Official ONS earnings · 158 occupations compared
North West vs West Midlands
Typical pay is about 1% higher in North West, but that headline hides a lot: West Midlands pays more for 73 of the 158 occupations measured in both.
North West
£33,462
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 226
- Highest paid
- £83,567
- Lowest paid
- £4,511
West Midlands
£32,969
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 206
- Highest paid
- £79,812
- Lowest paid
- £3,823
Where North West pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in North West's favour.
Energy plant operatives
+65.9%£63,662 in North West · £38,379 in West Midlands
Houseparents and residential wardens
+41.4%£32,072 in North West · £22,683 in West Midlands
Biochemists and biomedical scientists
+26.7%£47,457 in North West · £37,464 in West Midlands
Interior designers
+26%£37,803 in North West · £30,007 in West Midlands
Air transport operatives
+23.8%£29,435 in North West · £23,772 in West Midlands
Pharmaceutical technicians
+22.3%£28,145 in North West · £23,018 in West Midlands
Housing officers
+21.2%£32,543 in North West · £26,858 in West Midlands
Higher level teaching assistants
+20.9%£26,315 in North West · £21,759 in West Midlands
Where West Midlands pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in West Midlands's favour.
Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c.
+29.7%£57,568 in West Midlands · £40,497 in North West
Road construction operatives
+28.1%£43,753 in West Midlands · £31,450 in North West
Groundworkers
+25.9%£38,406 in West Midlands · £28,452 in North West
£44,172 in West Midlands · £33,871 in North West
Routine inspectors and testers
+23%£37,589 in West Midlands · £28,945 in North West
Agricultural and fishing trades n.e.c.
+21.1%£33,042 in West Midlands · £26,075 in North West
£62,074 in West Midlands · £50,526 in North West
Research and development (R&D) managers
+17.1%£61,923 in West Midlands · £51,354 in North West
Jobs that pay the same in both
Where location makes almost no difference to the median.
| Occupation | North West | West Midlands | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing, sales and advertising directors | £79,816 | £79,812 | 0% |
| Other nursing professionals | £36,591 | £36,551 | +0.1% |
| Production managers and directors in manufacturing | £48,198 | £48,224 | -0.1% |
| Metal machining setters and setter-operators | £32,985 | £33,025 | -0.1% |
| Solicitors and lawyers | £44,311 | £44,221 | +0.2% |
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 158 four-digit SOC 2020 occupations with a published median in both regions. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.