5 Highest Paid Jobs and Degrees in the UK

Getting a degree in the UK becomes more and more expensive, so there are a lot of people who wonder if such investments worth the cost. The truth is that despite fees rising to £9,000 and higher per year, there are some high-flying careers that can significantly enhance your lifetime earnings potential. So if you are one of those who people who attend university in order to maximize earning potential, we would like to provide you with the information about top 5 highest paid jobs and degrees in the UK. The figures listed below measure annual gross salaries, without accounting for bonuses or other benefits. Though you do not have to expect such earnings right from the first day of your work, there is a good chance that you will make it someday.

5 highest paid jobs in the UK

1. Chief Executives and Senior Officials

Salary range: £41,875 – £142,686

Chief Executives, also known as Managing Directors or CEOs, are considered to be the highest-ranking people in any organization. Despite high demand for such specialists, the profession of Chief Executive does not require any degree or qualification. The most successful people who hold the position of Chief Executive are Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Richard Branson. All of them dropped out of their university and do not have any degrees.

Nevertheless, it will be wise if you choose some educational pathway. For example, you can obtain a degree in business. The thing is that most of the organizations require their Managing Directors to be educated. But if you want to follow the footsteps of the most famous chiefs executives who started their own business, you can miss that step.

Generally, chief executives can be described as real leaders with thick skin. If you have such qualities and have some postgraduate of professional qualifications, you can try to apply for such positions.

2. Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers

Salary range: £68,354 – £89,928

Pilot salaries vary depending on the employer you work for, your experience and type of aircraft you use. To become a pilot, you will have to go through training that requires you to pass 5 GCSEs and have two A-levels. If you have a degree in the field of maths or physics, it will help you to stand out against the competition, as well as provide you with some more advantages. Also, it will be great if you obtain a degree in Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training.

If you want to become a pilot, you have to know that pilots are required to pass certain exams every six months in order to get an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL). So obtaining a degree will help you to prepare for the continuous process of studying.

3. Medical Practitioners

Salary range: £30,291 – £132,613

If you decide to become a medical practitioner, a medical degree is required. It will allow you begin your training in the area of your specialization. Obtaining a degree in medicine will take at least five years of studying at medical school. Also, there is a compulsory two-year foundation training program associated with the specialization of your choice. Note that if you want to become a consultant, you will have to go through further specialist training. Your salary will rise depending on intensity and length of such training.

All those who want to choose a career path in medicine have to know that competition for places on medical degree courses is very high. It requires students to have high A-level grades in such subjects as mathematics and science, as well as to have caring role work experience. Before applying to medical course, it will be wise to learn about the necessary experience.

4. Marketing and Sales Director

Salary range: £44,654 – £110,010

Sales and marketing is very important part of any business as without it, no one will know about the advantages of your product, even if it is really, really good or even the best one on the market. Nevertheless, besides positions confined to the private sector, marketing specialists can find employment in public sector, as well as work for some non-profit organizations.

Marketing specialists are those people who create promotion strategies. You can expect to be involved in such activities as promotions of some new products or raising society’s awareness of some charity.

All those who want to build a career in the sphere of marketing have to understand that marketing, as many other sectors, is highly competitive. Most of the employers prefer to hire specialists with degrees in such fields as marketing or business. Also, it will be wise to get some work experience before applying for the position of marketing specialist. You can consider gaining such experience through internships, holiday jobs or placements.

Also, it will be wise to go through some online courses that will look great on your CV. Today, plenty of such courses are free, allowing you to keep yourself up to date on the latest practices.

5. IT and Telecommunications Directors

Salary range: £42,471 – £84,306

The field of IT is also considered to be highly competitive one. To get the position in the field, IT skills are essential. You can consider obtaining a degree in such subjects as website programming and design, internet engineering or computer science to increase your chances to become successful in the field.

Also, you have to note that the more work experience you have, the more chances to succeed. Working experience will let you to apply for highly-paid positions and to earn more money. So if you are obtaining your degree at university, do not miss a chance to get use its careers service and apply for summer placements.

If you have enough knowledge in the field and you ready to work, you can consider building up your portfolio with some freelance jobs. Such step will help you to earn some extra money as well as it will help to improve your skills, whether you design some websites or redesign some sites. Also, do not be ashamed of working for free while you study. The thing is that IT sphere requires specialists to stay up to date with developments, so the more practice generally means more money.

If you choose an IT field, get ready to go through industry-supported continuous professional development (CPD) throughout all your career path. Plenty of reading is guaranteed.