Jobs by salary
Jobs that pay £50k a year in the UK
£50,000 is well above the UK median of £39,039a year for full-time work: between 60% and 70% of full-time employee jobs pay less. Only 38 of the 382 occupation groups ONS publishes have a median between £50,000 and £59,999. Most are professional or management roles, but some have a route in without a degree, such as project manager, risk manager, clinical trials coordinator (£59,834), IT project manager (£58,373) and policy officer (£58,341).
Updated
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a, published . Median gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs in the UK, tax year ending 5 April 2025. Figures are for whole SOC 2020 occupation groups and exclude the self-employed.
- Occupation groups with a median of £50,000 to £59,999
- 38 of 382
- UK median, full-time employees
- £39,039
- £50,000 after income tax and National Insurance
- £3,293 a month
Take-home pay is our calculation for 2026/27 using the GOV.UK income tax rates (England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland differs) and employee National Insurance (category A), before pension, student loan or other deductions.
Jobs paying £50k that do not normally need a degree
From our list of career-change destinations, these have an ONS full-time median of £50,000 to £59,999 and do not normally need a degree, going by the entry routes ONS and the National Careers Service describe. Where there is an apprenticeship below degree level, it is shown. The median is for everyone in the job, so new starters usually earn less.
| Job | Median pay | Lower quarter | Way in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project manager, risk manager, clinical trials coordinatorONS group 2440: Business and financial project management professionals | £59,834 | £46,399 | Project manager: Associate project manager apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months)Qualifications named by the National Careers Service: PRINCE2 |
| Production managerONS group 1121: Production managers and directors in manufacturing | £58,640 | £42,885 | No apprenticeship below degree level in our data. See the National Careers Service profile for routes. |
| IT project managerONS group 2131: IT project managers | £58,373 | £41,423 | Associate project manager apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months) |
| Policy officerONS group 2439: Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c. | £58,341 | £44,939 | Policy officer apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months) |
| Purchasing managerONS group 1134: Purchasing managers and directors | £58,005 | £44,801 | Procurement and supply assistant apprenticeship (level 3, typically 18 months) |
| Business development managerONS group 3556: Sales accounts and business development managers | £57,625 | £43,049 | Sales executive apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months) |
| HR manager, learning and development managerONS group 1136: Human resource managers and directors | £57,529 | £43,676 | HR manager: People professional apprenticeship (level 5, typically 22 months) |
| Railway signallerONS group 8234: Rail transport operatives | £57,088 | £42,815 | Rail infrastructure operator apprenticeship (level 3, typically 18 months) |
| Software developer, web developer, e-learning developer, embedded software engineerONS group 2134: Programmers and software development professionals | £56,914 | £42,289 | Software developer, web developer: Software development technician apprenticeship (level 3, typically 18 months)E-learning developer: Digital learning designer apprenticeship (level 5, typically 24 months) |
| Construction managerONS group 1122: Production managers and directors in construction | £56,021 | £42,575 | Needs: CSCS card |
| Cyber security analystONS group 2135: Cyber security professionals | £54,647 | £42,761 | Cyber security technologist (2021) apprenticeship (level 4, typically 24 months) |
| Marketing managerONS group 2432: Marketing and commercial managers | £53,703 | £39,645 | No apprenticeship below degree level in our data. See the National Careers Service profile for routes.Qualifications named by the National Careers Service: CIM |
| Business analyst, management consultant, risk analystONS group 2431: Management consultants and business analysts | £53,295 | £40,202 | Business analyst: Business analyst apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months)Management consultant: Junior management consultant apprenticeship (level 4, typically 24 months) |
| Electronics engineerONS group 2124: Electronics engineers (professional) | £52,518 | £44,943 | No apprenticeship below degree level in our data. See the National Careers Service profile for routes. |
| Mechanical engineerONS group 2122: Mechanical engineers (professional) | £51,110 | £39,125 | No apprenticeship below degree level in our data. See the National Careers Service profile for routes. |
| Financial adviser, mortgage adviserONS group 2422: Finance and investment analysts and advisers | £50,330 | £36,872 | Financial adviser: Paraplanner and financial planner apprenticeship (level 4, typically 24 months)Mortgage adviser: Mortgage adviser apprenticeship (level 3, typically 12 months) |
| Compliance officerONS group 2482: Quality assurance and regulatory professionals | £50,083 | £37,854 | Compliance and risk officer apprenticeship (level 3, typically 15 months) |
| AccountantONS group 2421: Chartered and certified accountants | £50,062 | £38,696 | Professional accounting technician apprenticeship (level 4, typically 18 months)Qualifications named by the National Careers Service: CIMA |
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a, published . Median gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs in the UK, tax year ending 5 April 2025. Figures are for whole SOC 2020 occupation groups and exclude the self-employed.
Apprenticeships: Skills England, apprenticeship standards (approved for delivery). Checked 28 September 2026. Typical length is the duration Skills England gives for each standard. Apprenticeship standards apply in England.
