What are the highest-paying jobs in North East?

Of the 174 occupations ONS publishes a North East median for, the highest median gross annual pay is £72,472 for Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (SOC 3511). These are real ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings figures for full-time employees (ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3).

Is this North East salary data real or estimated?

Real. Every figure is a published ONS regional median gross annual pay for full-time employees in the April 2025 ASHE reference period. ONS suppresses small or unreliable regional cells for disclosure control — those occupations are simply not listed for North East, never estimated.

How many occupations have North East salary data?

ONS published an unsuppressed North East median for 174 occupations this period. They range from £18,904 (Kitchen and catering assistants) up to £72,472 (Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers).

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Highest-Paying Jobs in North East

In North East, the best-paid occupation ONS publishes is Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers at a median of £72,472 gross per year. This page ranks all 174 North East occupations with real ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data (ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3).

Quick answer

The highest-paying job in North East (of the 174 occupations with published data) is Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers at £72,472 median gross annual pay. The lowest published is Kitchen and catering assistants at £18,904. Real ONS figures for full-time employees, April 2025 — ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3. For the all-occupations average, see the average salary in North East page.

Top 25 highest-paying jobs in North East

#	Occupation	Median (annual)	vs UK median
1	Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers	£72,472	−£10,274 (−12.4%)
2	Information technology directors	£72,430	−£19,241 (−21.0%)
3	Head teachers and principals	£70,171	−£2,021 (−2.8%)
4	Rail transport operatives	£61,477	+£4,389 (+7.7%)
5	Research and development (R&D) managers	£60,883	+£5,364 (+9.7%)
6	Sales accounts and business development managers	£58,493	+£868 (+1.5%)
7	Programmers and software development professionals	£56,340	−£574 (−1.0%)
8	IT managers	£55,198	−£1,240 (−2.2%)
9	Construction project managers and related professionals	£55,195	+£7,530 (+15.8%)
10	Functional managers and directors n.e.c.	£53,900	−£21,811 (−28.8%)
11	Production managers and directors in construction	£52,288	−£3,733 (−6.7%)
12	Specialist nurses	£52,183	+£7,043 (+15.6%)
13	IT business analysts, architects and systems designers	£49,429	−£10,859 (−18.0%)
14	Management consultants and business analysts	£49,267	−£4,028 (−7.6%)
15	Pharmacists	£48,841	−£4,931 (−9.2%)
16	Quantity surveyors	£48,376	−£4,161 (−7.9%)
17	Medical radiographers	£48,114	−£325 (−0.7%)
18	Secondary education teaching professionals	£47,495	−£137 (−0.3%)
19	Fire service officers (watch manager and below)	£46,675	+£2,642 (+6.0%)
20	Engineering professionals n.e.c.	£45,951	−£2,825 (−5.8%)
21	Managers in transport and distribution	£45,905	−£1,599 (−3.4%)
22	Other health professionals n.e.c.	£45,410	+£3,331 (+7.9%)
23	Information technology professionals n.e.c.	£45,159	−£8,948 (−16.5%)
24	Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors	£45,000	−£150 (−0.3%)
25	Mental health nurses	£44,969	+£2,277 (+5.3%)

“vs UK median” compares each occupation’s North East median with the same occupation’s UK-wide median — both are real ONS published figures; the difference is simple arithmetic, never a model.

Lowest-paid published occupations in North East

Occupation	Median (annual)	vs UK median
Kitchen and catering assistants	£18,904	−£3,982 (−17.4%)
Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants	£20,240	−£3,543 (−14.9%)
Retail cashiers and check-out operators	£22,080	−£2,542 (−10.3%)
Data entry administrators	£22,410	−£5,906 (−20.9%)
Teaching assistants	£22,587	+£1,348 (+6.3%)

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North East salary by job — full ranked list (174)

