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HIGHEST-PAYING JOBS IN THE UK THAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT

Highest-Paying Jobs in the UK That You Never Knew About

Introduction

The latest official data indicates a decline of nearly 300,000 job openings in the UK compared to the peak observed in May 2022. Despite this decrease, approximately 1 million job opportunities are currently available.

As per recent statistics from the employment platform Adzuna, logistics, legal, and retail sectors experienced the most significant surge in job openings in July, 2023, while teaching and IT sectors remain the primary recruiters.

Top most Jobs in UK with Highest Salaries

According to the SavetheStudent's analysis of official ONS data, it appears that chief executive and senior-level positions top the list of the highest-earning jobs in the UK.

  • Additionally, marketing, sales, and advertising directors, doctors, head teachers, and airline pilots are among the top 10.
  • However, pinpointing the exact highest-paying occupations is notably challenging.
  • Salary variations can be substantial, contingent upon factors such as one's experience, specific companies, and geographical location.
  • For instance, as per the Department of Education, a teacher in London could earn up to £42,624 annually, while their counterparts in other parts of England and Wales may receive up to £36,961.
  • In the legal sector, an average solicitor's yearly income in the UK is £55,200, excluding bonuses or profit-sharing schemes, according to Jobted.
  • A newly qualified solicitor can anticipate an average annual salary of £35,000.

The following roles represent the most lucrative occupations in the UK, as per data from SavetheStudent:

Occupation Annual Salary (approx.)

Chief Executives and Senior Officials

£79,835

Marketing, Sales and Advertising Directors

£77,695

Information Technology Directors

£73,571

Specialist Medical Practitioners

£68,614

Headteachers and Principals

£66,686

Public Relations and Communications Directors

£66,510

Financial Managers and Directors

£64,193

Aircraft Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers

£62,778

Functional Managers and Directors

£61,139

Senior Police Officers

£59,141

Train and Tram Drivers

£58,868

Barristers and Judges

£53,110

Health Services and Public Health Managers and Directors

£50,789

Rail Transport Operatives

£50,561

Electrical Engineers

£50,487

IT Business Analysts, Architects and Systems Designers

£50,396

Business and Financial Project Management Professionals

£50,287

Research and Development (R&D) Managers

£50,027

Taxation Experts

£49,916

Senior Paramedics

£49,909

(Read More: How to stay back in UK post-graduation?)

Which Companies give Highest Salaries in UK?

According to Glassdoor, the leading companies offering the highest salaries in the UK are predominantly from the technology and finance sectors.

10 Top UK Companies with Highest Avg Base Salary

The top 10 companies boast an average base salary exceeding £93,000 for their employees, positioning the average staff member within the top 4% of UK taxpayers. These companies include:

Company Annual average base salary (approx.)

Citadel – financial services company

£121,759

Contino – business management consultant

£108,128

White & Case – international law firm

£10,115

G-Research- quantitative finance research firm

£101,066

Google Cloud – cloud computing services

£99,677

Palantir Technologies – software company

£98,095

Squarepoint Capital – investment services

£96,933

Bank of America Merill Lynch

£94,393

MongoDB – developer data platform

£93,993

Pegasystems – software company

£93,844

Who are the Top Employers in the UK?

The most lucrative positions may not always correlate with the highest satisfaction ratings.

The top-ranking companies for employment consideration prioritize factors such as maintaining a healthy work-life balance, fostering a positive team and corporate culture, offering competitive remuneration, providing additional benefits, showcasing strong leadership, and ensuring opportunities for career advancement. Studying in top universities in UK will also enhance your chances of getting into high-paying jobs.

Within its list of the top 50 companies, Jobsite Glassdoor features various technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Management consultancy firms are notably well-represented, with Bain and Company securing the leading position and Boston Consulting Group ranking third.

Best Companies to Work in UK

Considering the aforementioned criteria, Glassdoor has identified the following as the best companies to work for in the UK:

  1. Bain & Company
  2. ServiceNow
  3. Boston Consulting Group
  4. Equinix
  5. Ocado Technology
  6. Mastercard
  7. Google
  8. Arup
  9. Salesforce
  10. Version 1
  11. Softcat
  12. BlackRock
  13. Microsoft
  14. Adobe
  15. Novuna
  16. Imagination Technologies
  17. Johnson & Johnson
  18. SAP
  19. Wise
  20. Capgemini Invent

Which UK University offers the Best Placements after Graduation?

College isn't the sole pathway to a promising career, but numerous positions do necessitate a degree. Given the intense competition in the professional realm, it's vital to thoroughly research your chosen field of study.

  • With over 65,000 university courses available, medicine, dentistry, MBA emerge as the subject area boasting the highest post-graduation employment rates, as indicated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
  • Over 99% of graduates in this field can anticipate employment within six months, with an average annual salary of approximately £30,000.
  • Veterinary science follows closely, with nearly 96% of graduates securing employment within six months, earning an average wage of £30,500.
  • Additionally, over 90% of graduates in allied medicine subjects (such as pharmacy and physiotherapy), education, and architecture also successfully enter the workforce within six months of graduating.
  • International students who got graduated can also extend UK visa without the need of a job offer letter.

Which Jobs offer the highest salaries for Recent Graduates/ Fresher’s?

Although university education can be expensive, numerous companies provide well-paid graduate training programs and entry-level positions aimed at nurturing their future leaders.

If you seek a prompt return on your educational investment, consider these highly paid graduate positions, as suggested by the graduate career resource website, Milkround:

Job Annual Salary (approx.)

