Specialised construction activities: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in specialised construction activities earned a median £39,543 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £504 more than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is 44th of 84 divisions.
82% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £31,450, men £40,705.
The median rose 25.0% from £31,641 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 900,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, up 5% since 2019; 16% are in South East.
There were 250,050 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (94%) 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 | £24,960 | £502.30 | £12.75 | £12,570 | £241.00 | £12.50 |
| 20th percentile | £29,143 | £580.00 | £14.45 | £23,292 | £468.70 | £13.80 |
| 25th percentile | £30,753 | £615.60 | £15.00 | £25,563 | £513.00 | £14.55 |
| 30th percentile | £32,421 | £650.10 | £15.81 | £28,212 | £558.70 | £15.14 |
| 40th percentile | £35,922 | £715.40 | £17.21 | £32,001 | £640.30 | £16.65 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £39,543 | £780.50 | £18.71 | £36,000 | £719.30 | £18.04 |
| 60th percentile | £43,993 | £865.40 | £20.60 | £40,523 | £804.90 | £20.00 |
| 70th percentile | £48,878 | £959.90 | £22.93 | £45,732 | £905.30 | £22.42 |
| 75th percentile | £52,000 | £1,027.20 | £24.21 | £48,893 | £960.00 | £23.90 |
| 80th percentile | £55,396 | £1,102.40 | £25.87 | £52,476 | £1,039.70 | £25.55 |
| 90th percentile | £68,462 | £1,333.80 | £31.25 | £64,228 | £1,272.30 | £31.15 |
| Mean | £44,269 | £874.30 | £20.93 | £39,232 | £772.80 | £20.68 |
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 | £31,641 | £626.30 | £14.87 | £29,249 | £574.90 | 539 |
| 2022 revised | £33,469 | £661.30 | £15.70 | £30,629 | £600.00 | 531 |
| 2023 revised | £35,804 | £702.20 | £17.00 | £32,803 | £643.30 | 519 |
| 2024 revised | £38,821 | £751.40 | £18.00 | £35,368 | £689.90 | 516 |
| 2025 provisional | £39,543 | £780.50 | £18.71 | £36,000 | £719.30 | 542 |
Where the 900,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 135,000 | 145,000 |
| North West | 110,000 | 114,000 |
| East of England | 104,000 | 110,000 |
| Scotland | 85,000 | 90,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 83,000 | 88,000 |
| London | 80,000 | 82,000 |
| South West | 67,000 | 74,000 |
| West Midlands | 59,000 | 64,000 |
| East Midlands | 58,000 | 62,000 |
| North East | 34,000 | 36,000 |
| Wales | 31,000 | 34,000 |
| Great Britain | 846,000 | 900,000 |
250,050 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 235,215 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 13,335 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 1,420 |
| Large (250 or more) | 80 |
| Total | 250,050 |
2021: 225,890; 2022: 233,555; 2023: 236,650; 2024: 239,380; 2025: 243,760; 2026: 250,050.
Related
Construction · Civil engineering · Construction of buildings · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026