The official average UK salary for full-time employees is £40,911 a year (ONS, April 2026, provisional).
Some discrepancies appear due to age, gender and location and you need to bear these in mind.
The data used in this article is from the Office of National Statistics and other official surveys taken by some of the major job boards.
The official figures are taken as a median average as the mean often is skewed by the top 1-10% of salaries.
We’ll even share some advice so that, when the time is right, you’ll have the confidence to ask for your own pay rise.
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How to calculate the average UK salary? Mean vs Median.
When you’re looking to compare your salary against the UK average, it’s worth bearing in mind that an average is just that: an average.
It needs to be remembered that the figures quoted take into account certain highly skilled jobs where the pay will always be much more than you’ll receive for an average position.
There are also those at the other end of the scale who are being paid a minimum wage which, importantly when it comes to these figures, varies by age.
The average UK salary is published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). While many people default to using a mean average, the ONS chooses to use the median regarding wages.
The mean would involve all wages being added up and then divided by the amount that there are. Median, on the other hand, is simply the figure that appears in the middle.
Generally speaking, using a median average will lead to a lower number than using a mean.
The ONS believes that the former provides the most reliable measure as the impact of significant variations is limited.
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What is the average salary UK?
While figures for the average UK salary exist, it needs to be remembered that interpreting them is a little tricky right now.
The annual salary figures are not always completely up to date and the £40,911 figure is based on an annual median as of April 2026.
The same survey puts median weekly pay for full-time employees at £811.20 (April 2026).
That works out at about £42,180 over 52 weeks. The annual figure is lower partly because it only counts people who were in the same job for the whole year.
There is of course a big difference in earnings based on location, with median full-time pay for jobs in London at around £1,038 a week while people in the North East would expect to be around £723 (April 2026).
This puts the median full-time London salary at around £53,132 a year.
Now, before you get too carried away with either of those reactions, it’s worth remembering that many factors can impact that average.
Let’s take a look at what those are:
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Average UK salary by region
London drags the national figure up. Its median sits almost £16,000 above the North East, and most other regions land between £31,000 and £34,600. Where you work shapes your pay nearly as much as what you do.
| Region | Median salary (all employees, April 2026) |
|---|---|
| London | £46,465 |
| South East | £34,568 |
| East of England | £33,302 |
| Scotland | £34,304 |
| South West | £32,622 |
| West Midlands | £32,503 |
| North West | £32,351 |
| Northern Ireland | £32,000 |
| Wales | £31,045 |
| East Midlands | £31,453 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £31,835 |
| North East | £30,510 |
Average UK salary by age
Experience pays. Pay climbs through your 20s and 30s and peaks in your 40s, then tails off after 60 as people retire or cut their hours. The 40 to 49 bracket is the high point at £39,366, while a typical 18 to 21 year old earns under £14,000.
| Age group | Median salary (all employees, April 2026) |
|---|---|
| 18 to 21 | £13,618 |
| 22 to 29 | £30,738 |
| 30 to 39 | £37,745 |
| 40 to 49 | £39,366 (peak) |
| 50 to 59 | £36,336 |
| 60+ | £27,489 |
Read nextWhat Is the Top 1% of Income in the UK? (2026-27 Figures)Average UK salary by occupation
The spread here is huge. Managers and directors earn over three times what elementary roles pay, while professional jobs in science, engineering and IT sit comfortably above the national median.
| Occupation group | Median salary (all employees, April 2026) |
|---|---|
| Managers and directors | £58,541 |
| Science, engineering and IT | £53,073 |
| Business, media and public service | £49,135 |
| Teaching and education | £44,625 |
| Health professionals | £42,353 |
| Business and public service associate | £40,120 |
| Administrative and secretarial | £27,474 |
| Caring and personal services | £22,077 |
| Elementary occupations | £18,386 |
At the very top, individual roles pull far above these group averages. On full-time median pay, specialist medical practitioners (£108,281), IT directors (£98,127), marketing, sales and advertising directors (£96,393) and chief executives (£95,516) lead the way (ONS, April 2026).
Gender
There’s no getting away from the fact that the UK still faces issues with a gender pay gap.
Of course, we know more about the situation now and there are laws that require businesses over a certain size to report on it.
The gap has been declining over recent years.
The figures from the ONS tell us a little more about this:
- The median hourly pay for full-time employees is 6.8% less for females (April 2026)
- The median hourly pay for part-time workers is 2.1% higher for females
- When looking at the median as a whole, females earn 12.3% less than males
That last figure can be a little misleading when looking at the average UK salary.
That’s because you have to consider that more females are working part-time jobs, and those who work part-time will generally receive a lower hourly rate.
What is a good salary in the UK?
When looking at a good salary in the UK, it’s fair to say that the cost of living crisis, and high inflation are having an impact.
On ONS figures, a full-time salary of about £56,800 puts you in the top quarter of full-time earners, and about £82,700 puts you in the top 10% (April 2026).
For comparison, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation says a single adult needs to earn £31,500 a year in 2026 just to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living. At the other end, the bottom 10% of full-time employees earn about £25,300 or less.
Those who earn higher salaries tend to work in areas such as finance and insurance.
They’re also more likely to work in London and the South East, while the North East has the lowest median pay of any region.
What salary is working, middle or upper class in the UK?
People search this constantly, so here is the honest answer first: in the UK, class is not a salary band. The ONS sorts people by occupation (the NS-SEC system), not by pay, and ‘upper class’ in the traditional sense is about assets, property and family background rather than your payslip. Two people on the same money can land in completely different brackets depending on their job, where they live and what they own.
Because class isn’t a salary band, here is the UK earnings distribution in plain earnings bands instead:
| Earnings band | Rough individual salary | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Lower earnings | Up to ~£23,000 | Bottom quarter of earners |
| Middle earnings | ~£23,000 to £40,000 | Around the median |
| Above-middle earnings | ~£40,000 to £70,000 | Above the median |
| High earnings | ~£70,000 to £100,000 | Top 10% to 5% |
| Very high earnings | Over £100,000 | Top 5% to 1% |
Treat this as a rough guide to the earnings distribution, not a label for anyone. Plenty of people on an above-middle salary do not feel well off once the bills are paid, and plenty of genuine wealth never shows up as a salary at all.
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Get your free money planWhat is the top 10%, 5% and 1% salary in the UK?
If you would rather know where you rank, here is the UK distribution by percentile. The 50th to 90th rows are ONS annual pay for all employees (April 2026). The 95th and 99th rows are HMRC projections of total taxable income for 2026-27, because the ONS doesn’t publish pay that high up.
| Percentile | You earn | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 50th (median) | £34,229 | Dead middle |
| 75th | £50,457 | Top quarter |
| 90th | £73,791 | Genuinely top 10% |
| 95th | About £101,000 | Top 5% |
| 99th | About £230,000 | Top 1% |
The jump from the 90th to the 99th percentile is enormous, because directors, senior specialists and equity earners all cluster at the very top. For the full picture, see our breakdown of the top 1% of UK income.
Where does your salary rank?
Want your exact position rather than a rough band? Check your UK Salary Ranking with our free Gains tool. Enter your salary and see your precise percentile against every UK worker, plus how you compare globally. Check your salary ranking here.
How did the pandemic impact UK salaries?
Initially, the Covid-19 pandemic Saw the UK average salary plunge. That was on the back of the initial lockdown and the introduction of the furlough scheme.
As time went on, the average salary began to climb. One explanation for this is that Covid led to a great number of job losses in the hospitality sector.
With these being one of the lowest paying sectors, the effect was that the average UK salary showed an increase with these jobs gone.
Do I deserve a pay rise?
Now you have more of an idea of the average UK salary, and the factors that impact this, you should know where you stand. If, when you consider these factors, you believe that you’re being underpaid, you may be within your rights to seek a rise.
Just bear in mind, few companies will offer a pay rise more than once a year and the best time to ask for one is during an annual appraisal.
How to negotiate a new salary?
If you’ve decided that you’re deserving of a pay rise, you need to know how to approach this. These are the steps that you’ll need to follow:
- Understand your worth – look at your performance and tangible results that you bring to your company
- Research – take a look at the average salary UK and where it sits in your sector
- Consider your reasons – why are you worth more than you’re getting paid right now?
- Practice your pitch – put it all together then create, and perfect, your pitch
- Give and take – you may not get exactly what you want but make sure that you’re flexible
- Don’t be scared to walk away – if your employer refuses to budge don’t feel trapped: there will be other opportunities elsewhere
- Be polite – regardless of the result, don’t burn bridges. Be polite and professional throughout
Watch this episode of The Money Gains Podcast with career coach Adelle Thompson for more tips on levelling up in your career.
FAQs
What is a decent living wage UK?
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour, rising to £13.21 from April 2027.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Minimum Income Standard says a single adult needs to earn £31,500 a year in 2026 to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living, and a couple with two children £77,400 between them.
What salary is middle class UK?
There is no salary that makes you middle class. Class isn’t income: the ONS groups people by occupation, not pay, and the term describes background, occupation and lifestyle far more than a payslip.
What salary is upper class UK?
The definition of upper class differs depending on where you look, but it isn’t a salary. For some it is about hereditary titles and landowners, and in reality it is about family background, assets and inherited wealth far more than a payslip. If you want to know where your pay ranks, about £73,800 puts you in the top 10% of UK employees (ONS, April 2026).
What is a realistic salary UK?
There is no single answer to what a realistic salary in the UK is. The reality is that this depends on your age, location, qualifications and the sector that you enter.
Sadly, due to the gender pay gap, your sex may also be an influencing factor.
What is the top 10% average salary UK?
Those who earn around £73,800 a year are in the top 10% of UK employees, and those earning £12,000 or less are in the bottom 10% (ONS, April 2026, all employees including part-time).
Conclusion
Now we know what the average UK salary is you can feel confident about whether or not you sit above or below the average.
As you can see it totally depends on your age, gender, occupation and location.
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Disclaimer: Content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making a financially related decision.
