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Highest-Paying Jobs in West Midlands

In West Midlands, the best-paid occupation ONS publishes is Marketing, sales and advertising directors at a median of £82,029 gross per year. This page ranks all 233 West Midlands 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 West Midlands (of the 233 occupations with published data) is Marketing, sales and advertising directors at £82,029 median gross annual pay. The lowest published is Cooks at £18,132. 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 West Midlands page.

Top 25 highest-paying jobs in West Midlands

#OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK median
1Marketing, sales and advertising directors£82,029−£12,106 (−12.9%)
2Barristers and judges£73,570+£22,655 (+44.5%)
3Train and tram drivers£67,428−£8,899 (−11.7%)
4Managers and directors in the creative industries£66,195+£11,423 (+20.9%)
5Research and development (R&D) managers£64,065+£8,546 (+15.4%)
6Rail transport operatives£63,779+£6,691 (+11.7%)
7IT business analysts, architects and systems designers£62,420+£2,132 (+3.5%)
8Clinical psychologists£61,545+£3,179 (+5.4%)
9Financial managers and directors£61,145−£15,302 (−20.0%)
10Business and financial project management professionals£59,982+£148 (+0.2%)
11Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c.£57,878−£463 (−0.8%)
12Taxation experts£57,822+£7,972 (+16.0%)
13Production managers and directors in construction£57,654+£1,633 (+2.9%)
14Civil engineers£57,522+£6,156 (+12.0%)
15Pharmacists£56,855+£3,083 (+5.7%)
16Sales accounts and business development managers£56,047−£1,578 (−2.7%)
17Production managers and directors in manufacturing£53,565−£5,075 (−8.7%)
18Human resource managers and directors£53,085−£4,444 (−7.7%)
19IT network professionals£52,648+£3,741 (+7.6%)
20Engineering project managers and project engineers£52,551−£513 (−1.0%)
21Marketing and commercial managers£52,379−£1,324 (−2.5%)
22Higher education teaching professionals£52,280−£555 (−1.1%)
23IT managers£51,448−£4,990 (−8.8%)
24Quality assurance and regulatory professionals£50,294+£211 (+0.4%)
25Chartered surveyors£50,165+£3,981 (+8.6%)

“vs UK median” compares each occupation’s West Midlands 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 West Midlands

OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK median
Cooks£18,132−£6,096 (−25.2%)
Early education and childcare assistants£20,240−£4,502 (−18.2%)
Teaching assistants£20,728−£511 (−2.4%)
Educational support assistants£21,317−£131 (−0.6%)
Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers£21,837−£1,494 (−6.4%)

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West Midlands salary by job — full ranked list (233)

