Official ONS earnings · 111 occupations compared
North East vs West Midlands
Typical pay is about 7% higher in West Midlands, but that headline hides a lot: North East pays more for 47 of the 111 occupations measured in both.
North East
£30,758
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 142
- Highest paid
- £72,472
- Lowest paid
- £10,408
West Midlands
£32,969
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 206
- Highest paid
- £79,812
- Lowest paid
- £3,823
Where North East pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in North East's favour.
Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)
+31.6%£36,191 in North East · £27,493 in West Midlands
£37,952 in North East · £28,985 in West Midlands
£55,195 in North East · £43,264 in West Midlands
Pharmaceutical technicians
+20.3%£27,702 in North East · £23,018 in West Midlands
Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.
+17.9%£30,414 in North East · £25,807 in West Midlands
Early education and childcare practitioners
+16.2%£21,371 in North East · £18,397 in West Midlands
Engineering technicians
+15.9%£42,234 in North East · £36,453 in West Midlands
Specialist nurses
+14.6%£48,666 in North East · £42,477 in West Midlands
Where West Midlands pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in West Midlands's favour.
Transport and distribution clerks and assistants
+30%£34,827 in West Midlands · £24,367 in North East
£56,066 in West Midlands · £39,722 in North East
Project support officers
+28.1%£34,402 in West Midlands · £24,743 in North East
Leisure and sports managers
+28%£35,634 in West Midlands · £25,662 in North East
Data entry administrators
+26%£27,725 in West Midlands · £20,506 in North East
Construction and building trades supervisors
+24.4%£45,544 in West Midlands · £34,453 in North East
£32,913 in West Midlands · £25,946 in North East
Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers
+20.6%£31,099 in West Midlands · £24,680 in North East
Jobs that pay the same in both
Where location makes almost no difference to the median.
| Occupation | North East | West Midlands | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | £23,575 | £23,591 | -0.1% |
| Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants | £27,906 | £28,005 | -0.4% |
| Other nursing professionals | £36,385 | £36,551 | -0.5% |
| Secondary education teaching professionals | £44,406 | £44,680 | -0.6% |
| Managers in transport and distribution | £45,905 | £46,243 | -0.7% |
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 111 four-digit SOC 2020 occupations with a published median in both regions. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.