a job estimate for full-time annual pay, and its median fell by 7.5% compared with the previous year. Both signs suggest a small, volatile sample, so treat this figure with caution.
7. Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers: median £41,662
These workers maintain electrical equipment and systems in factories, buildings and plant. Pay runs from £30,751 (10th percentile) to £50,312 (75th), with about 47,000 jobs. This is one of the steadier electrical routes. It’s often reached through a Level 3 electrical or maintenance apprenticeship.
8. Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers: median £41,166
These workers install and service air-conditioning, refrigeration and heat-pump systems. ONS didn’t publish a job estimate for annual pay, but its weekly table suggests about 7,000 full-time jobs. Median paid hours were 44.1 a week, among the longest in this list, so overtime may account for part of annual pay. Handling refrigerant gases is regulated in the UK, so check the GOV.UK guidance for the certification rules.
A note on hours and overtime
ASHE “gross” annual pay includes overtime. Some trades on this list have long median paid hours, which can raise annual pay without a higher hourly rate. Compare hourly figures as well as annual ones:
| Occupation | Median gross hourly pay (April 2025) | Median paid hours per week |
|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades supervisors | £20.62 | 40.0 |
| Pipe fitters | £19.99 | 42.2 |
| Electrical service and maintenance mechanics | £20.17 | 40.0 |
| Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers | £18.98 | 44.1 |
Source: ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, Table 14 (hourly and paid hours, full-time).
The supervisor route
Two of the top five are supervisory roles. In trades, the biggest pay step often comes from taking on responsibility for people, programmes and safety, not just from technical skill. That takes years, so supervisor pay shouldn’t be read as what you’d earn as a newly qualified tradesperson.
Supervisor medians also reflect experience: these workers typically have years in a trade first, so compare them with your expected pay several years after qualifying, not at the start.
See also
In short: supervisors and specialist electrical and pipe trades pay around £41,000–£45,000 at the median, but long hours and small samples affect some of the figures.
