Average Salary UK 2026
UK salary benchmarks for 2026 — by job title, sector, and region. Use the data to negotiate your next offer or check if you're being underpaid.
£34,963
UK median salary (2025/26)
£46,000
London median salary
£12.21
National Living Wage (21+)
+4.2%
Average wage growth (2025)
UK salaries by role — 2026
25th–75th percentile for UK-based mid-level roles. Year-on-year change shown.
| Role | Salary range | YoY change | Remote? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (mid) | £55,000–£80,000 | +8% | ✓ |
| Data Scientist | £52,000–£85,000 | +6% | ✓ |
| Product Manager | £60,000–£95,000 | +5% | ✓ |
| Investment Banker (Analyst) | £45,000–£70,000 + bonus | +2% | Office |
| Management Consultant | £45,000–£75,000 | +3% | Office |
| Nurse (Band 5–6) | £28,407–£40,588 | +5.5% | Office |
| Teacher (MPS 1–6) | £30,000–£46,525 | +2.5% | Office |
| Marketing Manager | £38,000–£60,000 | +4% | ✓ |
| HR Manager | £35,000–£58,000 | +3% | ✓ |
| Accountant (ACA/ACCA) | £38,000–£65,000 | +4% | ✓ |
| Project Manager | £42,000–£70,000 | +4% | ✓ |
| Customer Success Manager | £35,000–£58,000 | +6% | ✓ |
| UX Designer | £40,000–£70,000 | +3% | ✓ |
| Sales Manager | £38,000–£65,000 + OTE | +3% | ✓ |
| DevOps Engineer | £55,000–£90,000 | +9% | ✓ |
| Solicitor (3 PQE) | £50,000–£90,000 | +4% | Office |
Sources: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Reed Salary Benchmark, Glassdoor UK data.
UK salaries by region
Regional salary premiums relative to London baseline.
London
£46,0001.0× (baseline)
Highest nominal salaries but high cost of living offsets advantage
South East (excl. London)
£38,5000.88×
Commuter belt — lower salaries but lower housing costs in some areas
East of England
£37,0000.85×
Cambridge tech/biotech cluster pays above regional average
South West
£35,7000.82×
Bristol is the major employment hub — aerospace, tech, creative
West Midlands
£34,8000.80×
Birmingham growing fast — HSBC UK HQ, tech investment
East Midlands
£34,4000.79×
Logistics and manufacturing dominant. Nottingham/Leicester hubs.
Yorkshire & Humber
£34,0000.78×
Leeds fintech/professional services pays higher than regional average
North West
£34,0000.78×
Manchester growing fast — tech, media, finance
North East
£32,2000.74×
Lowest average but also lowest housing costs
Scotland
£35,7000.82×
Edinburgh fintech cluster pays above Scottish average
Wales
£33,1000.76×
Cardiff growing — financial services and public sector
Northern Ireland
£32,2000.74×
Belfast tech sector growing, low cost of living relative to salary
How to use UK salary data to negotiate
The median is your floor, not your ceiling. The figures above are medians — half of people in those roles earn more. If you have above-average experience, a in-demand specialism, or a track record of strong results, you should be targeting the 60th–75th percentile, not the median.
Location still matters, even for remote roles. Many UK employers pay different rates depending on where you live — London rates for London employees, regional rates for everyone else. If you're taking a remote role but the company is London-based, negotiate for the London rate. Your cost of living is your business, not a reason to pay you less.
How to use this in a negotiation. When a company gives you an offer, use these ranges as a reference. Say: “I've looked at market data for this role and comparable companies, and I'd expect to see something in the £X–£Y range.” Then stay silent. For the full script, use the personalised salary checker — it generates word-for-word negotiation scripts based on your specific role, experience, and sector.
Get your personalised salary estimate
Enter your role, location, and experience. Get your anchor, target, and walk-away numbers with 3 word-for-word negotiation scripts.
Check my salary →Find roles that pay what you're worth
Set your minimum salary and Autoply applies overnight to roles that meet it. 10 free applications.
Start free →