The median gross annual salary for full-time employees in the UK is £39,039, according to ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data for April 2025 — the latest ASHE release, published October 2025. This is the middle salary — half of all full-time employees earn more, half earn less. The mean salary (the arithmetic average) is £48,512 for the same period (ASHE 2025, Table 1.7a) — higher than the median, 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 | £39,039 | £15,600 (est.) |
| Mean annual salary | £48,512 | — |
| Median weekly pay | £766.60 | £280.00 |
| Median hourly pay (excl. overtime) | £19.67 | £13.80 (est.) |
| 10th percentile (low earners) | £22,700 (est.) | — |
| 25th percentile | £28,700 (est.) | — |
| 75th percentile | £52,300 (est.) | — |
| 90th percentile | £75,500 (est.) | — |
| 99th percentile | £185,000+ (est.) | — |
Source: ONS ASHE, April 2025 data (published October 2025). Full-time defined as employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence, working 30+ hours per week. Percentile figures below and above the median are estimates modelled on the ASHE distribution shape and have not been individually verified against ONS percentile tables this review — treat as indicative.
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 | £39,039 | Half of full-time workers earn less than this |
| Mean | £48,512 | 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 over £40,000, they may be citing the mean. The median of £39,039 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… | Approx. position |
|---|---|
| £25,000 | Below median |
| £30,000 | Below median |
| £39,039 | Exactly median |
| £45,000 | Above median |
| £50,000 | Comfortably above median |
| £60,000 | Roughly top 15% |
| £80,000 | Roughly top 5-6% |
| £100,000 | Roughly top 3% |
| £150,000 | Roughly top 1% |
Note: these figures are for full-time employees, and positions above are estimates based on the general shape of the ASHE distribution rather than individually verified ONS percentile points. 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. The absolute regional figures below are indicative estimates (not independently re-verified against ONS regional ASHE tables this review) — the percentages are calculated against the verified UK median of £39,039.
| Region | Median full-time salary (est.) | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|
| London | £47,300 | +21% |
| South East | £40,800 | +5% |
| East of England | £38,500 | −1% |
| Scotland | £38,100 | −2% |
| South West | £36,200 | −7% |
| East Midlands | £35,600 | −9% |
| West Midlands | £35,400 | −9% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £34,900 | −11% |
| North West | £34,700 | −11% |
| Wales | £33,800 | −13% |
| Northern Ireland | £33,500 | −14% |
| North East | £33,200 | −15% |
Regional figures are estimates; confirm against ONS regional ASHE tables for precise current values.
The London premium: London salaries are around 21% above the national median on these estimates. 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 (est.) |
|---|---|
| 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. Sector figures are estimates; see our Average Salary by Sector guide for more detail.
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 (est.) |
|---|---|
| 18–21 | £21,700 |
| 22–29 | £27,000 |
| 30–39 | £37,500 |
| 40–49 | £41,200 |
| 50–59 | £40,800 |
| 60–65 | £38,200 |
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. Age-band figures are estimates; see our Average Salary by Age guide for more detail.
The Gender Pay Gap
The UK has a persistent gender pay gap. For April 2025, ONS reported the gap for full-time employees at 6.9% (median hourly earnings), down from 7.1% in April 2024. For all employees (including part-time), the gap was 12.8%. Full-time men’s median hourly pay was £20.27 and women’s was £18.87.
| Measure | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median hourly pay (full-time, excl. overtime) | £20.27 | £18.87 | 6.9% |
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. See our full Gender Pay Gap UK guide for the detailed breakdown.
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+) | £12.71/hour |
| 18–20 rate | £10.00/hour |
| 16–17 / apprentice rate | £7.55/hour |
| Full-time NLW (37.5 hrs/week, 52 weeks) | £24,785/year |
Workers on the National Living Wage earn around £24,785/year — approximately 63% of the median full-time salary of £39,039. For more on minimum wage rules, see our National Minimum Wage guide.
Take-Home Pay on the Average Salary
A salary of £39,039 results in the following take-home pay under 2026/27 tax rates:
| Item | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £39,039 | £3,253 |
| Income tax (20% basic rate, after £12,570 personal allowance) | −£5,294 | −£441 |
| National Insurance (8% on £12,570–£50,270) | −£2,118 | −£177 |
| Net take-home | £31,627 | £2,636 |
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 (ASHE, April) | Approximate change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | £31,285 | — |
| 2022 | £33,000 | +5.5% |
| 2023 | £34,963 | +6.0% |
| 2024 | £37,439 | +7.1% |
| 2025 | £39,039 | +4.3% |
Source: ONS ASHE annual releases. 2023–2025 figures independently verified this review; 2021–2022 figures are carried forward from earlier reviews and were not re-verified against ONS this session.
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, and again in 2023–2024. Growth moderated in 2024–2025 but has generally run above CPI, meaning real wages have been recovering after the 2022 inflation shock.
Is Your Salary Above or Below Average?
A salary of £39,039 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: £39k in finance is below average; in hospitality, it is well above
- Age and experience: Early-career workers earning £39k 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.