#	Occupation	Median (annual)	vs UK
1	Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers	£72,472	−12.4%
2	Information technology directors	£72,430	−21.0%
3	Head teachers and principals	£70,171	−2.8%
4	Rail transport operatives	£61,477	+7.7%
5	Research and development (R&D) managers	£60,883	+9.7%
6	Sales accounts and business development managers	£58,493	+1.5%
7	Programmers and software development professionals	£56,340	−1.0%
8	IT managers	£55,198	−2.2%
9	Construction project managers and related professionals	£55,195	+15.8%
10	Functional managers and directors n.e.c.	£53,900	−28.8%
11	Production managers and directors in construction	£52,288	−6.7%
12	Specialist nurses	£52,183	+15.6%
13	IT business analysts, architects and systems designers	£49,429	−18.0%
14	Management consultants and business analysts	£49,267	−7.6%
15	Pharmacists	£48,841	−9.2%
16	Quantity surveyors	£48,376	−7.9%
17	Medical radiographers	£48,114	−0.7%
18	Secondary education teaching professionals	£47,495	−0.3%
19	Fire service officers (watch manager and below)	£46,675	+6.0%
20	Engineering professionals n.e.c.	£45,951	−5.8%
21	Managers in transport and distribution	£45,905	−3.4%
22	Other health professionals n.e.c.	£45,410	+7.9%
23	Information technology professionals n.e.c.	£45,159	−16.5%
24	Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors	£45,000	−0.3%
25	Mental health nurses	£44,969	+5.3%
26	Production and process engineers	£44,220	−7.8%
27	Paramedics	£44,219	−17.8%
28	Quality assurance and regulatory professionals	£43,913	−12.3%
29	Solicitors and lawyers	£43,170	−24.2%
30	Nurse practitioners	£43,139	−6.4%
31	Social workers	£42,834	−3.9%
32	Engineering technicians	£42,234	−5.8%
33	Scaffolders, stagers and riggers	£42,178	+1.5%
34	Further education teaching professionals	£41,583	−1.5%
35	Health and safety managers and officers	£41,541	−10.6%
36	Metal working production and maintenance fitters	£41,504	+1.8%
37	Community nurses	£41,256	+0.9%
38	Other nursing professionals	£40,832	−3.5%
39	Chartered surveyors	£40,566	−12.2%
40	Customer service managers	£40,491	+7.9%
41	Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c.	£39,917	−31.6%
42	CAD, drawing and architectural technicians	£39,724	+12.8%
43	Civil engineers	£39,722	−22.7%
44	Telecoms and related network installers and repairers	£39,644	−0.9%
45	Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.	£38,793	+2.5%
46	Communication operators	£38,582	+6.0%
47	Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers	£38,575	−7.4%
48	Data analysts	£38,225	−0.9%
49	Construction and building trades n.e.c.	£37,952	+9.0%
50	Architects	£37,951	−19.5%
51	Legal associate professionals	£37,947	+9.5%
52	Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians	£37,836	+1.0%
53	Large goods vehicle drivers	£37,746	−5.4%
54	Business and related research professionals	£37,439	−9.0%
55	Physiotherapists	£37,160	−14.6%
56	Public services associate professionals	£36,996	−6.4%
57	Quality control and planning engineers	£36,813	−15.6%
58	Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)	£36,200	+13.4%
59	Human resources and industrial relations officers	£35,843	+1.8%
60	Managers in storage and warehousing	£35,742	−4.6%
61	Mechanical engineers	£35,691	−30.2%
62	Finance and investment analysts and advisers	£35,449	−29.6%
63	Estimators, valuers and assessors	£35,369	−10.8%
64	Routine inspectors and testers	£35,220	+2.5%
65	Carpenters and joiners	£34,985	+2.9%
66	Public relations professionals	£34,923	−7.0%
67	Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants	£34,883	+12.9%
68	Occupational therapists	£34,845	−20.9%
69	Planning, process and production technicians	£34,830	−5.6%
70	Office managers	£34,676	−10.2%
71	Plasterers	£33,856	−0.5%
72	Metal machining setters and setter-operators	£33,847	−5.2%
73	Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors	£33,434	+5.5%
74	Medical and dental technicians	£33,294	+11.2%
75	Process operatives n.e.c.	£33,202	+4.7%
76	Property, housing and estate managers	£33,186	−23.5%
77	Elementary storage supervisors	£32,976	+6.3%
78	Parking and civil enforcement occupations	£32,931	+11.4%
79	Marketing associate professionals	£32,873	−1.6%
80	Construction and building trades supervisors	£32,648	−27.5%
81	Painters and decorators	£32,520	−0.7%
82	IT operations technicians	£32,460	−7.9%
83	Groundworkers	£32,338	−14.7%
84	Debt, rent and other cash collectors	£32,117	+10.4%
85	Therapy professionals n.e.c.	£31,839	−15.3%
86	Managers and directors in retail and wholesale	£31,691	−17.6%
87	Quality assurance technicians	£31,538	−7.2%
88	Road transport drivers n.e.c.	£31,490	−4.3%
89	Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators	£31,485	−3.5%
90	Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c.	£31,449	−12.9%
91	Youth and community workers	£31,323	−4.1%
92	Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.	£31,274	+11.8%
93	Bus and coach drivers	£31,168	−14.2%
94	Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks	£31,054	−1.6%
95	Roofers, roof tilers and slaters	£31,033	−2.7%
96	Clergy	£31,014	−0.5%
97	Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.	£30,886	+8.0%
98	Office supervisors	£30,485	−8.1%
99	Vehicle valeters and cleaners	£30,377	+14.2%
100	Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.	£30,081	+0.0%
101	Personal assistants and other secretaries	£29,996	−14.2%
102	Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale	£29,936	+2.6%