Jobs paying £50k that usually need a degree
These usually need a degree, a degree apprenticeship or a professional registration that follows one.
| Job | Median pay | Registration or route |
|---|---|---|
| SolicitorONS group 2412: Solicitors and lawyers | £56,977 | Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)Or: Solicitor apprenticeship (level 7, typically 72 months) |
| ParamedicONS group 2255: Paramedics | £53,818 | HCPC registrationOr: Paramedic apprenticeship (level 6, typically 36 months) |
| Data scientistONS group 2433: Actuaries, economists and statisticians | £53,342 | A relevant degree is the usual way inOr: Data scientist (integrated degree) apprenticeship (level 6, typically 36 months) |
| Project engineerONS group 2127: Engineering project managers and project engineers | £53,064 | A relevant degree is the usual way inOr: Product design and development engineer (degree) apprenticeship (level 6, typically 42 months) |
| Nurse lecturerONS group 2311: Higher education teaching professionals | £52,835 | A relevant degree is the usual way in |
| Quantity surveyorONS group 2453: Quantity surveyors | £52,537 | A relevant degree is the usual way inOr: Construction quantity surveyor (degree) apprenticeship (level 6, typically 36 months) |
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a, published . Median gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs in the UK, tax year ending 5 April 2025. Figures are for whole SOC 2020 occupation groups and exclude the self-employed.
Every ONS occupation group with a median of £50,000 to £59,999
ONS publishes a full-time median for 382 of the 412 occupation groups in the Standard Occupational Classification. These 38 fall in this band. Group names are the official ONS titles, so some are broad (“n.e.c.” means “not elsewhere classified”).
Show all 38 occupation groups
| Occupation group | Median pay | Jobs (thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| Business and financial project management professionals (2440) | £59,834 | 271 |
| Production managers and directors in manufacturing (1121) | £58,640 | 406 |
| IT project managers (2131) | £58,373 | 29 |
| Clinical psychologists (2225) | £58,366 | 9 |
| Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c. (2439) | £58,341 | 74 |
| Purchasing managers and directors (1134) | £58,005 | 54 |
| Sales accounts and business development managers (3556) | £57,625 | 392 |
| Human resource managers and directors (1136) | £57,529 | 152 |
| Rail transport operatives (8234) | £57,088 | 15 |
| Solicitors and lawyers (2412) | £56,977 | 106 |
| Programmers and software development professionals (2134) | £56,914 | 343 |
| Brokers (3531) | £56,689 | 17 |
| IT managers (2132) | £56,438 | 204 |
| Production managers and directors in construction (1122) | £56,021 | 97 |
| Aerospace engineers (2126) | £55,839 | n/a |
| Research and development (r&d) managers (2161) | £55,519 | 73 |
| Physical scientists (2114) | £55,518 | 10 |
| Generalist medical practitioners (2211) | £55,494 | 51 |
| Managers and directors in the creative industries (1255) | £54,772 | 20 |
| Cyber security professionals (2135) | £54,647 | 26 |
| Information technology professionals n.e.c. (2139) | £54,107 | 56 |
| Paramedics (2255) | £53,818 | 32 |
| Pharmacists (2251) | £53,772 | 41 |
| Marketing and commercial managers (2432) | £53,703 | 89 |
| Actuaries, economists and statisticians (2433) | £53,342 | 40 |
| Management consultants and business analysts (2431) | £53,295 | 222 |
| Engineering project managers and project engineers (2127) | £53,064 | 62 |
| Higher education teaching professionals (2311) | £52,835 | 188 |
| Quantity surveyors (2453) | £52,537 | 36 |
| Electronics engineers (professional) (2124) | £52,518 | 15 |
| Civil engineers (2121) | £51,366 | 59 |
| Mechanical engineers (professional) (2122) | £51,110 | 52 |
| Veterinarians (2240) | £51,058 | n/a |
| Optometrists (2252) | £51,030 | n/a |
| Barristers and judges (2411) | £50,915 | 18 |
| Finance and investment analysts and advisers (2422) | £50,330 | 178 |
| Quality assurance and regulatory professionals (2482) | £50,083 | 118 |
| Chartered and certified accountants (2421) | £50,062 | 60 |
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a, published . Job counts are indicative only, as ONS warns.
How to read these numbers
- Median, not starting pay. Half of full-time employees in the group earn more than the median and half earn less. Someone new to the job usually starts nearer the lower quarter.
- Whole occupation groups. ONS publishes pay for four-digit SOC 2020 groups. A group such as “Programmers and software development professionals” covers many job titles and levels.
- Employees only. The survey (ASHE) does not cover the self-employed, and it counts people who have been in the same job for more than a year.
- Tax year ending 5 April 2025. ONS publishes the 2026 figures on 22 October 2026, and this page will be updated then.
- These are UK-wide figures. Pay varies by region and employer; ONS publishes regional tables separately.
Common questions
What jobs pay £50k without a degree?
In the latest ONS figures (2025), jobs with a full-time median between £50,000 and £59,999 that do not normally need a degree include project manager, risk manager, clinical trials coordinator (£59,834), production manager (£58,640), IT project manager (£58,373), policy officer (£58,341), purchasing manager (£58,005) and business development manager (£57,625). Most people in these jobs have years of experience; the median is not a starting salary.
How much is £50k a year after tax?
About £39,520 a year, or £3,293 a month, in 2026/27 if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, before pension or student loan deductions. The 40% higher rate of income tax starts at £50,271, so each extra pound above that is taxed more heavily: £60,000 comes to about £3,780 a month on the same basis. Scottish income tax bands are different.
Is £50k a good salary in the UK?
Yes, by UK standards. The full-time median was £39,039 in April 2025 and between 60% and 70% of full-time employee jobs paid less than £50,000.
What jobs pay more than £60k?
Our page on the highest-paid jobs in the UK lists every occupation group with a median above £60,000 in the 2025 ONS figures. More than half of them are director and senior management groups.
Leaving a particular job? See where people go after teaching, nursing, the police or the armed forces.