Top Highest Paying Jobs in the UK (+ How to Get One)

What are the highest-paying jobs in the UK right now? Whether you're choosing a career path, planning a career change, or simply looking to increase your earnings, knowing which professions pay the most can be a crucial advantage.

In this guide, I’ll reveal the top high-paying jobs UK workers are currently pursuing, based on the latest data from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), published in October 2024. I’ll also explain how earnings vary by gender and age, and how you can work your way into one of the best-paid jobs the UK has to offer.

Methodology: why I used median salaries

When discussing the highest-paid jobs in the UK, the median salary gives a more realistic picture than the average (mean). That’s because the median represents the middle point in the pay scale – half of employees earn more, half earn less – while the mean can be distorted by a small number of extremely high earners.

For example, if one hedge fund manager earns £2 million, it could inflate the mean salary for their entire industry, but the median figure better reflects what most workers actually take home.

That’s why the ONS and even government policy researchers rely on median pay for labour market analysis.

Average pay in the UK (general, by gender, by age)

According to the ONS ASHE 2024:

• The median gross annual earnings for full-time UK workers in April 2024 were £37,430 versus £35,004 in April 2023, an increase of 6.9%.
• The mean (average) was slightly higher, but less representative.
• Women's median hourly earnings were approximately 7.07% lower than those of men in April 2024.
• The gender pay gap is more pronounced among top earners than it is among lower-wage workers.
• Workers aged 40–49 had the highest median earnings: £42,796.
• Those under 21 earned a median annual income of just £24,440.

These figures highlight both a gender pay gap and significant variation based on age and experience.

Top 10 highest paying jobs in the UK (median annual pay)

These are the top best-paid jobs in the UK, according to the ONS ASHE October 2024 data:

1. Chief executives and senior officials: £88,056
2. Marketing, sales and advertising directors: £87,309
3. Information technology directors: £86,033
4. Directors in Logistics, Warehousing and Transport: £81,422
5. Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers: £80,414
6. Public relations and communications directors: £77,186
7. Financial managers and directors: £75,093
8. Specialist medical practitioners: £74,979
9. Transport Associate Professionals: £74,625
10. Head teachers and principals: £71,064

These roles represent the highest-paying jobs UK professionals can realistically aim for, with all of them exceeding £70,000 even at the median level.

Top 10 lowest-paying jobs in the UK (median annual pay)

These are the top 10 lowest-paying jobs in the UK, according to the same ONS data:

1. School midday and crossing patrol occupations: £19,860
2. Coffee shop workers: £19,990
3. Childminders: £20,189
4. Teaching assistants: £20,603
5. Educational support assistants: £20,728
6. Bar staff: £20,837
7. Waiters and waitresses: £21,588
8. Kitchen and catering assistants: £21,716
9. Hairdressers and barbers: £21,802
10. Early education and childcare practitioners: £22,060

At the other end of the scale, the lowest-paid jobs UK workers hold often involve part-time patterns, manual labour, or sectors with historically low margins. These figures highlight the need for policy attention and career development pathways in traditionally lower-wage sectors.

How to get a high-paying job in the UK

Reaching one of the highest-paying jobs in the UK takes more than ambition – it requires strategic choices. Whether you’re just starting, pivoting careers, or looking to increase your earning potential, these targeted, practical steps can help you move toward a high-paying role.

1. Choose degrees with earning power

Certain university degrees in the UK are strongly associated with higher salaries within five years of graduation. Based on data from HESA, some of the most lucrative degrees include:

• Medicine and Dentistry
• Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Software)
• Economics
• Computer Science
• Law
• Mathematics and Actuarial Science

If you’re selecting a university course or considering further study, prioritise these disciplines for long-term earning potential.

2. Gain professional certifications

In many sectors, particularly finance, technology, and project management, professional certifications can open the door to high-paying positions, even without a traditional university degree. Some of the most valuable UK qualifications include:

• Finance: ACCA, CIMA, CFA
• IT and Cybersecurity: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure, Cisco CCNA
• Project Management: PRINCE2, APM PMQ, AgilePM
• HR: CIPD (Level 5 or higher)
• Marketing: Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Google Analytics or Ads Certification

These qualifications are often available through online or part-time study and can lead directly to management roles or salary increases.

