Income & Employment Guides UK — Maximise Your Earnings
How Much Do Accountants Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide
Complete guide to accountant salaries in the UK for 2026. Trainee to partner pay, Big 4 vs mid-tier vs practice, ACA vs ACCA vs CIMA, industry vs practice, and how to maximise your accounting career income.
Accountancy offers a well-defined career path with strong earning potential, especially once qualified. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what accountants earn across different stages, qualifications, and settings.
Trainee Accountant Salaries
By Firm Type
| Firm Type |
London |
Regional |
| Big 4 (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) |
£28,000-£34,000 |
£24,000-£28,000 |
| Top 10 (GT, BDO, RSM, etc.) |
£26,000-£30,000 |
£22,000-£26,000 |
| Mid-tier practice |
£24,000-£28,000 |
£21,000-£25,000 |
| Small/local practice |
£20,000-£25,000 |
£18,000-£23,000 |
| Industry (large corporate) |
£24,000-£30,000 |
£22,000-£26,000 |
Trainee Progression (Big 4 Example)
| Year |
Salary (London) |
Salary (Regional) |
| Year 1 (School of Audit/Tax) |
£28,000-£30,000 |
£24,000-£26,000 |
| Year 2 |
£30,000-£33,000 |
£26,000-£29,000 |
| Year 3 (final year) |
£33,000-£36,000 |
£28,000-£32,000 |
What Employers Pay For
| Cost |
Covered by Employer? |
| Professional exam fees (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) |
Yes — typically £10,000-£15,000 total |
| Study materials |
Yes |
| Study leave |
Yes — typically 3-4 weeks per exam sitting |
| College/tuition fees |
Yes |
Newly Qualified (NQ) Accountant Salaries
The salary jump upon qualifying is significant.
Practice
| Firm Type |
NQ Salary (London) |
NQ Salary (Regional) |
| Big 4 |
£45,000-£55,000 |
£38,000-£46,000 |
| Top 10 |
£40,000-£48,000 |
£35,000-£42,000 |
| Mid-tier |
£36,000-£44,000 |
£32,000-£38,000 |
| Small practice |
£32,000-£40,000 |
£28,000-£35,000 |
Industry / Commerce
| Employer Type |
NQ Salary |
| FTSE 100 / large corporate |
£45,000-£60,000 |
| FTSE 250 |
£40,000-£52,000 |
| Mid-size company |
£38,000-£48,000 |
| SME |
£32,000-£42,000 |
| Financial services |
£48,000-£65,000 |
| Public sector |
£35,000-£45,000 |
Salary by Qualification
| Qualification |
Focus |
Typical NQ Salary |
Notes |
| ACA (ICAEW) |
Audit, practice |
£38,000-£55,000 |
Most common in Big 4 practice |
| ACCA |
Broad accounting |
£35,000-£50,000 |
Most globally recognised |
| CIMA |
Management accounting |
£35,000-£50,000 |
Industry-focused |
| AAT |
Technician level |
£22,000-£32,000 |
Entry-level qualification |
| CA (ICAS) |
Scottish chartered |
£38,000-£52,000 |
Highly regarded in Scotland |
Salary Progression in Practice
Big 4 Career Path
| Level |
Years Post-Qualification |
Salary (London) |
Salary (Regional) |
| Newly Qualified |
NQ |
£45,000-£55,000 |
£38,000-£46,000 |
| Senior Associate |
1-3 PQE |
£50,000-£65,000 |
£42,000-£55,000 |
| Manager |
3-5 PQE |
£60,000-£82,000 |
£50,000-£68,000 |
| Senior Manager |
5-8 PQE |
£78,000-£110,000 |
£65,000-£90,000 |
| Director |
8-12 PQE |
£100,000-£150,000 |
£85,000-£120,000 |
| Partner |
12+ PQE |
£350,000-£1,000,000+ |
£250,000-£600,000+ |
Mid-Tier Practice Career Path
| Level |
Years PQE |
Salary |
| Newly Qualified |
NQ |
£35,000-£46,000 |
| Senior |
1-3 |
£40,000-£55,000 |
| Manager |
3-5 |
£48,000-£68,000 |
| Senior Manager |
5-8 |
£62,000-£85,000 |
| Director |
8-12 |
£80,000-£110,000 |
| Partner |
12+ |
£120,000-£400,000 |
Salary Progression in Industry
Corporate Finance Path
| Level |
Years PQE |
Salary |
| Financial Accountant |
NQ-2 |
£40,000-£55,000 |
| Senior Financial Accountant |
2-4 |
£50,000-£68,000 |
| Finance Manager |
4-7 |
£60,000-£85,000 |
| Senior Finance Manager |
7-10 |
£80,000-£110,000 |
| Financial Controller |
8-12 |
£85,000-£130,000 |
| Head of Finance |
10-15 |
£100,000-£160,000 |
| Finance Director |
12+ |
£120,000-£250,000 |
| CFO (FTSE 250) |
15+ |
£250,000-£600,000+ |
| CFO (FTSE 100) |
20+ |
£500,000-£2,000,000+ |
Salary by Specialisation
Some accounting specialisations pay more than others.
| Specialisation |
NQ-3 PQE |
5+ PQE |
| Transaction Services / M&A |
£50,000-£75,000 |
£85,000-£150,000 |
| Corporate Finance |
£48,000-£70,000 |
£80,000-£140,000 |
| Forensic Accounting |
£45,000-£65,000 |
£70,000-£120,000 |
| Tax Advisory |
£42,000-£60,000 |
£65,000-£110,000 |
| Management Consulting |
£45,000-£68,000 |
£75,000-£130,000 |
| Audit |
£40,000-£55,000 |
£58,000-£95,000 |
| Insolvency |
£40,000-£55,000 |
£60,000-£100,000 |
| Tax Compliance |
£38,000-£52,000 |
£55,000-£85,000 |
| General Practice (accounts + tax) |
£35,000-£48,000 |
£50,000-£80,000 |
| Bookkeeping / Management Accounts |
£28,000-£40,000 |
£40,000-£60,000 |
Partner Earnings
| Firm Type |
Average Partner Earnings |
| Big 4 (equity partner) |
£500,000-£1,000,000+ |
| Top 10 |
£250,000-£500,000 |
| Top 20 |
£180,000-£350,000 |
| Mid-tier regional |
£120,000-£250,000 |
| Small practice (sole practitioner) |
£60,000-£200,000 |
Regional Salary Comparison (NQ, 3 PQE)
| Region |
Practice |
Industry |
| London (City) |
£45,000-£65,000 |
£48,000-£68,000 |
| London (West End / other) |
£40,000-£58,000 |
£42,000-£60,000 |
| Manchester |
£35,000-£50,000 |
£38,000-£52,000 |
| Birmingham |
£34,000-£48,000 |
£36,000-£50,000 |
| Leeds |
£34,000-£48,000 |
£36,000-£50,000 |
| Bristol |
£34,000-£48,000 |
£36,000-£50,000 |
| Edinburgh |
£35,000-£50,000 |
£38,000-£52,000 |
| Glasgow |
£33,000-£46,000 |
£34,000-£48,000 |
| Cardiff |
£30,000-£42,000 |
£32,000-£44,000 |
| Newcastle |
£30,000-£42,000 |
£32,000-£44,000 |
Practice vs Industry
| Factor |
Practice |
Industry |
| Starting salary |
Similar or slightly lower |
Similar or slightly higher |
| Hours |
Longer (busy season: 50-70+/week) |
More regular (40-50/week) |
| Variety |
Multiple clients |
One company |
| Career ceiling |
Partner (very high income) |
CFO/FD (very high income) |
| Training |
Excellent, structured |
Good, less structured |
| Progression speed |
Clear pathway |
Can be faster if right role |
| Benefits |
Moderate |
Often more generous |
Bonuses
| Level |
Typical Bonus (Practice) |
Typical Bonus (Industry) |
| Trainee |
£0-£1,000 |
£0-£2,000 |
| NQ-Senior |
£2,000-£8,000 |
£3,000-£10,000 |
| Manager |
£5,000-£15,000 |
£5,000-£20,000 |
| Senior Manager / Director |
£10,000-£40,000 |
£15,000-£50,000 |
| Partner |
Profit share (varies) |
N/A |
| CFO / FD |
N/A |
30-100% of salary |
Summary
| Level |
Practice Salary |
Industry Salary |
| Trainee |
£20,000-£34,000 |
£22,000-£30,000 |
| Newly qualified |
£35,000-£55,000 |
£38,000-£60,000 |
| Manager (3-5 PQE) |
£50,000-£82,000 |
£55,000-£85,000 |
| Senior Manager (5-8 PQE) |
£65,000-£110,000 |
£75,000-£110,000 |
| Director / Financial Controller |
£85,000-£150,000 |
£85,000-£150,000 |
| Partner / CFO |
£200,000-£1,000,000+ |
£150,000-£600,000+ |