Official ONS earnings · 150 occupations compared
East of England vs West Midlands
Typical pay is about 2% higher in East of England, but that headline hides a lot: West Midlands pays more for 66 of the 150 occupations measured in both.
East of England
£33,543
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 209
- Highest paid
- £83,444
- Lowest paid
- £9,512
West Midlands
£32,969
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 206
- Highest paid
- £79,812
- Lowest paid
- £3,823
Where East of England pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in East of England's favour.
Plastics process operatives
+57%£36,743 in East of England · £23,410 in West Midlands
Biochemists and biomedical scientists
+44.7%£54,211 in East of England · £37,464 in West Midlands
Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale
+32.8%£30,016 in East of England · £22,610 in West Midlands
Production and process engineers
+32.6%£56,302 in East of England · £42,476 in West Midlands
Vehicle body builders and repairers
+30.6%£44,643 in East of England · £34,185 in West Midlands
£53,607 in East of England · £41,494 in West Midlands
£60,203 in East of England · £47,744 in West Midlands
Engineering technicians
+21.8%£44,402 in East of England · £36,453 in West Midlands
Where West Midlands pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in West Midlands's favour.
Other nursing professionals
+42.6%£36,551 in West Midlands · £20,972 in East of England
Therapy professionals n.e.c.
+22.9%£31,783 in West Midlands · £24,517 in East of England
£44,172 in West Midlands · £35,643 in East of England
Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.
+18.9%£35,709 in West Midlands · £28,947 in East of England
Agricultural and fishing trades n.e.c.
+17.7%£33,042 in West Midlands · £27,191 in East of England
Buyers and procurement officers
+16.9%£39,705 in West Midlands · £32,998 in East of England
£43,100 in West Midlands · £36,095 in East of England
£37,293 in West Midlands · £31,316 in East of England
Jobs that pay the same in both
Where location makes almost no difference to the median.
| Occupation | East of England | West Midlands | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human resources and industrial relations officers | £32,863 | £32,891 | -0.1% |
| Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants | £28,123 | £28,005 | +0.4% |
| Managers and directors in retail and wholesale | £36,948 | £37,082 | -0.4% |
| Construction project managers and related professionals | £43,467 | £43,264 | +0.5% |
| Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians | £37,763 | £37,560 | +0.5% |
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional), Table 15. Comparison covers the 150 four-digit SOC 2020 occupations with a published median in both regions. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.