#OccupationMedian (annual)vs UK
1Marketing, sales and advertising directors£82,029−12.9%
2Barristers and judges£73,570+44.5%
3Train and tram drivers£67,428−11.7%
4Managers and directors in the creative industries£66,195+20.9%
5Research and development (R&D) managers£64,065+15.4%
6Rail transport operatives£63,779+11.7%
7IT business analysts, architects and systems designers£62,420+3.5%
8Clinical psychologists£61,545+5.4%
9Financial managers and directors£61,145−20.0%
10Business and financial project management professionals£59,982+0.2%
11Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c.£57,878−0.8%
12Taxation experts£57,822+16.0%
13Production managers and directors in construction£57,654+2.9%
14Civil engineers£57,522+12.0%
15Pharmacists£56,855+5.7%
16Sales accounts and business development managers£56,047−2.7%
17Production managers and directors in manufacturing£53,565−8.7%
18Human resource managers and directors£53,085−7.7%
19IT network professionals£52,648+7.6%
20Engineering project managers and project engineers£52,551−1.0%
21Marketing and commercial managers£52,379−2.5%
22Higher education teaching professionals£52,280−1.1%
23IT managers£51,448−8.8%
24Quality assurance and regulatory professionals£50,294+0.4%
25Chartered surveyors£50,165+8.6%
26Web design professionals£49,277+1.3%
27Programmers and software development professionals£49,081−13.8%
28Engineering professionals n.e.c.£48,799+0.0%
29Solicitors and lawyers£48,093−15.6%
30Water and sewerage plant operatives£47,654+20.1%
31Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors£47,147+4.4%
32Secondary education teaching professionals£47,146−1.0%
33Paramedics£46,960−12.7%
34Management consultants and business analysts£46,721−12.3%
35Rail construction and maintenance operatives£46,644+0.5%
36Nurse practitioners£46,423+0.8%
37Architects£46,362−1.7%
38Managers in transport and distribution£46,243−2.7%
39Specialist nurses£46,168+2.3%
40Rail travel assistants£46,114+0.1%
41Health and safety managers and officers£45,686−1.6%
42Construction and building trades supervisors£45,544+1.2%
43Managers in logistics£45,014−2.4%
44Data analysts£44,923+16.5%
45Mechanical engineers£44,874−12.2%
46Protective service associate professionals n.e.c.£44,866+2.0%
47Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors£44,737+4.8%
48Road construction operatives£43,753+12.7%
49Medical radiographers£43,629−9.9%
50Construction project managers and related professionals£43,279−9.2%
51Production and process engineers£43,163−10.0%
52Newspaper and periodical editors£43,100+1.5%
53Social workers£43,058−3.3%
54Other health professionals n.e.c.£42,797+1.7%
55Finance and investment analysts and advisers£42,393−15.8%
56Primary education teaching professionals£42,274−8.0%
57Midwifery nurses£42,210−10.2%
58Environment professionals£41,746−3.7%
59Further education teaching professionals£41,580−1.5%
60Quality control and planning engineers£41,531−4.7%
61Physiotherapists£41,285−5.2%
62Fire service officers (watch manager and below)£41,190−6.5%
63Property, housing and estate managers£41,048−5.3%
64Therapy professionals n.e.c.£41,007+9.1%
65Buyers and procurement officers£40,824+9.4%
66Environmental health professionals£40,646−2.6%
67Other nursing professionals£40,594−4.0%
68Electricians and electrical fitters£40,429+2.0%
69Occupational therapists£40,350−8.4%
70Telecoms and related network installers and repairers£40,266+0.7%
71Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c.£40,118−17.4%
72Financial accounts managers£39,660−19.0%
73Public relations professionals£39,658+5.6%
74Large goods vehicle drivers£39,497−1.0%
75Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers£39,301−5.7%
76Managers and directors in retail and wholesale£38,606+0.4%
77Managers in storage and warehousing£38,418+2.5%
78Groundworkers£38,406+1.3%
79Metal working production and maintenance fitters£38,361−5.9%
80Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians£38,012+1.5%
81Routine inspectors and testers£37,808+10.0%
82Biochemists and biomedical scientists£37,731−21.2%
83Planning, process and production technicians£37,419+1.4%
84Engineering technicians£37,395−16.6%
85IT operations technicians£37,367+6.0%
86Public services associate professionals£37,221−5.9%
87Business sales executives£36,941−2.6%
88Special needs education teaching professionals£36,835−22.3%
89Business and related research professionals£36,742−10.7%
90Arts officers, producers and directors£36,585−19.7%
91Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants£36,550+0.3%
92Project support officers£35,884+0.4%
93Community nurses£35,862−12.3%
94Other vocational and industrial trainers£35,739−1.7%
95Leisure and sports managers£35,634−1.1%
96Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.£35,429−6.4%
97Transport and distribution clerks and assistants£35,246+5.2%
98Security system installers and repairers£35,154−9.9%
99Human resources and industrial relations officers£34,980−0.6%
100Local government administrative occupations£34,817+12.7%
101IT user support technicians£34,796−0.9%
102Bricklayers£34,722+5.1%
103Welding trades£34,665−1.9%
104Vehicle body builders and repairers£34,660−1.0%
105Security guards and related occupations£34,488+1.9%
106Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c.£34,398−4.7%
107Finance officers£34,331+7.5%
108Interior designers£33,981−6.9%
109Customer service managers£33,841−9.8%
110Metal machining setters and setter-operators£33,589−6.0%
111Farmers£33,568−4.9%
112Plumbers & heating and ventilating installers and repairers£33,541−11.5%
113Estimators, valuers and assessors£33,526−15.4%
114Construction and building trades n.e.c.£33,409−4.1%
115Sales related occupations n.e.c.£33,320+5.8%
116Agricultural and fishing trades n.e.c.£33,042+9.9%
117Graphic and multimedia designers£32,913+1.2%
118Carpenters and joiners£32,789−3.6%
119Road transport drivers n.e.c.£32,679−0.6%
120Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors£32,672+3.1%
121Inspectors of standards and regulations£32,432−16.8%
122Construction operatives n.e.c.£32,305−0.4%
123Quality assurance technicians£32,198−5.2%
124Delivery operatives£32,043+11.5%
125Sheet metal workers£31,994−0.7%
