There are many reasons to learn a second language, both professionally and personally. In fact, according to online educational platform Preply, almost 40%¹ of users learn a new language to grow professionally.

Employment rates in the UK have increased by 0.3% in the last year² therefore standing out from the crowd with the advantage of being able to speak another language has never been more important.

To help multilingual workers in the UK looking to enter a new field, or inspire those debating on which language to learn for work purposes, Preply has created an interactive map showcasing the most lucrative languages across the UK alongside the average wage, top sectors and locations³.

Arabic revealed as London’s most profitable language

Arabic has been unveiled as the most lucrative language across London with Accounting and finance the most sought-after sector. The average UK wage for Arabic-speaking candidates is £52,806.

The top five sectors for Arabic-speaking workers in London are as followed:

1. Accounting and finance
2. IT
3. Teaching
4. Sales
5. PR, advertising and marketing

Mandarin revealed as London’s second profitable language

The average wage for Mandarin-speaking candidates is £44,664 and the top five sectors in London for Mandaring-speaking workers are as followed:

1. Accounting and finance
2. Teaching
3. IT
4. Sales
5. Hospitality and catering

Dutch revealed as London’s third profitable language

The average wage for Dutch-speaking candidates is £44,157 and the top five sectors in London for Dutch-speaking workers are as followed:

1. Accounting and finance
2. IT
3. Sales
4. Teaching
5. Customer services

German revealed as London’s fourth profitable language

The average wage for German-speaking candidates is £41,227 and the top five sectors in London for German-speaking workers are as followed:

1. Accounting and finance
2. IT
3. Sales
4. Teaching
5. Customer services

French revealed as London’s fifth profitable language

The average wage for French-speaking candidates is £40,894 and the top five sectors in London for French-speaking workers are as followed:

1. Sales
2. Accounting and finance
3. IT
4. Teaching
5. Hospitality and catering

For those considering learning one of the most sought-after languages, it costs around £11-£16 per hour, on average, to learn with a dedicated Preply tutor.

Summarising the findings, Kirill Bigai, CEO and co-founder at Preply, expresses: “It’s interesting to see which languages are the most lucrative across the UK and just how in-demand they are.

“Being fluent in two or more languages will always give you an edge over a monolingual candidate when it comes to job interviews and these opportunities exist in many businesses from health care, to education and tourism. As outlined, language skills also lead to an increase in salary.

“Whatever your career aspiration might be, with the additional skill of being able to speak another language, you’ll certainly thrive and reach your goals.”