16 Highest-Paying Trades in the UK by Median Pay

Part 2 of 2: Trades 9–16, side-by-side comparison, how to choose and training routes

9. Metal working production and maintenance fitters: median £40,760

This is the largest occupation on our list, with about 209,000 full-time jobs. Fitters assemble, install and maintain machinery in manufacturing and engineering. The range is wide: £25,306 at the 10th percentile, £52,357 at the 75th and £63,660 at the 90th. Engineering apprenticeships, often at Level 3, are a common route.

United States

16 Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree in the US (and What the Training Costs)

Check to apply

10. Precision instrument makers and repairers: median £40,062

These workers make and repair precision instruments, from scientific and medical devices to measuring equipment. There are about 9,000 jobs, and the 25th percentile is £31,737. The median rose 20.7% on the previous year, which in a small group may partly reflect sample variation rather than a real change in pay. Treat year-on-year moves cautiously.

11. Telecoms and related network installers and repairers: median £39,998

These workers install and maintain telephone, broadband and data networks. Pay runs from £29,007 (10th percentile) to £46,505 (75th), with about 24,000 jobs. The range is relatively narrow, which suggests a fairly structured pay scale.

12. Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out: median £39,902

Tool makers produce the precision tools, dies and moulds used in manufacturing. ONS didn’t publish a job estimate for full-time annual pay. The weekly table suggests about 7,000 full-time jobs, so this is a niche trade.

The manufacturing and engineering cluster

Four of these occupations are factory or engineering trades rather than construction. They’re often overlooked in “best trades” lists, which tend to focus on electricians and plumbers. Yet metal working fitters alone account for more full-time jobs in our list than electricians and plumbers combined. These roles also tend to be employed rather than self-employed, which means ASHE is likely to capture them more fully.

Year-on-year changes, read carefully

Occupation	Median change on previous year (ONS)
Metal working production and maintenance fitters	+3.9%
Precision instrument makers and repairers	+20.7%
Telecoms network installers and repairers	+9.0%
Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out	+3.8%

These are ONS’s published changes in median full-time annual pay compared with the previous year’s estimate. In small occupations, large swings can come from sampling, so don’t treat them as a trend.

Who employs them

Most of these trades are concentrated in manufacturing, utilities, telecoms and engineering services, where employment is usually direct rather than self-employed. Many large employers run their own apprenticeship schemes. If you’re comparing options, look at the employer’s apprenticeship level and duration on the GOV.UK “Find an apprenticeship” service, and check whether the scheme leads to a recognised qualification.

In short: engineering and manufacturing trades sit at around £40,000 at the median and offer far more employed jobs than most people expect.

13. Electricians and electrical fitters: median £39,647

Full-time employed electricians earned a median of £39,647, with about 91,000 jobs in ASHE. Pay runs from £24,538 (10th percentile) to £49,138 (75th) and £57,786 (90th). The median gross hourly rate was £19.20 in April 2025, and median annual pay rose 2.7% on the previous year.

Route: the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) says its Installation Electrician gold card is for people with a Level 3 competency-based (NVQ) qualification. Experienced workers without it can use an Experienced Worker Assessment. ASHE excludes self-employed electricians, so this median doesn’t tell you what self-employed electricians earn.

14. Security system installers and repairers: median £39,002

These workers install and maintain alarms, CCTV and access-control systems. There are about 8,000 jobs, and the 25th percentile is £31,958.

15. Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers: median £37,881

About 53,000 full-time employees, with pay from £24,916 (10th percentile) to £45,451 (75th). The median gross hourly rate was £18.18, and the median annual figure changed by −0.6% on the previous year.

Gas work is legally restricted. Under regulation 3 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, employers and self-employed people may only carry out gas work if they belong to a class of persons approved by the Health and Safety Executive. In practice, that’s the Gas Safe Register. Many plumbers who work on boilers therefore need Gas Safe registration as well as their plumbing qualifications. Building regulations also apply to some plumbing and heating work.

16. Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians: median £37,458

This group covers about 92,000 full-time jobs, from car and van mechanics to vehicle electricians. Pay runs from £24,685 (10th percentile) to £44,594 (75th) and £52,670 (90th).

Just outside the top 16

Occupation	Median annual pay, full-time
Welding trades	£35,344
Vehicle body builders and repairers	£34,999
Construction and building trades n.e.c.	£34,822
Plasterers	£34,016
Carpenters and joiners	£34,014
Bricklayers	£33,030
Painters and decorators	£32,763

Source: ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, Table 14.7a. These are all below the full-time median for all employees (£39,039).