126National government administrative occupations£31,921−3.3%
127Authors, writers and translators£31,661−19.8%
128Personal assistants and other secretaries£31,657−9.4%
129Painters and decorators£31,560−3.7%
130Office supervisors£31,163−6.1%
131Metal making and treating process operatives£31,054−5.5%
132CAD, drawing and architectural technicians£31,010−12.0%
133Child and early years officers£30,998+0.0%
134Production, factory and assembly supervisors£30,841−16.1%
135Elementary storage supervisors£30,593−1.3%
136Chemical and related process operatives£30,549−10.0%
137Clergy£30,429−2.4%
138Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.£30,369+6.2%
139Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers£30,333−4.8%
140Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks£30,305−4.0%
141Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.£30,266+3.4%
142Weighers, graders and sorters£30,211−2.3%
143Customer service supervisors£30,099−15.7%
144Careers advisers and vocational guidance specialists£29,946−7.6%
145Process operatives n.e.c.£29,930−5.6%
146Veterinary nurses£29,895+3.5%
147Metal working machine operatives£29,841−5.3%
148Business associate professionals n.e.c.£29,819−15.3%
149Bus and coach drivers£29,771−18.1%
150Youth and community workers£29,672−9.1%
151Food, drink and tobacco process operatives£29,546+4.6%
152Marketing associate professionals£29,374−12.1%
153Senior care workers£29,218−0.6%
154Stock control clerks and assistants£29,205−2.6%
155Groundsmen and greenkeepers£29,183+3.2%
156Chefs£29,125−2.9%
157Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters£29,116−1.1%
158Bank and post office clerks£28,892−4.5%
159Data entry administrators£28,772+1.6%
160Refuse and salvage occupations£28,624+2.8%
161Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers£28,493−10.1%
162Paper and wood machine operatives£28,468−6.2%
163Butchers£28,369−1.7%
164Vehicle valeters and cleaners£28,292+6.4%
165Medical and dental technicians£28,231−5.7%
166Financial administrative occupations n.e.c.£28,217−2.7%
167Assemblers (electrical and electronic products)£28,196−1.5%
168Records clerks and assistants£28,189−1.6%
169Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants£28,189−6.9%
170Fork-lift truck drivers£28,134−10.1%
171Early education and childcare services managers£28,071−6.9%
172Human resources administrative occupations£28,053+4.5%
173Credit controllers£28,037−1.7%
174Catering and bar managers£28,019−5.9%
175Housing officers£27,937−19.5%
176Elementary process plant occupations n.e.c.£27,895−5.8%
177Delivery drivers and couriers£27,618−0.8%
178Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)£27,556−13.7%
179Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale£27,505−5.7%
180Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.£27,490−1.7%
181Warehouse operatives£27,378−1.6%
182Industrial cleaning process occupations£27,282−0.1%
183Parking and civil enforcement occupations£27,246−7.8%
184Roofers, roof tilers and slaters£27,184−14.8%
185Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.£26,926−10.5%
186Nursing auxiliaries and assistants£26,871−7.6%
187Medical secretaries£26,826−0.5%
188Bar and catering supervisors£26,739+2.8%
189Estate agents and auctioneers£26,701−12.9%
190Other administrative occupations n.e.c.£26,638−5.9%
191Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers£26,602+1.7%
192Telephone salespersons£26,556−12.9%
193Customer service occupations n.e.c.£26,536−4.7%
194Care workers and home carers£26,422−3.8%
195Call and contact centre occupations£26,307−2.7%
196Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors£26,199−8.4%
197Sales administrators£26,140−9.1%
198Computer system and equipment installers and servicers£26,042−23.9%
199Dental nurses£25,541−0.8%
200Sports and leisure assistants£25,481−5.4%
201Other skilled trades n.e.c.£25,088−14.5%
202Laboratory technicians£25,028−11.3%
203Houseparents and residential wardens£25,008−21.5%
204Sales and retail assistants£24,935−0.5%
205Sewing machinists£24,740−0.3%
206Retail cashiers and check-out operators£24,698+0.3%
207Housekeepers and related occupations£24,593−2.9%
208Animal care services occupations n.e.c.£24,422−2.6%
209Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers£24,331−26.4%
210Plastics process operatives£24,259−25.7%
211Higher level teaching assistants£24,075−5.3%
212Cleaners and domestics£23,982−0.6%
213Caretakers£23,949−17.3%
214Air transport operatives£23,923−31.1%
215Library clerks and assistants£23,853−15.2%
216Receptionists£23,458−4.9%
217Elementary administration occupations n.e.c.£23,341−12.4%
218Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants£23,133−2.7%
219Printers£23,127−30.0%
220Beauticians and related occupations£23,104−4.2%
221Legal secretaries£23,030−14.6%
222Pharmaceutical technicians£23,017−25.9%
223Early education and childcare practitioners£22,877−3.5%
224Kitchen and catering assistants£22,814−0.3%
225Shelf fillers£22,722−8.7%
226Waiters and waitresses£22,113−3.6%
227School secretaries£21,968−17.0%
228Hairdressers and barbers£21,891−9.8%
229Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers£21,837−6.4%
230Educational support assistants£21,317−0.6%
231Teaching assistants£20,728−2.4%
232Early education and childcare assistants£20,240−18.2%
233Cooks£18,132−25.2%

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

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Salaries in West Midlands — frequently asked questions

What are the highest-paying jobs in West Midlands?
Of the 233 occupations ONS publishes a West Midlands median for, the highest median gross annual pay is £82,029 for Marketing, sales and advertising directors (SOC 1132). 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 West Midlands 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 West Midlands, never estimated.
How many occupations have West Midlands salary data?
ONS published an unsuppressed West Midlands median for 233 occupations this period. They range from £18,132 (Cooks) up to £82,029 (Marketing, sales and advertising directors).

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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.

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