Official ONS earnings · 172 occupations compared
North West vs South East
Typical pay is about 4% higher in South East, but that headline hides a lot: North West pays more for 69 of the 172 occupations measured in both.
North West
£33,462
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 226
- Highest paid
- £83,567
- Lowest paid
- £4,511
South East
£34,801
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 237
- Highest paid
- £95,391
- Lowest paid
- £3,432
Where North West pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in North West's favour.
School midday and crossing patrol occupations
+31.4%£4,511 in North West · £3,432 in South East
£48,226 in North West · £36,909 in South East
Crane drivers
+28%£53,511 in North West · £41,819 in South East
£50,053 in North West · £39,131 in South East
Interior designers
+25%£37,803 in North West · £30,243 in South East
£46,652 in North West · £37,639 in South East
Houseparents and residential wardens
+22.7%£32,072 in North West · £26,134 in South East
Other health professionals n.e.c.
+21.6%£38,807 in North West · £31,903 in South East
Where South East pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in South East's favour.
Road construction operatives
+35.7%£48,930 in South East · £31,450 in North West
Metal making and treating process operatives
+26.1%£38,818 in South East · £28,685 in North West
£67,902 in South East · £50,526 in North West
Groundworkers
+23.7%£37,276 in South East · £28,452 in North West
Rail transport operatives
+23.3%£69,191 in South East · £53,103 in North West
£63,289 in South East · £49,067 in North West
Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants
+22.2%£20,207 in South East · £15,730 in North West
Health and safety managers and officers
+22.2%£51,581 in South East · £40,123 in North West
Jobs that pay the same in both
Where location makes almost no difference to the median.
| Occupation | North West | South East | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock control clerks and assistants | £28,762 | £28,693 | +0.2% |
| Production and process engineers | £47,043 | £46,884 | +0.3% |
| Clergy | £30,558 | £30,655 | -0.3% |
| Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks | £26,923 | £27,031 | -0.4% |
| Call and contact centre occupations | £25,750 | £25,626 | +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 172 four-digit SOC 2020 occupations with a published median in both regions. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.