Highest Paying Trades in the UK: 12 Skilled Trades That Out-Earn the Office
The UK trades with the highest earning potential, with starting, mid-career and senior pay from TonyKnows career data, what each job involves and how people get in without a degree.
By Tony Musso on
The highest paying trades in the UK are the specialist ones: offshore wind technicians, lift engineers, rope access technicians and refrigeration engineers can all reach the kind of pay many office managers never see, and none of them needs a degree. Mainstream trades such as electrician and plumber pay well too, especially once you are self-employed.
This guide ranks twelve trades by what experienced people earn, then explains how to get in. Pay figures come from TonyKnows career data and show the range at three stages: starting (often as an apprentice), mid-career and senior or self-employed. Real earnings depend on where you work, overtime, call-outs and whether you run your own business.
The highest paying trades at a glance
| Trade | Starting | Mid-career | Senior or self-employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore wind technician | £35,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £65,000 | £75,000 to £100,000+ |
| Lift engineer | £24,000 to £32,000 (apprentice) | £38,000 to £55,000 | £60,000 to £85,000 |
| Rope access technician | £30,000 to £38,000 | £42,000 to £55,000 | £60,000 to £85,000+ |
| EV charger installer | £28,000 to £35,000 | £38,000 to £55,000 | £60,000 to £80,000 |
| Refrigeration engineer | £25,000 to £35,000 | £40,000 to £55,000 | £60,000 to £80,000 |
| Electrician | £22,000 to £28,000 (apprentice) | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £80,000+ |
| Plumber | £22,000 to £28,000 (apprentice) | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £80,000+ |
| Bricklayer | £20,000 to £28,000 | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £80,000+ |
| Welder | £22,000 to £30,000 | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £80,000 (coded or offshore) |
| HVAC technician | £22,000 to £30,000 | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £75,000+ |
| Plant mechanic | £25,000 to £34,000 | £38,000 to £52,000 | £55,000 to £72,000 |
| Scaffolder | £22,000 to £28,000 | £32,000 to £45,000 | £50,000 to £70,000 |
Why some trades pay so much more
Three things push a trade to the top of the pay table.
Scarce, certified skills. Lift engineering, refrigeration and rope access all need specific qualifications that take years to build. Employers cannot hire someone off the street and train them in a fortnight, so experienced people are paid a premium.
Hard conditions. Offshore wind and rope access work happens at height, at sea, in all weather and often on rotation away from home. The pay reflects the conditions and the time away.
Demand that is growing. The move to electric vehicles, heat pumps and renewable energy needs installers and technicians faster than they are being trained. That shows up in pay for EV charger installers, offshore wind technicians and HVAC engineers.
The mainstream trades, electrician, plumber and bricklayer, reach their highest pay a different way: by going self-employed. A qualified electrician on the tools for someone else earns a solid mid-career wage; one who runs their own jobs, prices well and builds repeat customers can earn far more.
The trades in more detail
1. Offshore wind technician
Offshore wind technicians install and maintain turbines out at sea. Work is usually on a rotation, such as two weeks on and two weeks off, travelling to turbines by boat or helicopter. Most come from an electrical or mechanical background, then add GWO (Global Wind Organisation) safety training and offshore medicals. Onshore wind turbine technicians earn less but do not spend weeks away.
2. Lift engineer
Lift engineers install, service and repair lifts and escalators. Most start on an apprenticeship with a lift company, combining mechanical and electrical work. It is steady, safety-critical work with call-out and overtime pay on top of the base salary.
3. Rope access technician
Rope access technicians reach difficult places, such as building faces, bridges and offshore structures, on ropes. Rope access is usually combined with another skill, such as inspection, painting or welding, and the combination sets the pay. IRATA certification runs from Level 1 to Level 3, the supervisor level.
4. EV charger installer
EV charger installers are usually qualified electricians who add specific charge point training. It is one of the clearest examples of a new specialism lifting a mainstream trade's earnings.
5. Refrigeration engineer
Refrigeration engineers keep cold stores, supermarkets, hospitals and data centres running. The F-gas certification needed to handle refrigerants is a barrier to entry, which keeps pay high.
6. Electrician
Electricians are in demand in every part of the UK. The usual route is a Level 3 apprenticeship with the AM2 assessment, then work towards being an approved electrician. Many go self-employed after a few years, which is where the top of the pay range sits.
7. Plumber
Plumbers earn in a similar way to electricians. Adding gas qualifications and Gas Safe registration opens boiler installation and servicing, which is some of the best-paid domestic work.
8. Bricklayer
Bricklayers on price work or running a gang can earn well above the employed rate. A CSCS card is needed on most sites.
9. Welder
Welders with coded welding tickets, especially for pipework, pressure vessels or offshore structures, earn far more than general fabricators. Underwater welding sits at the far end of this trade: it adds commercial diving qualifications on top of welding and is a small, specialist field.
10. HVAC technician
HVAC technicians install and maintain heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Heat pump installation is a growing part of the work.
11. Plant mechanic
Plant mechanics keep diggers, cranes and other heavy machinery working on sites and in depots. Many start on a Level 3 land-based or plant maintenance apprenticeship.
12. Scaffolder
Scaffolders progress through CISRS cards from trainee to advanced scaffolder, and pay rises with each level. Supervisors and advanced scaffolders sit at the top of the range.
Not sure which trade suits you? Career Compass ranks UK careers, trades included, against what you enjoy and what you need from work.
How to get into a high paying trade
Apprenticeship. The standard route for almost every trade on this list. You earn while you learn, usually for three to four years, and finish with a recognised qualification. There is no upper age limit, so it works for career changers as well as school leavers.
College course, then experience. A Level 2 or 3 college course can get you started, but most employers still want site experience before treating you as qualified. Pair a course with a labouring or improver role.
Add a specialism. Many of the best-paid people on this list started in a mainstream trade and added a ticket: EV charging, F-gas, gas safety, IRATA rope access or GWO offshore training. Each one is a shorter course than the original trade.
Go self-employed when you are ready. Self-employment is where most of the top pay in electrical, plumbing and building work comes from, but it brings pricing, tax, insurance and quiet months. Most people work for an employer for several years first.
If you are changing career into a trade, read our guide to high-paying jobs you can get without a degree, and see which trades are short of workers in jobs in demand in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest paying trade in the UK?
In TonyKnows career data, offshore wind technicians have the highest senior pay of the trades listed, at £75,000 to £100,000 or more, followed by lift engineers and rope access technicians at £60,000 to £85,000. Self-employed electricians, plumbers and bricklayers can also reach £80,000 or more.
Which trades can you learn without a degree?
All of the trades in this guide. The usual route is an apprenticeship of three to four years, sometimes followed by short specialist courses such as F-gas, Gas Safe, IRATA or GWO training.
Can I start a trade apprenticeship as an adult?
Yes. Apprenticeships in England have no upper age limit. Adult apprentices are paid at least the apprentice rate in the first year and then the National Minimum Wage for their age, and many employers pay more.
Do tradespeople earn more self-employed?
Often, yes. The top of the pay range for electricians, plumbers and bricklayers comes from self-employment, but income varies with demand and you pay for your own tools, van, insurance and pension.
Which trades are in the most demand?
Electricians, plumbers and heating engineers are needed across the UK, and newer specialisms such as EV charger installation, heat pumps and offshore wind are growing fast.
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