UK trade salary data
UK Trade Salary Index 2026
Compare realistic trade salaries, day rates and earning levers before choosing a route. Use this as the hub, then read the full salary guide for any trade you are seriously considering.
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Salary guide routes
The hub now pulls every live salary guide so new pages are linked from one authority index.
£25k-£65k+
Typical qualified range
Entry pay varies, but specialist tickets, responsibility and self-employment create the upside.
3 levers
Tickets, niche, market
Most high earners move beyond the generic trade title into higher-value work.
Compare UK trade salaries
These figures are broad 2026 working ranges, not guarantees. Read the linked guide for region, experience, employed versus self-employed detail and next steps.
| Trade | Typical salary | Common day rate | What lifts earnings | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | £35,000 - £55,000 | £220 - £400 | Inspection, testing, EV charging, solar, commercial work | Read → |
| Plumber | £32,000 - £50,000 | £180 - £300 | Gas Safe, unvented hot water, bathrooms, renewables | Read → |
| Gas Engineer | £36,000 - £55,000 | £220 - £380 | Boiler installs, servicing, emergency call-out, commercial gas | Read → |
| HVAC Engineer | £32,000 - £55,000 | £200 - £350 | F-Gas, heat pumps, refrigeration, data centres, commissioning | Read → |
| Lift Engineer | £35,000 - £60,000+ | £220 - £380 | Call-out, modernisation, escalators, complex commercial sites | Read → |
| Fire Alarm Engineer | £32,000 - £55,000 | £200 - £320 | Commissioning, BS 5839, emergency lighting, call-out | Read → |
| Electrical Maintenance Engineer | £38,000 - £55,000 | £220 - £380 | Controls, PLCs, shift cover, factories, facilities, fault-finding | Read → |
| EV Charger Installer | £30,000 - £55,000 | £220 - £400 | Commercial installs, solar, batteries, testing, direct customers | Read → |
| Heat Pump Engineer | £34,000 - £55,000 | £220 - £380 | Design, commissioning, low-temperature heating, MCS route | Read → |
| Heating Engineer | £33,000 - £52,000 | £200 - £350 | Gas Safe, boiler installs, controls, renewables, call-out | Read → |
| Solar Panel Installer | £32,000 - £52,000 | £180 - £320 | Battery storage, roofing access, electrical route, commercial solar | Read → |
| Site Manager | £45,000 - £70,000 | £250 - £450 | SMSTS, housing, commercial builds, project responsibility | Read → |
| Plant Operator | £30,000 - £55,000+ | £180 - £350 | CPCS/NPORS tickets, 360 excavator, telehandler, civils projects | Read → |
| Scaffolder | £30,000 - £52,000 | £180 - £300 | Advanced CISRS, industrial shutdowns, offshore, supervision | Read → |
| Roofer | £31,000 - £48,000 | £160 - £250 | Leadwork, heritage slate, flat roofing systems, full re-roofs | Read → |
| Bricklayer | £30,000 - £50,000 | £170 - £260 | Price work, gangs, new-build housing, site speed | Read → |
| Groundworker | £28,000 - £45,000 | £160 - £260 | Plant tickets, drainage, utilities, foreman routes | Read → |
| Steel Fixer | £30,000 - £48,000 | £180 - £280 | Concrete frames, infrastructure, drawing skill, gang leader work | Read → |
| Dry Liner | £26,000 - £45,000+ | £170 - £280 | Price work, partitions, ceilings, SFS, commercial interiors | Read → |
| Carpenter | £30,000 - £48,000 | £170 - £280 | Second fix, kitchens, shopfitting, high-end domestic work | Read → |
| Joiner | £32,000 - £45,000 | £180 - £300 | Bespoke joinery, staircases, fitted furniture, commercial fit-out | Read → |
| Kitchen Fitter | £28,000 - £45,000 | £200 - £350 | Premium installs, worktops, project pricing, multi-trade skill | Read → |
| Bathroom Fitter | £32,000 - £55,000 | £200 - £350 | Wet rooms, full refits, waterproofing, project pricing | Read → |
| Floorer | £28,000 - £45,000 | £170 - £280 | LVT, engineered wood, safety flooring, subfloor preparation | Read → |
| Tiler | £31,000 - £45,000 | £180 - £300 | Bathrooms, wet rooms, natural stone, premium domestic work | Read → |
| Plasterer | £32,000 - £46,000 | £160 - £230 | Rendering, room pricing, repeat builder work, premium finishes | Read → |
