The Highest Paying Careers You've Never Heard Of

When people think about high-paying careers in the UK, the usual suspects come up: software engineering, investment banking, law, medicine. But the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings tells a different story. Some of the best-compensated jobs in the country are ones most career advisers never mention.

Here are the highest paying careers you have probably never considered — all backed by real 2025 ASHE data.

Train and Tram Drivers — Median £76,176

This is the one that surprises everyone. Train drivers in the UK earn a median salary of £76,176, with full-time drivers earning £76,327. The 10th percentile — essentially the lowest earners — still take home £49,736 full-time.

That puts train drivers ahead of software developers (£55,587 median), IT managers (£55,502), and most engineering disciplines. There are approximately 26,000 train driver jobs in the UK.

The path in is unusual: most train operating companies run their own training programmes, which typically last 12-18 months. No degree required. The trade-off is shift work, high responsibility, and a competitive application process.

Aircraft Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers — Median £107,712

At the very top of the ASHE data sits this combined category with a median of £107,712. Even at the 10th percentile, earnings are £55,377. With around 20,000 jobs in this category, it is a small but exceptionally well-paid field.

The barrier to entry is significant — commercial pilot training costs £80,000-£120,000 — but air traffic control training is funded by NATS. Both require intense selection processes.

Electrical Engineers — Median £59,930

Electrical engineering does not carry the glamour of software engineering, but the pay is remarkably close. The median is £59,930 (£60,303 full-time), with approximately 35,000 jobs in the UK.

The 10th percentile sits at £34,060, meaning even entry-level electrical engineers earn above the UK median salary of £39,298. This is a field where demand consistently outstrips supply, particularly in power infrastructure and renewable energy.

Rail and Rolling Stock Builders and Repairers — Median £64,322

A highly specialised trade that most people have never heard of. These are the workers who build, maintain, and repair trains and railway equipment. The full-time median is £64,322.

This is a skilled trade that typically requires an apprenticeship rather than a degree. With the UK investing heavily in rail infrastructure — HS2, the Elizabeth Line, rolling stock renewals — demand for these skills has pushed wages significantly higher. Between 2015 and 2025, median pay in this role grew by 140%, from £26,762 to £64,322.

Rail Transport Operatives — Median £56,925

Another rail sector role that pays well above expectations. Rail transport operatives — which includes signallers, controllers, and other operational staff — earn a median of £56,925 (£57,088 full-time), with the 10th percentile at £32,896.

Around 15,000 people work in these roles across the UK. Like train drivers, most positions offer structured training programmes with no degree requirement.

IT Business Analysts and Systems Architects — Median £59,593

While “software developer” gets all the attention, IT business analysts and systems architects quietly earn more. The median is £59,593 (£60,288 full-time), with the 90th percentile reaching £99,939.

There are approximately 168,000 people in these roles — nearly half the size of the programming workforce (360,000) — and the 10th percentile starts at £34,336. These roles bridge the gap between technical and business teams, and the combination of skills commands a premium.

Brokers — Median £51,026

Not stockbrokers on a trading floor — this category covers insurance brokers, commodity brokers, and other financial intermediaries. The full-time median is £56,689, with around 19,000 jobs.

What makes this notable is the growth: between 2015 and 2025, broker pay increased by 87.4%. Much of this is driven by specialised insurance and reinsurance markets, particularly in London.

Head Teachers and Principals — Median £70,977

Education rarely features in “highest paying” lists, but head teachers and principals earn a median of £70,977 (£72,192 full-time). With around 63,000 positions and the 10th percentile at £41,346, even the lowest-paid head teachers earn more than the UK average.

The path is long — typically 10-15 years of teaching experience plus leadership qualifications — but the salary reflects the scope of the role: managing budgets, staff, and outcomes for entire schools.

What These Careers Have in Common

Several patterns emerge from this data:

Regulated industries pay well. Rail, aviation, and education all have strong union representation or government-backed pay structures. These roles tend to offer more predictable salary progression.

Trades and vocational paths compete with degrees. Train drivers, rail engineers, and electrical engineers do not require university education, yet consistently out-earn many graduate professions.

Niche beats popular. The most competitive graduate careers — marketing, media, general management — often pay less than specialist roles that attract fewer applicants.

The Real Takeaway

Career advice in the UK is heavily biased toward university and a narrow set of “prestigious” professions. The data tells a different story. A train driver earns more than most software developers. An electrical engineer earns more than most accountants. A head teacher earns more than most lawyers outside the City.

The best career decisions are data-driven ones. Explore the full salary data for over 520 occupations on CareerMetrics.

All salary data from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025, workplace analysis.