United Kingdom · GBP · 2026
Salaries in the United Kingdom
What 34 careers pay in the United Kingdom, highest first. The middle of the table sits around £50,745 a year; investment bankers lead at £125,000.
| # | Career | Industry | Entry | Median | Senior | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Investment Banker | Finance | £79k | £125,000 | £435k | £64 |
| 2 | Surgeon | Healthcare | £79k | £110,000 | £205k | £56.50 |
| 3 | Air Traffic Controller | Aviation | £54k | £99,000 | £140k | £51 |
| 4 | Quantitative Analyst | Finance | £64k | £99,000 | £290k | £51 |
| 5 | Commercial Pilot | Aviation | £38k | £95,000 | £285k | £48.50 |
| 6 | Machine Learning Engineer | Technology | £55k | £79,000 | £160k | £40.50 |
| 7 | Actuary | Finance | £42k | £75,000 | £150k | £38.50 |
| 8 | Dentist | Healthcare | £51k | £71,000 | £125k | £36.50 |
| 9 | Project Manager | Technology | £36k | £63,046 | £109k | £32.50 |
| 10 | Product Manager | Technology | £44k | £63,000 | £120k | £32.50 |
| 11 | Data Scientist | Technology | £37k | £62,000 | £105k | £32 |
| 12 | DevOps Engineer | Technology | £42k | £62,000 | £105k | £32 |
| 13 | Software Engineer | Technology | £33k | £59,862 | £114k | £30.50 |
| 14 | Aerospace Engineer | Aviation | £36k | £59,000 | £91k | £30.50 |
| 15 | Lawyer | Legal | £37k | £57,198 | £81k | £29.50 |
| 16 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | £34k | £55,410 | £67k | £28.50 |
| 17 | Cybersecurity Analyst | Technology | £36k | £55,373 | £74k | £28.50 |
| 18 | Accountant | Finance | £28k | £50,745 | £72k | £26 |
| 19 | UX Designer | Technology | £33k | £49,000 | £87k | £25 |
| 20 | Aircraft Mechanic | Aviation | £35k | £48,965 | £78k | £25 |
| 21 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | £30k | £47,673 | £57k | £24.50 |
| 22 | Compliance Officer | Legal | £36k | £47,000 | £91k | £24 |
| 23 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | £36k | £46,000 | £62k | £23.50 |
| 24 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | £32k | £44,928 | £60k | £23 |
| 25 | Elevator Technician | Skilled Trades | £25k | £43,000 | £66k | £22 |
| 26 | Financial Analyst | Finance | £32k | £43,000 | £75k | £22 |
| 27 | HVAC Technician | Skilled Trades | £35k | £42,198 | £51k | £21.50 |
| 28 | Data Analyst | Technology | £28k | £41,247 | £54k | £21 |
| 29 | Electrician | Skilled Trades | £25k | £40,717 | £60k | £21 |
| 30 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | £30k | £40,000 | £51k | £20.50 |
| 31 | Plumber | Skilled Trades | £27k | £39,179 | £49k | £20 |
| 32 | Welder | Skilled Trades | £26k | £35,977 | £45k | £18.50 |
| 33 | Flight Attendant | Aviation | £25k | £30,165 | £33k | £15.50 |
| 34 | Paralegal | Legal | £25k | £30,000 | £52k | £15.50 |
Gross annual pay before tax. Hourly rates assume a standard 37.5-hour week. How we estimate these figures.
Pay by nation and region
Median full-time pay for jobs in each UK nation and region (ONS ASHE 2026), with pay by council and by job and take-home pay.
- London £53,132
- Scotland £41,466
- Wales £37,330
- Northern Ireland £38,203
Working in the United Kingdom
UK salaries sit well below US levels, and London pays a large premium over the rest of the country, especially in finance, law and tech. Outside London expect 15% to 30% less, partly offset by much lower living costs.
Tax
Income tax at 20%, 40% and 45% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland has six bands, from 19% to 48%), plus National Insurance. Between £100,000 and £125,140 the personal allowance is withdrawn, so the marginal rate there is 60%, or 62% with National Insurance.
Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, has its own pay rules, minimum wage and income tax. See Working in Gibraltar.
Tools and guides for the United Kingdom
- NHS pay bands 2026/27: every Agenda for Change band with London weighting, pension and take-home
- London weighting 2026/27: what working in London adds for teachers, NHS staff, police, prison officers, firefighters and councils
- CSCS card guide: which card you need for a building site, the test, costs and pay by card
- Self-employed tax calculator: Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance and payments on account for sole traders
- Hourly to salary calculator: an hourly wage to yearly pay, with take-home pay in the United Kingdom
Questions about pay in the United Kingdom
What is the highest-paying job in the United Kingdom?
Of the 34 careers Paygrade tracks, investment bankers earn the most in the United Kingdom, with a median of about £125,000 a year in 2026. Surgeons (£110,000) and air traffic controllers (£99,000) follow.
What is the best-paid job in the United Kingdom without a degree?
Air traffic controllers earn a median of about £99,000 a year in the United Kingdom, and the usual route in is certification rather than a university degree.
How much tax will I pay on a salary in the United Kingdom?
Income tax at 20%, 40% and 45% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland has six bands, from 19% to 48%), plus National Insurance. Between £100,000 and £125,140 the personal allowance is withdrawn, so the marginal rate there is 60%, or 62% with National Insurance.