The industry you work in is one of the single biggest factors determining your salary in the UK. Finance and insurance workers earn a median £52,000 full-time — more than double the £25,500 median in hospitality. Technology pays £50,000, while health and social work sits at £34,000. Even within sectors, sub-industry and employer type create wide variation.
This guide breaks down average UK salaries by industry sector for 2026, using ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data, and explains what the figures mean for benchmarking your pay.
For the full national picture, see Average Salary UK 2026. For age-based benchmarks, see Average Salary by Age UK. To find out what specific jobs pay, see the Salary by Profession hub.
Average UK Salary by Industry Sector — 2026
| Industry sector | Median full-time salary | vs UK median (£37,430) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | £52,000 | +39% |
| Information and communication (tech) | £50,000 | +34% |
| Mining, energy and water supply | £47,000 | +26% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | £44,000 | +18% |
| Public administration and defence | £40,000 | +7% |
| Real estate activities | £39,500 | +6% |
| Transport and storage | £38,000 | +2% |
| All sectors (UK median) | £37,430 | — |
| Construction | £37,000 | −1% |
| Manufacturing | £36,500 | −2% |
| Education | £36,500 | −2% |
| Health and social work | £34,000 | −9% |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | £31,000 | −17% |
| Retail and wholesale trade | £30,000 | −20% |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | £26,500 | −29% |
| Accommodation and food service | £25,500 | −32% |
Source: ONS ASHE 2025. Full-time defined as 30+ hours/week. Figures rounded to nearest £500.
The Highest-Paying Sectors
Finance and insurance — £52,000
Finance is the UK’s highest-paying major sector. The median of £52,000 covers a wide range: from bank branch managers and insurance underwriters at the lower end, to investment bankers, actuaries and senior risk managers at the top. London dominates — approximately 40% of UK financial services employment is concentrated in the capital, where pay is substantially higher than the sector median.
The sector’s pay premium reflects the profit margins in financial services, the regulated technical expertise required for many roles, and intense competition for senior talent from international firms.
Higher-paying roles within finance include:
- Investment banking analysts: £65,000–£120,000+
- Actuaries: £55,000–£100,000+
- Financial managers and directors: £70,000–£150,000+
- Compliance managers: £55,000–£90,000+
Information and communication (technology) — £50,000
Technology is the second-highest-paying sector and has seen the strongest pay growth over the past five years. The £50,000 median covers software developers, data analysts, cybersecurity specialists, IT managers, DevOps engineers, and cloud architects.
Technology salaries are less regionally concentrated than finance — a senior software developer in Manchester or Bristol can command salaries close to London rates, especially in remote-first companies. Skills shortages in AI, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity are currently pushing pay above pre-pandemic projections.
| Role | Typical full-time range |
|---|---|
| Software developer | £40,000–£80,000+ |
| Data scientist | £45,000–£80,000+ |
| Cybersecurity specialist | £45,000–£85,000+ |
| DevOps engineer | £50,000–£90,000+ |
| IT manager | £45,000–£75,000+ |
Mining, energy and water — £47,000
The energy and utilities sector pays well above the national median. This reflects the technical skills required for energy infrastructure roles, shift and offshore working patterns, and the UK’s continued investment in renewable energy. Offshore oil and gas roles in Scotland typically pay the most within this sector.
Professional, scientific and technical — £44,000
This sector covers law firms, accountancy and consultancy practices, architects, engineers, and research organisations. The £44,000 median conceals a large range — a newly qualified solicitor at a regional firm might earn £35,000, while a partner at a major accountancy firm earns many times that figure. Technical specialisms and professional qualifications (chartered status, legal practising certificates) have a large impact on pay within this sector.
The Lowest-Paying Sectors
Accommodation and food service — £25,500
Hospitality is persistently the lowest-paying major sector. The National Living Wage (£12.21/hour in 2026, equivalent to approximately £23,450 full-time annually) directly sets pay for a large proportion of hospitality workers. The sector has a high concentration of part-time, zero-hours, and seasonal roles — many workers do not work full-time equivalent hours even if classified as full-time in payroll terms.
Worked example: A full-time restaurant worker in Birmingham earning the sector median of £25,500 takes home approximately £21,700 per year after income tax and National Insurance at 2026/27 rates — around £1,808 per month.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing — £26,500
Agriculture is the second-lowest-paying sector, with a median of £26,500. Like hospitality, the sector employs a high proportion of minimum-wage workers and has significant seasonal variation. Skilled agricultural roles (farm managers, specialist machinery operators) can earn considerably more than the sector median, but these represent a minority of the workforce.
