Official ONS earnings · 129 occupations compared
Scotland vs Wales
Typical pay is about 7% higher in Scotland, but that headline hides a lot: Wales pays more for 52 of the 129 occupations measured in both.
Scotland
£34,625
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 224
- Highest paid
- £114,012
- Lowest paid
- £8,510
Wales
£32,489
typical occupation median
- Occupations measured
- 167
- Highest paid
- £86,152
- Lowest paid
- £10,404
Where Scotland pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in Scotland's favour.
£51,665 in Scotland · £30,404 in Wales
Specialist medical practitioners
+32.3%£114,012 in Scotland · £86,152 in Wales
Business associate professionals n.e.c.
+32.1%£37,917 in Scotland · £28,711 in Wales
Health and safety managers and officers
+31.7%£48,814 in Scotland · £37,056 in Wales
£54,668 in Scotland · £41,581 in Wales
Metal machining setters and setter-operators
+27.7%£36,394 in Scotland · £28,496 in Wales
£59,371 in Scotland · £46,767 in Wales
Kitchen and catering assistants
+26.2%£13,135 in Scotland · £10,404 in Wales
Where Wales pays more
Biggest proportional gaps in Wales's favour.
Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)
+23.2%£36,804 in Wales · £28,269 in Scotland
Sales related occupations n.e.c.
+20.1%£40,049 in Wales · £31,988 in Scotland
Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers
+19.7%£30,254 in Wales · £24,305 in Scotland
Elementary administration occupations n.e.c.
+18.2%£25,615 in Wales · £20,946 in Scotland
Vehicle valeters and cleaners
+17.5%£24,390 in Wales · £20,130 in Scotland
Advertising accounts managers and creative directors
+17%£43,144 in Wales · £35,813 in Scotland
Events managers and organisers
+14.9%£33,353 in Wales · £28,372 in Scotland
Other health professionals n.e.c.
+14.3%£40,091 in Wales · £34,364 in Scotland
Jobs that pay the same in both
Where location makes almost no difference to the median.
| Occupation | Scotland | Wales | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical secretaries | £22,790 | £22,783 | 0% |
| Records clerks and assistants | £27,150 | £27,104 | +0.2% |
| Refuse and salvage occupations | £29,095 | £29,173 | -0.3% |
| Senior care workers | £26,043 | £26,153 | -0.4% |
| Construction operatives n.e.c. | £29,467 | £29,591 | -0.4% |
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 129 four-digit SOC 2020 occupations with a published median in both regions. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.