The most lucrative trade professions, according to nationwide data
Posted by: electime 10th September 2024
Carpenters are the most well-paid trade professions nationwide, earning £45,482 on average a year.- Welders from Plymouth have the highest salary for trade professionals in the UK, averaging £58,268 a year.
- Roofers have the least consistent salaries across the UK, with the difference in earnings ranging up to a staggering £40,967.
Tradefix Direct analysed salaries from the main trade professions in each UK city to reveal which role is the most well-paid, and in which location.
The most lucrative trade professions
Carpenters have been revealed to be the most lucrative trade profession in the UK, with an average salary of £45,482. Those based in Newcastle in the scaffolding trade are paid the most in the UK, earning £50,459 a year, compared to Swansea-based workers earning just £29,511.
Gas engineers and scaffolding workers complete the top three, with average salaries of £39,395 and £38,365 respectively.
The least well-paid trade profession is a plasterer, earning just £27,137 on average – below the national average salary of £34,963. In fact, just five trade professions (carpenter, gas engineer, scaffolder, electrician and window fitter) pay above the UK’s average salary, on average.
| Rank | Job | Average salary |
| 1 | Carpenter | £45,482 |
| 2 | Gas engineer | £39,395 |
| 3 | Scaffolder | £38,365 |
| 4 | Electrician | £37,088 |
| 5 | Window fitter | £36,587 |
| 6 | Plumber | £33,630 |
| 7 | Landscaper | £32,213 |
| 8 | Roofer | £32,022 |
| 9 | Welder | £31,210 |
| 10 | Bricklayer | £30,280 |
| 11 | Plasterer | £27,137 |
Does the location affect salary?
From the research, location is a huge factor when it comes to salary expectations.
The research revealed the differences in salary in each UK city, with the highest difference being a staggering £40,967 for a roofer based in Lancaster (£15,677) compared to one based in Lincoln (£56,644).
The next biggest difference in salary is a welder based in Plymouth can earn an average of £58,268 (the highest-paid role overall in the research) compared to a welder based in Lincoln earning an average of just £20,620 – a difference of £37,648.
Electricians have the most consistent pay throughout the UK, with the difference in average salary between an electrician in Westminster (£40,386) and Ripon (£30,420) being just £9,966.
| Rank | Profession | Highest paid city | Salary | Lowest paid city | Salary | Difference in salary |
| 1 | Roofer | Lincoln | £56,644 | Lancaster | £15,677 | £40,967 |
| 2 | Welder | Plymouth | £58,268 | Lincoln | £20,620 | £37,648 |
| 3 | Landscaper | Portsmouth | £52,001 | Swansea | £19,200 | £32,801 |
| 4 | Bricklayer | Lichfield | £40,397 | Plymouth | £11,031 | £29,366 |
| 5 | Scaffolder | Chelmsford | £48,199 | St Albans | £21,744 | £26,455 |
| 6 | Carpenter | Newcastle | £50,459 | Swansea | £29,511 | £20,948 |
| 7 | Plasterer | Preston | £37,874 | Belfast | £17,264 | £20,610 |
| 8 | Window fitter | Chichester | £48,114 | Lancaster | £28,415 | £19,699 |
| 9 | Plumber | Salisbury | £42,597 | Hull | £22,973 | £19,624 |
| 10 | Gas engineer | Westminster | £46,508 | Belfast | £28,205 | £18,303 |
| 11 | Electrician | Westminster | £40,386 | Ripon | £30,420 | £9,966 |
To find out more information about trade professional salaries, visit: https://tradefixdirect.com/blog/the-most-lucrative-trade-professions/
