Incomes

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.

· 3 min read

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+