The best paying contracting jobs are in tech and finance, claims research

IT contractors can earn more than £400 a day

The best paying contracting jobs are being offered in the finance, change management and IT, according to new research from Emolument.com.

After studying compensation data from 3,694 UK contractors, the jobs-listing website found that the highest-paid contracting roles require people with strong technical skills or experience in the IT sector.

The top job is a risk modelling and 'quant' role in the finance industry, with successful applicants able to demand a daily rate of £760.

Meanwhile, the rest of the top five consists of finance and change management roles with skills covering programme management, model valuation and finance change. Daily rates range from £730 to £570.

Outside the top six, the first proper technology job emerges: Senior IT managers are a popular listing and can expect to earn £570 a day.

Business analysts in the data industry can also expect to earn a not inconsiderable daily rate, with rates starting at £505. Enterprise architects in the technology sector can demand a day rate of £505.

Outside the top 10, there are roles such as IT service delivery specialists, cyber-security experts, software developers and data analysts with daily rates ranging from £485 to £425.

According to the study, the most highly skilled and highly paid jobs "combine both advanced mathematical knowledge and a high paying industry such as banking". The company said: "They are some of the highest paid contractors, at up to £760/day".

Senior managers in IT also do well. "Despite the headlines about technology 'wonderkids' being offered eye-watering pay packages, the highest-paid IT contractors are still the ones with substantial experience,' explained Emolument.

Change management roles are popular too. "While stakes are high, as change projects can dramatically impact a company's bottom line, these jobs are temporary by nature," it continued.

Alice Leguay, co-founder of Emolument.com, added: 'More and more, companies require specific skills and competencies at a given point in time which make the contractor model particularly attractive for employers, prepared to pay up for a targeted solution.

"Contractors also enjoy the freedom and job variety afforded by a consulting model, though rates vary widely, with some specialism affording much more financial security and visibility than others as our study shows."