3. Enter the tech sector via bootcamps and training

The UK’s digital sector faces ongoing skills shortages, meaning employers are hiring people with non-traditional backgrounds who have practical skills. You can break into tech through:

• Coding bootcamps (e.g. Northcoders, Makers Academy, Code First Girls)
• Government-funded Skills Bootcamps (searchable via gov.uk)
• Entry-level roles in IT support, QA testing, or technical sales

Once inside, there are well-defined career paths into high-paying roles such as cloud engineering, software development, DevOps, and cybersecurity.

4. Use public data to explore hidden high-paying roles

The ONS provides data on thousands of job roles using SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) codes. This data includes salary figures across industries and regions. Browsing this data can help you identify lesser-known high-paying jobs such as:

• Air traffic controller
• Radiation therapist
• Patent attorney
• Risk analyst
• Actuary

You can explore this data through the Nomis platform (nomisweb.co.uk) and the Office for National Statistics website.

5. Progress within your current sector

You don’t always need to change industries to increase your earnings. For example, in sectors like education, healthcare, and retail, moving into operational or managerial roles can significantly raise your income:

• Retail assistant → Retail manager (£22K → £36K+)
• Nurse (Band 5) → Nurse (Band 8a) (£31K–£55K+)

In many cases, leadership training is available for free via employers, professional bodies, or open courses.

6. Consider strategic relocation

Salaries vary significantly by region in the UK. While the cost of living is higher in some areas, many of the highest-paying jobs are concentrated in specific cities or regions:

• London: Finance, legal, tech, consultancy
• Cambridge and Oxford: Pharmaceuticals and biotech
• Bristol, Derby, Coventry: Aerospace and manufacturing

Even a temporary move to one of these hubs can lead to faster career progression and access to higher-paying employers.

7. Apply for degree apprenticeships or sponsored training

If you want to earn while you learn, degree apprenticeships allow you to complete a university degree while working, often with no tuition fees. They are increasingly used by top employers to recruit for high-potential roles in areas like:

• Digital technology
• Law (e.g. solicitor apprenticeships)
• Civil engineering
• Business management

These apprenticeships are available through UCAS and the Find an Apprenticeship service on gov.uk.

8. Use job boards that let you filter by salary

To focus your search on high-paying roles, use job boards that allow you to filter by salary range. Some of the most effective UK platforms include:

• Totaljobs and Reed (general employment)
• CWJobs (tech and digital)
• CityJobs (finance and investment banking)
• LinkedIn Jobs (network-driven opportunities)
• Prospects.ac.uk (graduate roles)

Set up job alerts with minimum salary thresholds to avoid wasting time on underpaid opportunities.

Final thoughts

The highest-paying jobs in the UK remain in leadership, specialised professions, and tech. With median earnings ranging from £70,000 to nearly £90,000, these roles require a strategic combination of education, certifications, experience, and sometimes relocation – but the rewards can be substantial.

Thank you for reading my article. Feel free to use this guide to inform your career planning and take methodical steps toward high-paying roles – your path to one of the best-paid jobs the UK offers is clearer than ever.

About Zety’s Editorial Process

Our editorial team has thoroughly reviewed this article to ensure it follows Zety’s editorial guidelines. Our dedication lies in sharing our expertise and providing you with actionable career advice that offers you real value. Every year, the quality of our content attracts 40 million readers to our site. But that’s not all – we conduct original research to gain a detailed understanding of the labour market. We take pride in being cited by top universities and leading media outlets in the UK and worldwide.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics, "Earnings and working hours"
• HESA, "Graduate Outcomes 2021/22: Summary Statistics - Graduate salaries and work locations"
• Nurses.co.uk, "A Nurse’s Guide To NHS Pay Bands In 2025"