Salary by Profession in the UK: Compare Jobs, Regions and Pay Levels

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

Salary and income data is based on ONS and other official UK statistical sources. Figures are averages and may not reflect your individual circumstances.

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. For the wider comparison across professions, sectors and regional salary patterns, see our Salary by Profession hub.

Trainee Accountant Salaries

By Firm Type

Firm TypeLondonRegional
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)

YearSalary (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

CostCovered by Employer?
Professional exam fees (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)Yes — typically £10,000-£15,000 total
Study materialsYes
Study leaveYes — typically 3-4 weeks per exam sitting
College/tuition feesYes

Newly Qualified (NQ) Accountant Salaries

The salary jump upon qualifying is significant.

Practice

Firm TypeNQ 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 TypeNQ 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

QualificationFocusTypical NQ SalaryNotes
ACA (ICAEW)Audit, practice£38,000-£55,000Most common in Big 4 practice
ACCABroad accounting£35,000-£50,000Most globally recognised
CIMAManagement accounting£35,000-£50,000Industry-focused
AATTechnician level£22,000-£32,000Entry-level qualification
CA (ICAS)Scottish chartered£38,000-£52,000Highly regarded in Scotland

Salary Progression in Practice

Big 4 Career Path

LevelYears Post-QualificationSalary (London)Salary (Regional)
Newly QualifiedNQ£45,000-£55,000£38,000-£46,000
Senior Associate1-3 PQE£50,000-£65,000£42,000-£55,000
Manager3-5 PQE£60,000-£82,000£50,000-£68,000
Senior Manager5-8 PQE£78,000-£110,000£65,000-£90,000
Director8-12 PQE£100,000-£150,000£85,000-£120,000
Partner12+ PQE£350,000-£1,000,000+£250,000-£600,000+

Mid-Tier Practice Career Path

LevelYears PQESalary
Newly QualifiedNQ£35,000-£46,000
Senior1-3£40,000-£55,000
Manager3-5£48,000-£68,000
Senior Manager5-8£62,000-£85,000
Director8-12£80,000-£110,000
Partner12+£120,000-£400,000

Salary Progression in Industry

Corporate Finance Path

LevelYears PQESalary
Financial AccountantNQ-2£40,000-£55,000
Senior Financial Accountant2-4£50,000-£68,000
Finance Manager4-7£60,000-£85,000
Senior Finance Manager7-10£80,000-£110,000
Financial Controller8-12£85,000-£130,000
Head of Finance10-15£100,000-£160,000
Finance Director12+£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.

SpecialisationNQ-3 PQE5+ 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 TypeAverage 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)

RegionPracticeIndustry
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

FactorPracticeIndustry
Starting salarySimilar or slightly lowerSimilar or slightly higher
HoursLonger (busy season: 50-70+/week)More regular (40-50/week)
VarietyMultiple clientsOne company
Career ceilingPartner (very high income)CFO/FD (very high income)
TrainingExcellent, structuredGood, less structured
Progression speedClear pathwayCan be faster if right role
BenefitsModerateOften more generous

Bonuses

LevelTypical 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
PartnerProfit share (varies)N/A
CFO / FDN/A30-100% of salary

Summary

LevelPractice SalaryIndustry 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+

Sources

  1. ONS — Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings