Skip to main content

GeraJobs / Salary by region / Scotland

Highest-Paying Jobs in Scotland

In Scotland, the best-paid occupation ONS publishes is Specialist medical practitioners at a median of £121,827 gross per year. This page ranks all 247 Scotland 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 Scotland (of the 247 occupations with published data) is Specialist medical practitioners at £121,827 median gross annual pay. The lowest published is Waiters and waitresses at £15,963. Real ONS figures for full-time employees, April 2025ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025 reference period, ONS, OGL v3. For the all-occupations average, see the average salary in Scotland page.

Top 25 highest-paying jobs in Scotland

#OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK median
1Specialist medical practitioners£121,827+£28,980 (+31.2%)
2Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers£83,364+£618 (+0.7%)
3Train and tram drivers£71,661−£4,666 (−6.1%)
4Head teachers and principals£68,190−£4,002 (−5.5%)
5Clinical psychologists£67,680+£9,314 (+16.0%)
6Senior police officers£65,529−£1,161 (−1.7%)
7Production managers and directors in mining and energy£62,747−£494 (−0.8%)
8Financial managers and directors£62,742−£13,705 (−17.9%)
9Pharmacists£62,325+£8,553 (+15.9%)
10Paramedics£61,355+£7,537 (+14.0%)
11Business and financial project management professionals£60,838+£1,004 (+1.7%)
12Production managers and directors in manufacturing£59,348+£708 (+1.2%)
13Electrical engineers£58,293−£2,010 (−3.3%)
14Production managers and directors in construction£57,783+£1,762 (+3.1%)
15Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers£56,764−£7,558 (−11.8%)
16Health services and public health managers and directors£56,685−£4,888 (−7.9%)
17Sales accounts and business development managers£56,564−£1,061 (−1.8%)
18Financial and accounting technicians£55,622−£4,953 (−8.2%)
19Finance and investment analysts and advisers£55,523+£5,193 (+10.3%)
20Financial accounts managers£55,211+£6,231 (+12.7%)
21Civil engineers£55,172+£3,806 (+7.4%)
22Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors£54,497+£9,347 (+20.7%)
23IT managers£54,160−£2,278 (−4.0%)
24Physical scientists£52,543−£2,975 (−5.4%)
25Quality assurance and regulatory professionals£52,513+£2,430 (+4.9%)

“vs UK median” compares each occupation’s Scotland 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 Scotland

OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK median
Waiters and waitresses£15,963−£6,973 (−30.4%)
Hairdressers and barbers£20,941−£3,338 (−13.7%)
Vehicle valeters and cleaners£20,967−£5,631 (−21.2%)
Teaching assistants£22,021+£782 (+3.7%)
Coffee shop workers£22,210+£612 (+2.8%)

See live jobs in Scotland on GeraJobs

Find roles hiring now across Scotland — every listing shows pay where the employer disclosed it.

Browse Scotland jobs

Scotland salary by job — full ranked list (247)

#OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK
1Specialist medical practitioners£121,827+31.2%
2Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers£83,364+0.7%
3Train and tram drivers£71,661−6.1%
4Head teachers and principals£68,190−5.5%
5Clinical psychologists£67,680+16.0%
6Senior police officers£65,529−1.7%
7Production managers and directors in mining and energy£62,747−0.8%
8Financial managers and directors£62,742−17.9%
9Pharmacists£62,325+15.9%
10Paramedics£61,355+14.0%
11Business and financial project management professionals£60,838+1.7%
12Production managers and directors in manufacturing£59,348+1.2%
13Electrical engineers£58,293−3.3%
14Production managers and directors in construction£57,783+3.1%
15Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers£56,764−11.8%
16Health services and public health managers and directors£56,685−7.9%
17Sales accounts and business development managers£56,564−1.8%
18Financial and accounting technicians£55,622−8.2%
19Finance and investment analysts and advisers£55,523+10.3%
20Financial accounts managers£55,211+12.7%
21Civil engineers£55,172+7.4%
22Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors£54,497+20.7%
23IT managers£54,160−4.0%
24Physical scientists£52,543−5.4%
25Quality assurance and regulatory professionals£52,513+4.9%
26Quantity surveyors£51,960−1.1%
27Higher education teaching professionals£51,816−1.9%
28Cyber security professionals£51,355−6.0%
29Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c.£51,330+5.7%
30Research and development (R&D) managers£50,800−8.5%
31Human resource managers and directors£50,412−12.4%
32Health and safety managers and officers£50,347+8.4%
33Solicitors and lawyers£50,160−12.0%
34Secondary education teaching professionals£49,898+4.8%
35Primary education teaching professionals£49,898+8.6%
36Special needs education teaching professionals£49,898+5.2%
37Information technology professionals n.e.c.£49,795−8.0%
38Further education teaching professionals£49,642+17.6%
39IT business analysts, architects and systems designers£49,626−17.7%
40Medical radiographers£49,189+1.5%
41Programmers and software development professionals£48,930−14.0%
42Physiotherapists£48,906+12.3%
43Chartered surveyors£48,148+4.3%
44Engineering professionals n.e.c.£47,537−2.5%
45Managers in transport and distribution£47,495+0.0%
46Biochemists and biomedical scientists£47,414−1.0%
47Nurse practitioners£47,241+2.5%
48Construction and building trades supervisors£47,088+4.6%
49Midwifery nurses£46,958−0.1%
50Education managers£46,653+0.2%
51Rail construction and maintenance operatives£46,319−0.2%
52IT project managers£46,048−21.1%
53Social workers£45,524+2.2%
54Purchasing managers and directors£45,494−21.6%
55Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers£45,435+10.4%
56Environment professionals£45,337+4.6%
57Other health professionals n.e.c.£45,298+7.6%
58Police community support officers£45,284+26.7%
59Other nursing professionals£45,024+6.4%
60Management consultants and business analysts£44,873−15.8%
61Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c.£44,653−23.5%
62Quality control and planning engineers£44,519+2.1%
63Actuaries, economists and statisticians£44,256−17.0%
64Education advisers and school inspectors£43,101−3.3%
65Welding trades£43,061+21.8%
66Engineering technicians£42,647−4.9%
67Production and process engineers£42,613−11.1%
68Architects£42,560−9.7%
69Mental health nurses£42,530−0.4%
70Occupational therapists£42,450−3.6%
71Metal working production and maintenance fitters£41,905+2.8%
72Children's nurses£41,847−0.3%
73Estimators, valuers and assessors£41,681+5.2%
74IT quality and testing professionals£41,292−12.4%
75Community nurses£41,264+0.9%
76Careers advisers and vocational guidance specialists£41,244+27.2%
77Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers£41,113−1.3%
78Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.£41,103+8.6%
79Prison service officers (below principal officer)£40,850−1.1%
80Health care practice managers£40,530−4.8%
81Water and sewerage plant operatives£40,046+0.9%
82Specialist nurses£39,698−12.1%
83Business associate professionals n.e.c.£39,632+12.6%
84Plumbers & heating and ventilating installers and repairers£39,487+4.2%
85Other researchers, unspecified discipline£39,306−11.8%
86Business and related research professionals£39,154−4.8%
87Vehicle body builders and repairers£39,108+11.7%
88Chemical and related process operatives£39,079+15.1%
89IT network professionals£39,029−20.2%
90Pipe fitters£39,025−8.3%