Why electricians and plumbers rank lower than you might expect

Online “top trades” lists often put electricians and plumbers first, usually based on self-employed day rates or job ads. ASHE measures employees’ pay only. Self-employed earnings can be higher or lower, and they depend on workload, costs and the time spent finding work. ASHE can’t tell you which. We found no official ONS statistic for self-employed earnings by trade at this level of detail.

In short: employed electricians and plumbers earn roughly £38,000–£40,000 at the median full-time. Self-employed earnings aren’t captured in these figures.

The highest-paid trades in the UK, side by side

Occupation	Median	10th percentile	75th percentile	Jobs (thousands)
Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c.	£48,571	£31,541	£59,799	20
Skilled metal/electrical trades supervisors	£45,150	£32,299	£53,837	61
Construction and building trades supervisors	£45,021	£30,689	£53,679	42
Electrical service and maintenance mechanics	£41,662	£30,751	£50,312	47
Metal working production and maintenance fitters	£40,760	£25,306	£52,357	209
Telecoms network installers	£39,998	£29,007	£46,505	24
Electricians and electrical fitters	£39,647	£24,538	£49,138	91
Plumbers and heating installers	£37,881	£24,916	£45,451	53
Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians	£37,458	£24,685	£44,594	92

United States

12 Six-Figure Jobs You Can Train for in Under 2 Years (Median and Top-Quarter Pay)

Check to apply

Source: ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, Table 14.7a, full-time employees. The table shows the occupations with published job estimates and percentiles.

How to choose among the highest-paid UK trades

Look at the 10th percentile as well as the median. Electricians, plumbers and vehicle technicians all start around £24,500–£25,000 at the 10th percentile.
Think about employment status. If you want employment rather than self-employment, engineering and maintenance trades have large employed workforces.
Plan the step up. Supervisor roles pay most but come later.
Check the regulated parts. Gas work, some electrical work and refrigerant handling come with legal or industry requirements.

Training routes and costs

Apprenticeships (England): GOV.UK says apprenticeships take from 8 months to 6 years, depending on type and level. At least 20% of your normal working hours are spent on training. You need to be 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.
Apprentice pay: from April 2026, the apprentice minimum wage is £8 an hour. It applies to apprentices under 19, or aged 19 or over and in their first year. After that, apprentices get the age-based rate: £10.85 at 18–20 and £12.71 at 21 and over (GOV.UK).
Electricians: the ECS gold card is tied to a Level 3 competency-based qualification. The Experienced Worker Assessment is a route for those already working in the trade.
Gas: legal registration through the Gas Safe Register is required to carry out gas work.

We found no single official figure for the cost of private trade courses. Prices vary widely, so get the full cost in writing and check that the qualification leads to the card or registration you need.

General information, not legal, financial or immigration advice. Rules vary by state/province; check the official source or a licensed professional.

How to apply: apprenticeships, cards and jobs in the UK

Apprenticeships: most of these trades start with an apprenticeship. Search and apply through the government’s Find an apprenticeship service, and see Become an apprentice for pay, rights and how training is funded.

Job vacancies: the DWP’s Find a job service lists trade vacancies across Great Britain. Employers in rail, manufacturing, construction and utilities also advertise on their own career pages.

Cards and registrations employers ask for:

Most construction sites ask for a CSCS card; electricians usually need an ECS card, which the JIB issues for the electrotechnical sector.
Anyone doing gas work must be on the Gas Safe Register, which you join through a registered business after qualifying (see Sources).
Aircraft maintenance engineers need a UK Part 66 licence from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Ask any training provider which qualification and card a course leads to before you pay, and check it against the official scheme’s website.

FAQs

What is the highest-paid trade in the UK?

On ONS ASHE 2025 provisional data, rail and rolling stock builders and repairers had the highest full-time median in our list, at £64,322 a year.

How much do electricians and plumbers earn?

The full-time median was £39,647 for electricians and electrical fitters and £37,881 for plumbers and heating and ventilating installers. The median for all full-time employees was £39,039.

Why do electricians and plumbers rank lower than expected?

ASHE covers employees only. Many electricians and plumbers are self-employed, and their earnings aren’t in these figures.

How long does an apprenticeship take?

GOV.UK says apprenticeships in England take from 8 months to 6 years, depending on type and level, with at least 20% of normal working hours spent on training.

What do apprentices get paid?

From April 2026, the apprentice minimum wage is £8 an hour for apprentices under 19, or 19 and over in their first year. After that, the age-based rate applies: £10.85 at 18–20 and £12.71 at 21 and over (GOV.UK).

In short: in ONS data, employed UK trades top out at supervisor and specialist electrical roles. Most trades are near the £39,000 all-employee median, so weigh training time, regulation and self-employment before you choose.