| Glazier | £28,000 - £45,000 | £170 - £300 | Commercial glazing, curtain walling, emergency glass, lead fitter roles | Read → |
| Locksmith | £28,000 - £50,000+ | £180 - £320 | Emergency call-outs, uPVC, auto locksmithing, access control | Read → |
| Insulation Installer | £25,000 - £42,000+ | £150 - £250 | Retrofit schemes, cavity wall, loft, EWI, team lead work | Read → |
| Demolition Worker | £25,000 - £43,000 | £150 - £250 | CCDO cards, plant, asbestos awareness, supervisor route | Read → |
| Drainage Engineer | £28,000 - £45,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Electrician Apprentice | £14,000 - £27,000 during training | N/A | Year progression, employer quality, college route, ECS pathway | Read → |
| Fibre Broadband Engineer | £27,000 - £44,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Fire Stopping | £28,000 - £45,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Highway Maintenance | £25,000 - £40,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Labourer | £24,000 - £34,000 | £110 - £170 | Tickets, reliability, trade mate route, plant or supervisor progression | Read → |
| Mechanical Fitter | £32,000 - £48,000 | £180 - £320 | Shutdowns, industrial sites, pumps, conveyors, maintenance | Read → |
| Multi-Trade Operative | £30,000 - £45,000 | £170 - £280 | Social housing, repairs, vans, compliance, broad skill set | Read → |
| Painter & Decorator | £26,000 - £42,000 | £150 - £240 | Spraying, heritage work, commercial packages, premium domestic | Read → |
| Rail Engineering | £30,000 - £50,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Rope Access | £30,000 - £55,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Tape and Jointer | £28,000 - £46,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Telecoms Engineer | £28,000 - £45,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Traffic Management | £24,000 - £38,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Utilities Operative | £28,000 - £45,000 | Varies by role | Specialist tickets, region, experience and self-employment | Read → |
| Welder | £25,000 - £45,000 | £180 - £350 | Coded pipe, TIG, shutdowns, marine, specialist fabrication | Read → |
How to read trade salary numbers properly
Trade salary comparisons get messy because employed pay, self-employed turnover and day rates are often mixed together. A £280 day rate is not the same as a guaranteed £72,000 salary. Van costs, tools, tax, insurance, holidays, travel and quiet weeks all matter.
The useful question is not only which trade has the highest headline number. It is which trade has a realistic route into paid work, enough local demand, and clear steps to move from beginner to trusted specialist.
The fastest ways to increase trade pay
Add the right ticket
Gas Safe, F-Gas, 2391, CISRS Advanced, SMSTS and plant cards can change the work you are allowed to take.
Move into a niche
EV charging, heat pumps, commercial gas, coded welding, leadwork, shopfitting and data-centre work all carry stronger value.
Control the route to work
Better CVs, alerts, direct employer contact and repeat customers improve earnings faster than passively waiting.
Frequently asked questions
What trade pays the most in the UK?▼
Senior site managers, specialist electricians, gas engineers, HVAC engineers, advanced scaffolders and coded welders often sit near the top. The best-paid people usually combine trade skill with tickets, responsibility, specialist work or self-employment.
Are trade day rates the same as salary?▼
No. A day rate is not guaranteed annual income. Self-employed tradespeople must allow for tax, insurance, van costs, tools, unpaid time, bad weather, travel and quiet weeks.
Which trade is best for self-employment?▼
Plumbing, gas engineering, electrical work, carpentry, roofing, plastering and decorating all have strong self-employment routes. The best choice depends on local demand, your skills and whether you can handle quoting and customer work.
How can I use this salary index?▼
Use it as a starting point. Shortlist two or three trades, read the full salary guides, then check live jobs and apprenticeships in your area before paying for training.