91Housing officers£38,951+12.3%
92Rail travel assistants£38,845−15.7%
93Large goods vehicle drivers£38,764−2.9%
94Property, housing and estate managers£38,625−10.9%
95Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors£38,581+5.9%
96Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c.£38,531+6.7%
97Mechanical engineers£38,478−24.7%
98Project support officers£38,425+7.5%
99Inspectors of standards and regulations£38,269−1.8%
100Telecoms and related network installers and repairers£38,150−4.6%
101Electricians and electrical fitters£38,017−4.1%
102Metal machining setters and setter-operators£37,591+5.2%
103Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians£37,509+0.1%
104Communication operators£37,506+3.0%
105Office managers£37,467−3.0%
106Routine inspectors and testers£37,432+8.9%
107Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)£37,334+11.6%
108Public services associate professionals£37,302−5.7%
109Public relations professionals£37,230−0.9%
110Buyers and procurement officers£37,063−0.7%
111Advertising accounts managers and creative directors£37,048−24.4%
112Building and civil engineering technicians£36,699−1.4%
113Veterinary nurses£36,399+26.0%
114Human resources and industrial relations officers£36,372+3.3%
115Arts officers, producers and directors£36,241−20.4%
116Business sales executives£36,181−4.6%
117Newspaper and periodical journalists and reporters£36,148−18.8%
118Natural and social science professionals n.e.c.£35,963−17.1%
119Managers and directors in retail and wholesale£35,942−6.5%
120IT operations technicians£35,847+1.7%
121Newspaper and periodical editors£35,842−15.6%
122Other vocational and industrial trainers£35,717−1.8%
123Scaffolders, stagers and riggers£35,696−14.1%
124IT user support technicians£35,386+0.7%
125Road construction operatives£35,267−9.2%
126Quality assurance technicians£35,194+3.6%
127Managers in storage and warehousing£34,885−6.9%
128Fork-lift truck drivers£34,800+11.3%
129Office supervisors£34,711+4.6%
130Carpenters and joiners£34,465+1.3%
131Stonemasons and related trades£34,108+0.5%
132Youth and community workers£33,703+3.2%
133Mining and quarry workers and related operatives£33,671−12.1%
134CAD, drawing and architectural technicians£33,650−4.5%
135Counsellors£33,482+7.6%
136Graphic and multimedia designers£33,279+2.4%
137Nursing auxiliaries and assistants£32,978+13.4%
138Conservation professionals£32,896−17.9%
139Metal working machine operatives£32,642+3.6%
140Pharmaceutical technicians£32,606+5.0%
141Shopkeepers and owners - retail and wholesale£32,548−10.3%
142Security guards and related occupations£32,534−3.8%
143National government administrative occupations£32,527−1.4%
144Sales related occupations n.e.c.£32,460+3.1%
145Bricklayers£32,309−2.2%
146Plasterers£32,126−5.6%
147Painters and decorators£31,906−2.6%
148Groundworkers£31,888−15.9%
149Bus and coach drivers£31,781−12.5%
150Road transport drivers n.e.c.£31,731−3.5%
151Personal assistants and other secretaries£31,681−9.4%
152Paper and wood machine operatives£31,636+4.2%
153Roofers, roof tilers and slaters£31,634−0.9%
154Child and early years officers£31,529+1.7%
155Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants£31,511+4.1%
156Transport and distribution clerks and assistants£31,498−6.0%
157Environmental health professionals£31,488−24.5%
158Local government administrative occupations£31,368+1.6%
159Groundsmen and greenkeepers£31,166+10.2%
160Events managers and organisers£31,146−3.2%
161Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers£30,943−2.3%
162Leisure and sports managers£30,911−14.2%
163Estate agents and auctioneers£30,865+0.7%
164Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators£30,657−6.1%
165Construction operatives n.e.c.£30,637−5.6%
166Finance officers£30,511−4.5%
167Parking and civil enforcement occupations£30,430+2.9%
168Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.£30,369+0.9%
169Medical and dental technicians£30,314+1.3%
170Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks£30,263−4.1%
171Care workers and home carers£30,181+9.9%
172Library clerks and assistants£30,079+6.9%
173Sports and leisure assistants£29,937+11.1%
174Elementary storage supervisors£29,842−3.8%
175Chefs£29,552−1.5%
176Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers£29,528−7.3%
177Agricultural and fishing trades n.e.c.£29,510−1.8%
178Textiles, garments and related trades n.e.c.£29,397+10.6%
179Records clerks and assistants£29,393+2.6%
180Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors£29,268−7.6%
181Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale£29,257+0.3%
182Refuse and salvage occupations£29,234+4.9%
183Senior care workers£29,205−0.6%
184Other administrative occupations n.e.c.£29,164+3.1%
185Bank and post office clerks£29,007−4.2%
186Beauticians and related occupations£28,995+20.2%
187Marketing associate professionals£28,916−13.5%
188Butchers£28,813−0.2%
189Caretakers£28,778−0.6%
190Legal secretaries£28,747+6.6%
191Hospital porters£28,742−2.3%
192Food, drink and tobacco process operatives£28,507+0.9%
193Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors£28,423−0.6%
194Stock control clerks and assistants£28,349−5.5%
195Financial administrative occupations n.e.c.£28,331−2.3%
196Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants£28,311−8.4%
197Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)£28,269−11.4%
198Early education and childcare assistants£28,241+14.1%
199Catering and bar managers£28,119−5.6%
200Warehouse operatives£28,115+1.0%
201Medical secretaries£28,108+4.3%
202Customer service occupations n.e.c.£28,092+0.9%
203Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.£27,984−2.1%
204Gardeners and landscape gardeners£27,910−2.2%
205Elementary process plant occupations n.e.c.£27,499−7.2%
206Credit controllers£27,397−4.0%
207Bar and catering supervisors£27,323+5.0%
208Industrial cleaning process occupations£27,320+0.1%
209School secretaries£27,262+3.0%
210Debt, rent and other cash collectors£27,229−6.4%
211Delivery drivers and couriers£27,104−2.7%
212Data entry administrators£27,102−4.3%
213Call and contact centre occupations£27,092+0.2%
214Laboratory technicians£26,940−4.5%
215Early education and childcare practitioners£26,829+13.1%
216Sewing machinists£26,715+7.7%
217Sales administrators£26,701−7.1%
218Human resources administrative occupations£26,500−1.3%
219Travel agents£26,339−8.4%
220Telephone salespersons£26,216−14.0%
221Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.£26,206−10.4%
222Dental nurses£26,123+1.5%
223Elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c.£26,005+0.9%
224Weighers, graders and sorters£25,927−16.1%
225Elementary administration occupations n.e.c.£25,871−2.9%
226Delivery operatives£25,613−10.9%
227Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.£25,516−8.7%
228Housekeepers and related occupations£25,308−0.1%
229Pest control officers£25,297−10.7%
230Sales and retail assistants£25,245+0.8%
231Bar staff£24,864+7.3%
232Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers£24,642−5.8%
233Assemblers (electrical and electronic products)£24,573−14.1%
234Cleaners and domestics£24,530+1.7%
235Bakers and flour confectioners£24,337−16.4%
236Kitchen and catering assistants£24,160+5.6%
237Receptionists£24,111−2.3%
238Cooks£24,053−0.7%
239Animal care services occupations n.e.c.£23,955−4.4%
240Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants£22,989−3.3%
241Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers£22,903−1.8%
242Retail cashiers and check-out operators£22,410−9.0%
243Coffee shop workers£22,210+2.8%
244Teaching assistants£22,021+3.7%
245Vehicle valeters and cleaners£20,967−21.2%
246Hairdressers and barbers£20,941−13.7%
247Waiters and waitresses£15,963−30.4%

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

Get Scotland pay updates when ONS refreshes ASHE

ASHE updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed regional figures when ONS publishes them.

Salaries in Scotland — frequently asked questions

What are the highest-paying jobs in Scotland?
Of the 247 occupations ONS publishes a Scotland median for, the highest median gross annual pay is £121,827 for Specialist medical practitioners (SOC 2212). 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 Scotland 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 Scotland, never estimated.
How many occupations have Scotland salary data?
ONS published an unsuppressed Scotland median for 247 occupations this period. They range from £15,963 (Waiters and waitresses) up to £121,827 (Specialist medical practitioners).

Related

More GeraJobs pay data

Real ONS pay data and UK tax tools — pick a cluster to explore.

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.

GeraJobs is a job-search and recruitment platform that connects candidates with independent employers and recruiters. Gera is not the employer, recruiter, or hiring agent of record and is not party to any employment relationship — hiring decisions, job offers, and employment terms are solely between candidates and employers.