The median gross annual salary for full-time employees in the UK is £37,430 in 2026, according to ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data. This is the middle salary — half of all full-time employees earn more, half earn less. The mean salary (the arithmetic average) is higher at approximately £43,100, pulled upward by high earners in finance, law, technology and medicine.
Whether you are benchmarking your own salary, planning a career move, or simply curious where you stand, this guide breaks down UK earnings by region, sector, age and working pattern.
For how salaries vary by specific job title, see our Average Salary by Job guide. For regional breakdowns, see the Salary by Profession hub.
UK Average Salary at a Glance — 2026
| Measure | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | £37,430 | £15,600 (est.) |
| Mean annual salary | £43,100 | — |
| Median hourly pay | £18.00 | £13.80 |
| 10th percentile (low earners) | £21,800 | — |
| 25th percentile | £27,500 | — |
| 75th percentile | £50,200 | — |
| 90th percentile | £72,500 | — |
| 99th percentile | £180,000+ | — |
Source: ONS ASHE 2025. Full-time defined as 30+ hours per week.
Median vs Mean: Which Should You Use?
Most people asking “what is the average UK salary?” want to know where they stand relative to the typical worker. For this, the median is the right measure.
| Measure | 2026 figure | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Median | £37,430 | Half of full-time workers earn less than this |
| Mean | £43,100 | The total wage bill divided by number of workers |
| Why they differ | — | High earners (£200k+, £500k+) pull the mean upwards |
If someone tells you the “average” UK salary is £43,000, they are technically correct — but this is the mean. The median of £37,430 is more useful for knowing whether your salary is above or below what a typical worker earns.
Where You Rank: UK Salary Percentiles
| If you earn… | You are in the top… | Of full-time employees |
|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | ~60% | Bottom 40% |
| £30,000 | ~50% | Below median |
| £37,430 | 50% | Exactly median |
| £45,000 | ~35% | Top 35% |
| £50,000 | ~27% | Top 27% |
| £60,000 | ~15% | Top 15% |
| £80,000 | ~6% | Top 6% |
| £100,000 | ~3% | Top 3% |
| £150,000 | ~1% | Top 1% |
Note: these figures are for full-time employees. The self-employed, part-time workers and those with multiple income streams are distributed differently.
Average Salary by Region
Salaries vary substantially across the UK. London consistently pays the highest, with the North East, Wales and Northern Ireland at the lower end.
| Region | Median full-time salary | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|
| London | £47,300 | +26% |
| South East | £40,800 | +9% |
| East of England | £38,500 | +3% |
| Scotland | £38,100 | +2% |
| South West | £36,200 | −3% |
| East Midlands | £35,600 | −5% |
| West Midlands | £35,400 | −5% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £34,900 | −7% |
| North West | £34,700 | −7% |
| Wales | £33,800 | −10% |
| Northern Ireland | £33,500 | −10% |
| North East | £33,200 | −11% |
Source: ONS ASHE 2025 regional estimates.
The London premium: London salaries are around 26% above the national median. However, London’s higher housing costs mean the real-terms advantage is smaller than the gross figures suggest. For more, see our Average Salary in London guide.
Average Salary by Sector
| Sector | Median full-time salary |
|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | £52,000 |
| Information and communication (tech) | £50,000 |
| Mining, energy and water | £47,000 |
| Professional, scientific and technical | £44,000 |
| Public administration and defence | £40,000 |
| Construction | £37,000 |
| Education | £36,500 |
| Health and social work | £34,000 |
| Retail and wholesale trade | £30,000 |
| Hospitality (hotels and food service) | £25,500 |
Finance, tech and energy consistently sit above the national median. Hospitality and retail sit significantly below it — driven partly by a higher proportion of part-time and minimum-wage roles.
Average Salary by Age
Earnings typically rise with experience and peak in the mid-career years before plateauing or declining slightly for older workers (partly reflecting sector mix and part-time choices).
| Age group | Median full-time annual salary |
|---|---|
| 18–21 | £22,500 |
| 22–29 | £30,200 |
| 30–39 | £38,500 |
| 40–49 | £41,200 |
| 50–59 | £39,800 |
| 60–65 | £36,100 |
The sharpest salary growth typically occurs in the 20s to mid-30s as workers gain qualifications and experience. Pay growth slows in the 40s and early 50s, and often falls towards retirement age as workers move to part-time arrangements.
The Gender Pay Gap
The UK has a persistent gender pay gap. In 2026, the gap for full-time workers is approximately 7.5% (mean) and 6.9% (median) — meaning women’s median full-time salary is around £34,850 vs men’s £37,430.
| Measure | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median full-time salary | £38,800 | £34,850 | 10.2% |
| Mean full-time salary | £46,000 | £40,200 | 12.6% |
The gap is wider when all workers (including part-time) are included, as women make up a significantly larger share of part-time employment.
Sectors with the highest gender pay gaps include finance, construction and technology. The public sector has a smaller pay gap than the private sector.
How the National Living Wage Sets the Floor
The National Living Wage (NLW) sets the minimum legal pay rate and anchors the bottom of the pay distribution:
| Rate | April 2026 |
|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21+) | £12.21/hour |
| 18–20 rate | £10.00/hour |
| 16–17 / apprentice rate | £7.55/hour |
| Full-time NLW (37.5 hrs/week, 52 weeks) | £23,810/year |
Workers on the National Living Wage earn around £23,800/year — approximately 64% of the median full-time salary. Around 1.5 million workers are paid at or near the NLW. For more on minimum wage rules, see our National Minimum Wage guide.
Take-Home Pay on the Average Salary
A salary of £37,430 results in the following take-home pay under 2026/27 tax rates:
| Item | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £37,430 | £3,119 |
| Income tax (20% basic rate, after £12,570 personal allowance) | −£4,972 | −£414 |
| National Insurance (8% on £12,570–£50,270) | −£1,990 | −£166 |
| Net take-home | £30,468 | £2,539 |
Assumes standard personal allowance, no other adjustments.
To calculate take-home pay for any salary, use our Take-Home Pay Calculator.
What Has Happened to Salaries in Recent Years
| Year | UK median full-time salary | Approximate change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | £31,285 | — |
| 2022 | £33,000 | +5.5% |
| 2023 | £34,963 | +6.0% |
| 2024 | £36,025 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | £37,430 | +3.9% |
Sources: ONS ASHE annual releases.
Salary growth accelerated sharply in 2022–2023 as employers competed for workers in a tight labour market and the cost of living crisis drove pay demands. Growth has moderated since but remained above CPI in 2024/25, meaning real wages are recovering after the 2022 inflation shock.
Is Your Salary Above or Below Average?
A salary of £37,430 is the UK median for full-time employees. But context matters:
- Location: The same salary goes much further in Preston than in central London
- Sector: £37k in finance is below average; in hospitality, it is well above
- Age and experience: Early-career workers earning £37k in their late 20s are performing strongly; mid-career workers in their 40s at the same level may be below their peers
- Hours: The median is for full-time (30+ hours). If you work part-time, compare on an hourly basis
For city-specific salary benchmarks, see our guides to average salary in Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.