Retail and wholesale trade — £30,000
Retail pays around 20% below the UK median. The retail sector employs a large proportion of part-time workers and the lower end of the wage distribution is anchored by the NLW. Specialist buying roles, retail management, and wholesale trading positions sit above the sector median — but shop floor and warehouse roles hold the average down.
Public vs Private Sector Pay
| Measure | Public sector | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time salary 2026 | £39,500 | £36,800 |
| Annual headline premium | +£2,700 | — |
| Typical pension type | Defined benefit (DB) | Defined contribution (DC) |
| Estimated pension value (% of salary) | 20–30% | 5–10% |
| Total reward premium (public) | Higher | — |
Public sector pay is slightly above the national median, but the more significant advantage is pension provision. Most public sector workers — teachers, NHS staff, civil servants, police, firefighters — belong to defined benefit pension schemes where the employer bears investment risk. These schemes are significantly more valuable than the typical private sector defined contribution arrangement. In total reward terms, public sector employment often outperforms equivalent private sector roles that appear to pay more on a headline basis.
How Sector Compares With Region
Your sector matters enormously, but your region modifies the sector premium further. The table below shows how London amplifies (or reduces) the sector pay premium.
| Sector | UK median | London premium (approx.) | London sector median (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | £52,000 | +35% | £70,200 |
| Technology | £50,000 | +30% | £65,000 |
| Education | £36,500 | +15% | £42,000 |
| Health | £34,000 | +18% | £40,100 |
| Hospitality | £25,500 | +12% | £28,600 |
London pay premiums vary by sector. Finance and technology see the largest absolute uplifts. But London’s housing costs can absorb most of the premium — a hospitality worker earning £28,600 in London versus £25,500 in Leeds faces substantially higher rent.
Sector Pay Growth Since 2021
| Sector | 2021 median (approx.) | 2026 median | 5-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | £46,000 | £52,000 | +13% |
| Technology | £42,500 | £50,000 | +18% |
| Construction | £32,500 | £37,000 | +14% |
| Education | £33,500 | £36,500 | +9% |
| Hospitality | £20,500 | £25,500 | +24% |
| Health | £29,500 | £34,000 | +15% |
Sources: ONS ASHE annual releases 2021–2025.
Technology shows the strongest real-terms growth. Hospitality shows the largest percentage increase — but from a very low base, largely driven by above-inflation National Living Wage increases. Education pay growth has been the weakest of any major sector in real terms once inflation is accounted for, which has contributed to recruitment and retention difficulties in schools.
What to Do if You Earn Below Your Sector Median
If your salary sits below the median for your industry, there are several steps worth taking before assuming the gap is permanent:
- Verify like-for-like. Sector medians include all experience levels. If you are early-career, being below the sector median is expected. Compare against your experience band specifically.
- Check your employer size. Larger employers often pay above sector medians; smaller firms often pay below. If you are in a small firm, the sector figure may not be a fair benchmark.
- Research current job adverts. Live market rates in job adverts reflect what employers are willing to pay today. Compare these against your current salary.
- Build a business case. If market rates exceed your current salary, a structured pay rise request backed by evidence is your most direct route. See our guide on how to ask for a pay rise.
- Consider sector switching. If your current sector has structurally low pay, transferable skills sometimes open doors to higher-paying sectors. Technology, finance and professional services often value analytical, communication and project management skills developed in other sectors.
Take-Home Pay by Sector: Worked Examples
| Sector | Median salary | Monthly take-home (2026/27 rates) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | £52,000 | £3,247 |
| Technology | £50,000 | £3,140 |
| Professional services | £44,000 | £2,828 |
| Education | £36,500 | £2,452 |
| Health | £34,000 | £2,318 |
| Retail | £30,000 | £2,075 |
| Hospitality | £25,500 | £1,795 |
Assumes standard personal allowance of £12,570, no pension or student loan deductions.
To calculate take-home for your specific salary, use the Take-Home Pay Calculator.
Internal Links
- Average Salary UK 2026 — national median and mean salary figures
- Average Salary by Age UK — how earnings change across your career
- Salary by Profession hub — individual job salary guides
- How to Ask for a Pay Rise — practical pay negotiation advice
- Take-Home Pay Calculator — what any salary leaves in your pocket
- UK Tax Brackets 2026/27 — how income tax and NI are calculated