Knowing the average salary for your age helps you benchmark your earnings and plan your career. Here’s the full picture of UK median salaries by age group in 2026.
Read more: See our Salary By Profession guide for a complete overview of this topic.
UK Median Salary by Age Group 2026
| Age group | Median full-time salary | Median all workers | Monthly take home (FT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–21 | £20,000 | £14,500 | £1,544 |
| 22–29 | £28,000 | £26,000 | £2,093 |
| 30–39 | £35,000 | £32,000 | £2,393 |
| 40–49 | £40,000 | £36,000 | £2,693 |
| 50–59 | £38,000 | £34,000 | £2,573 |
| 60+ | £32,000 | £25,000 | £2,213 |
“All workers” includes part-time earners, which significantly lowers the figure — especially for the 60+ group where many work reduced hours.
Salary by Specific Age (Estimates)
Based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings interpolated data:
| Age | Estimated median FT salary | Top 25% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | £23,000 | £28,000 | £35,000 |
| 25 | £27,000 | £33,000 | £40,000 |
| 28 | £30,000 | £38,000 | £48,000 |
| 30 | £33,000 | £42,000 | £55,000 |
| 35 | £37,000 | £48,000 | £62,000 |
| 40 | £40,000 | £53,000 | £70,000 |
| 45 | £41,000 | £55,000 | £72,000 |
| 50 | £39,000 | £52,000 | £68,000 |
| 55 | £37,000 | £50,000 | £65,000 |
| 60 | £34,000 | £45,000 | £58,000 |
The Salary Lifecycle
Earnings follow a predictable lifecycle for most workers:
Phase 1: Rapid Growth (18–30)
| Period | What happens | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|
| 18–21 | Entry-level jobs, apprenticeships | 5–10%/year |
| 22–25 | Graduate entry, early professional | 5–8%/year |
| 25–30 | Role progression, job switching | 4–6%/year |
This is when salaries grow fastest — job switching typically delivers larger increases than staying put.
Phase 2: Career Building (30–40)
| Period | What happens | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|
| 30–35 | Mid-level management, specialist roles | 3–5%/year |
| 35–40 | Senior roles, leadership positions | 2–4%/year |
Growth slows but compounds. The gap between the highest and lowest earners widens significantly in this phase.
Phase 3: Peak Earnings (40–55)
| Period | What happens | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|
| 40–50 | Peak earning years for most | 1–3%/year |
| 50–55 | Plateau for many, continued growth for some | 0–2%/year |
Many workers reach a salary ceiling unless they move into executive roles or start businesses.
Phase 4: Late Career (55+)
| Period | What happens | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|
| 55–60 | Some downshifting, some still climbing | -1% to +2%/year |
| 60–67 | Reduced hours common, pension income begins | Varies widely |
Gender Pay Gap by Age
The gender pay gap widens with age:
| Age group | Male median FT | Female median FT | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22–29 | £29,000 | £27,000 | 6.9% |
| 30–39 | £38,000 | £33,000 | 13.2% |
| 40–49 | £44,000 | £35,000 | 20.5% |
| 50–59 | £41,000 | £33,000 | 19.5% |
| 60+ | £34,000 | £28,000 | 17.6% |
The gap is smallest for young workers and widest in the 40-49 bracket — often attributed to career breaks for childcare disproportionately affecting women’s progression.
Salary by Sector and Age
Some sectors pay much more at certain career stages:
| Sector | Median at 25 | Median at 35 | Median at 45 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance & insurance | £32,000 | £50,000 | £65,000 |
| Tech & IT | £30,000 | £48,000 | £60,000 |
| Law | £28,000 | £55,000 | £70,000 |
| Healthcare (NHS) | £28,000 | £38,000 | £48,000 |
| Education | £26,000 | £37,000 | £44,000 |
| Construction | £25,000 | £38,000 | £42,000 |
| Retail & hospitality | £22,000 | £28,000 | £32,000 |
| Public administration | £25,000 | £35,000 | £42,000 |
Finance, law, and tech have the steepest earnings curves — but also the widest ranges within each age group.
Graduate vs Non-Graduate Earnings
| Age | Graduate median | Non-graduate median | Graduate premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | £30,000 | £24,000 | +25% |
| 30 | £37,000 | £30,000 | +23% |
| 40 | £48,000 | £35,000 | +37% |
| 50 | £46,000 | £34,000 | +35% |
The graduate premium is modest in the early years (partly offset by student debt) but compounds over time. By 40, graduates earn roughly 37% more on average.
Regional Salary by Age
Median full-time salary at age 35:
| Region | Median at 35 |
|---|---|
| London | £46,000 |
| South East | £39,000 |
| East of England | £36,000 |
| Scotland | £34,000 |
| South West | £33,000 |
| North West | £33,000 |
| East Midlands | £32,000 |
| West Midlands | £32,000 |
| Yorkshire | £32,000 |
| North East | £31,000 |
| Wales | £31,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £30,000 |
The London premium is about 35-48% over the cheapest regions — but after housing costs, much of this advantage disappears.
How to Know If Your Salary Is On Track
A simple framework:
| Your situation | You’re doing well if… |
|---|---|
| Age 25 | Earning above £30,000 |
| Age 30 | Earning above £38,000 |
| Age 35 | Earning above £42,000 |
| Age 40 | Earning above £48,000 |
| Age 50 | Earning above £45,000 |
These are roughly “above average” (top 40%) benchmarks for full-time workers.