Management Consultant

£47,500

Investment Banker

£40,000

Trainee Solicitor £26,500

£50,000

Graduate Sales Manager Retail

£37, 000

Graduate Area Manager

£38,000

Petroleum Engineer

£35,000

Actuary

£35,000

Vet

£32,000

Clinical Scientist

£32,000

Software Developer

£32,000

Keep in mind that salaries may differ depending on the company and the area. Graduates are likely to receive higher pay in London compared to other parts of the UK.

Highest paying Jobs in UK that don’t need a Degree

Despite common belief, obtaining a degree is not always necessary for securing a high-paying job abroad. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a third of graduates earn less than those who enter the job market directly.

  • In fact, numerous renowned and wealthy CEOs, including Richard Branson, Alan Sugar, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, never completed university.
  • Additionally, certain well-paid positions in the UK, such as train or tram drivers, do not require a degree.
  • While a degree might provide advantages, experience and expertise hold significant value in many industries. Continuous career development courses may be necessary, however.

Based on data from FutureFit, here are the top-paying jobs that do not mandate a degree:

Job Average Salary/year Highest Salary/year

Personal trainer

£28,000,

£60,000

Estate agents

£21,500,

£49,000

Nutrition coach

£26,797,

£44,000

Recruitment consultant

£23,000,

£30,000

Pilates instructors

£25,000,

£52,000

Firefighter

£30,027,

£36,000

Health & wellbeing coach

£20,300,

£25,000

Police officer

£29,310,

£41,000

Marketing executive

£24,141,

£30,000

Computer games tester

£31,090,

£40,000

Which jobs in UK expected a Pay raise in 2024?

Recruiter Hays suggests that the jobs with a significant shortage of skills are likely to see the largest increases in workers' pay this year. A growing need for professionals in cyber security, electrical engineering, construction, and sustainability is expected to drive up salaries for these positions.

  • In the year 2023, IT and cyber security graduates can anticipate some of the highest earnings, reaching up to £81,500 annually, as digitalization continues to expand worldwide.
  • Furthermore, electrical engineers (£48,875) and automation engineers (£48,000) are predicted to be the most sought-after employees due to the significant scarcity in these fields, according to government reports.
  • The list of the most sought-after jobs for 2023 also includes quantity surveyors earning an average of £55,250, qualified social workers with two years of experience making around £31,583, and part-qualified or newly qualified accountants with an average income of £31,396.

Differences in UK minimum wage in 2023

Starting on April 1, 2023, several increases in the minimum wage were implemented. The national minimum hourly rate for workers aged 23 and over rose from £9.50 to £10.42. Additionally, adjustments were made for 17-year-olds and apprentices.

Which Tech Jobs offer the highest salaries in the UK?

The tech sector in the UK is flourishing, and the competition for top talent is intense. According to gov.uk, the industry is valued at more than £800,000, surpassing the values of France and Sweden fivefold and Germany's value by twofold.

While the industry offers numerous job opportunities, the highest-earning tech position in the UK is senior software engineer, with an average salary of £63,824, as per data from Indeed. Operations engineers and data engineers can also anticipate annual salaries exceeding £60,000 on average, while developers can expect to earn between £53,000 and £58,000 per year on average.

(Read More: 11 Best Ranking colleges to study Engineering in the UK)

What does London weighting mean?

Working in London typically results in higher pay compared to other regions in the UK, primarily due to the elevated cost of living in the city. This additional sum included in your salary is commonly known as London Weighting or the London Allowance. Its introduction can be traced back to a 1974 report by the Pay Board.

There's no fixed amount or universally agreed method for determining the exact sum you'll receive. Instead, it varies depending on your employer and the specific industry. According to research by the Trust for London, a minimum London weighting of £9,600 in Inner London and £6,549 in Outer London is recommended to cover the basic cost of living in the capital.

What does the term gender pay gap mean?

From 2017, the government has implemented initiatives to address the gender pay gap, mandating that employers with 250 or more employees must disclose their gender pay gap information.

If you're facing challenges in securing a job and immigrate to the UK, feel free to contact Global Tree for expert guidance. We are committed to assisting you in discovering the finest employment opportunities in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Canada: The Great White North is Number 1 on this list. With easy immigration processes, a welcoming society, great education and healthcare, cool weather, and the ever-growing job market, Canada is the undisputed leader in immigration potential.

Germany: The Deutschland is famous for precision, quality, and high expectations. Unsurprisingly, it makes the list but we’re still going to spell it out. Currently, home to over 170,000 Indians, Germany is a melting pot of different cultures mostly from other countries in the EU. A veritable hub for mechanical engineering, Germany has a low level of corruption, and a love for innovation and is home to over 25 Fortune 500 companies. With the demand for highly skilled professionals, Germany is a choice destination for young, smart immigrants from all over the world.

Provincial Nominee Program is one of the best routes for Canadian immigration. Every province (state) in Canada has its criteria for immigration. This criterion is custom-fitted to reflect the needs and growth opportunities arising in that respective province.

A Master’s Degree translates directly into a better CRS score. Your educational qualifications reflect the contribution you would make to the destination country’s economy which means that you would be more sought after. Speaking one of the country's primary languages (Eg: French for Canada) also greatly raises your chances for both visa success as well job opportunities.

If you fall under the NOC list in Canada or SOL in Australia (Occupations in demand list), it means that jobs are readily available for qualified candidates. On average, individuals earn 8 times as much salary in Canada as compared to India.

 




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