103	Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants	£29,582	−2.3%
104	Electricians and electrical fitters	£29,497	−25.6%
105	Chefs	£29,495	−1.7%
106	Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers	£29,295	−7.5%
107	Other vocational and industrial trainers	£29,246	−19.6%
108	Elementary process plant occupations n.e.c.	£29,159	−1.6%
109	Senior care workers	£29,065	−1.1%
110	Sales related occupations n.e.c.	£28,899	−8.2%
111	Security guards and related occupations	£28,837	−14.8%
112	Other administrative occupations n.e.c.	£28,779	+1.7%
113	National government administrative occupations	£28,709	−13.0%
114	Sheet metal workers	£28,662	−11.0%
115	Child and early years officers	£28,660	−7.6%
116	Police community support officers	£28,653	−19.8%
117	Stock control clerks and assistants	£28,572	−4.7%
118	Housing officers	£28,530	−17.8%
119	Construction operatives n.e.c.	£28,499	−12.2%
120	Counsellors	£28,430	−8.7%
121	Business associate professionals n.e.c.	£28,252	−19.8%
122	Delivery drivers and couriers	£27,991	+0.5%
123	Sports and leisure assistants	£27,971	+3.9%
124	Food, drink and tobacco process operatives	£27,709	−1.9%
125	Pharmaceutical technicians	£27,702	−10.8%
126	Gardeners and landscape gardeners	£27,417	−3.9%
127	Warehouse operatives	£27,393	−1.6%
128	Catering and bar managers	£27,385	−8.1%
129	Printing machine assistants	£27,319	−8.7%
130	Laboratory technicians	£27,230	−3.5%
131	Nursing auxiliaries and assistants	£26,923	−7.4%
132	Finance officers	£26,916	−15.7%
133	Elementary storage occupations n.e.c.	£26,916	−24.9%
134	Groundsmen and greenkeepers	£26,741	−5.5%
135	Customer service occupations n.e.c.	£26,694	−4.1%
136	Refuse and salvage occupations	£26,624	−4.4%
137	Local government administrative occupations	£26,462	−14.3%
138	Records clerks and assistants	£26,421	−7.8%
139	Call and contact centre occupations	£26,362	−2.5%
140	Assemblers (electrical and electronic products)	£26,176	−8.5%
141	Care workers and home carers	£26,029	−5.2%
142	Graphic and multimedia designers	£25,946	−20.2%
143	Financial administrative occupations n.e.c.	£25,911	−10.6%
144	Natural and social science professionals n.e.c.	£25,875	−40.4%
145	Caretakers	£25,818	−10.8%
146	Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.	£25,715	−12.1%
147	Leisure and sports managers	£25,662	−28.8%
148	Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers	£25,133	+7.7%
149	Sales and retail assistants	£25,013	−0.2%
150	Metal working machine operatives	£24,959	−20.8%
151	Sewing machinists	£24,873	+0.2%
152	Human resources administrative occupations	£24,861	−7.4%
153	Medical secretaries	£24,819	−7.9%
154	Project support officers	£24,772	−30.7%
155	Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers	£24,764	−5.3%
156	Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers	£24,680	−22.5%
157	Hairdressers and barbers	£24,674	+1.6%
158	Transport and distribution clerks and assistants	£24,367	−27.3%
159	Dental nurses	£24,218	−5.9%
160	Higher level teaching assistants	£24,114	−5.2%
161	Credit controllers	£24,061	−15.7%
162	Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors	£24,019	−16.0%
163	Cleaners and domestics	£23,847	−1.2%
164	Legal secretaries	£23,629	−12.4%
165	Cooks	£23,362	−3.6%
166	Early education and childcare assistants	£23,261	−6.0%
167	Early education and childcare practitioners	£22,935	−3.3%
168	Air travel assistants	£22,697	−21.0%
169	Receptionists	£22,668	−8.1%
170	Teaching assistants	£22,587	+6.3%
171	Data entry administrators	£22,410	−20.9%
172	Retail cashiers and check-out operators	£22,080	−10.3%
173	Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants	£20,240	−14.9%
174	Kitchen and catering assistants	£18,904	−17.4%

Only occupations ONS published an unsuppressed North East median for are listed. Suppressed cells (small or unreliable samples) are omitted, never estimated.

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Salaries in North East — frequently asked questions

What are the highest-paying jobs in North East?: Of the 174 occupations ONS publishes a North East median for, the highest median gross annual pay is £72,472 for Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (SOC 3511). These are real ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings figures for full-time employees (ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3).
Is this North East salary data real or estimated?: Real. Every figure is a published ONS regional median gross annual pay for full-time employees in the April 2025 ASHE reference period. ONS suppresses small or unreliable regional cells for disclosure control — those occupations are simply not listed for North East, never estimated.
How many occupations have North East salary data?: ONS published an unsuppressed North East median for 174 occupations this period. They range from £18,904 (Kitchen and catering assistants) up to £72,472 (Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers).

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Source: Office for National Statistics — Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Table 14.7a (occupation 4-digit SOC) + Table 15 (4).7a (region by occupation), Full-Time sheet. Figures are Median gross annual pay (GBP), full-time employees, April 2025 reference period (ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3). Released 2025-10-23, corrected 2025-12-19. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3). No figure is modelled or interpolated.