Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis earned a median £45,570 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £6,531 more than across all industries.
What the figures show
It ranks 22nd of 84 divisions on this measure.
89% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £37,711, men £47,781.
The median rose 20.8% from £37,715 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 573,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 2% since 2019; 18% are in London.
There were 85,685 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (90%) with fewer than 10 staff (UK Business Counts).
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £27,291 | £536.60 | £14.12 | £22,355 | £469.30 | £13.80 |
| 20th percentile | £31,601 | £621.60 | £16.25 | £28,559 | £565.30 | £15.94 |
| 25th percentile | £33,982 | £661.80 | £17.25 | £30,871 | £609.80 | £17.02 |
| 30th percentile | £36,147 | £705.40 | £18.29 | £33,229 | £650.10 | £18.03 |
| 40th percentile | £40,176 | £788.10 | £20.44 | £37,762 | £737.90 | £20.27 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £45,570 | £883.10 | £22.94 | £42,390 | £837.40 | £22.66 |
| 60th percentile | £51,077 | £990.60 | £25.65 | £48,073 | £946.70 | £25.41 |
| 70th percentile | £58,276 | £1,144.90 | £29.40 | £54,961 | £1,073.30 | £28.85 |
| 75th percentile | £62,780 | £1,241.20 | £32.08 | £59,482 | £1,169.10 | £31.46 |
| 80th percentile | £69,513 | £1,341.60 | £35.34 | £65,724 | £1,286.20 | £34.67 |
| 90th percentile | £86,888 | £1,651.10 | £43.44 | £83,369 | £1,615.90 | £42.40 |
| Mean | £55,613 | £1,025.10 | £26.61 | £51,499 | £955.40 | £26.44 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £37,715 | £722.20 | £18.57 | £34,893 | £671.60 | 443 |
| 2022 revised | £38,590 | £743.40 | £19.19 | £36,000 | £701.80 | 474 |
| 2023 revised | £41,483 | £804.90 | £21.08 | £39,078 | £767.20 | 549 |
| 2024 revised | £43,218 | £832.40 | £21.56 | £40,838 | £791.60 | 508 |
| 2025 provisional | £45,570 | £883.10 | £22.94 | £42,390 | £837.40 | 506 |
Where the 573,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| London | 99,000 | 101,000 |
| South East | 78,000 | 79,000 |
| North West | 62,000 | 63,000 |
| Scotland | 59,000 | 60,000 |
| South West | 56,000 | 57,000 |
| West Midlands | 53,000 | 54,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 48,000 | 49,000 |
| East of England | 43,000 | 44,000 |
| East Midlands | 35,000 | 35,000 |
| Wales | 15,000 | 16,000 |
| North East | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Great Britain | 564,000 | 573,000 |
85,685 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 76,840 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 7,210 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 1,440 |
| Large (250 or more) | 190 |
| Total | 85,685 |
2021: 97,955; 2022: 89,885; 2023: 84,575; 2024: 84,125; 2025: 84,140; 2026: 85,685.
Related
Professional, scientific and technical activities · Activities of head offices; management consultancy activities · Scientific research and development · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026