Average Salary UK 2026 by Job: From Minimum Wage to £200k+

Chandraketu Tripathi

Finance Editor, Kaeltripton

Published 5 Apr 2026

Last reviewed 4 May 2026

✓ Fact-checked

By Chandraketu Tripathi | Updated April 2026

UK average salaries vary enormously by profession — from the National Living Wage of £12.21/hour to consultants, lawyers, and technology executives earning £150,000+. This guide covers average salaries for the most searched professions in 2026, along with approximate take-home pay after income tax and National Insurance, so you can see what each salary actually means in your pocket.

Key Facts

UK median salary 2026: ~£35,000/year | National Living Wage: £12.21/hour (21+) = £23,450/year | Top 10% earns: £60,000+ | Top 1% earns: £130,000+

Average Salary UK 2026 by Profession

Source: ONS, NHS, DfE, CIPD. Approximate 2026 figures. Take-home based on 2026-27 income tax and NIC rates.
Profession	Average Salary	Take-Home (approx)	Notes
National Living Wage (21+)	£23,450	£19,800/year	£12.21/hour, 37.5hrs/week
Retail/hospitality worker	£22,000-£28,000	£18,700-£23,500	Varies by role and region
Healthcare assistant	£24,000-£29,000	£20,200-£24,200	NHS Band 2-3
Nurse (NHS Band 5)	£29,970-£36,483	£24,800-£29,800	From September 2025 pay award
Teacher (main pay range)	£31,650-£43,607	£25,900-£34,800	England outside London
Police officer (constable)	£28,551-£46,044	£23,400-£36,500	After 2 years service
Accountant	£35,000-£65,000	£27,900-£49,200	Varies hugely by experience
Software engineer	£45,000-£85,000	£34,800-£60,300	Mid-level to senior
Marketing manager	£40,000-£65,000	£31,400-£49,200	Varies by sector
Doctor (GP partner)	£100,000-£160,000	£65,000-£95,000	After pension/expenses
Lawyer (qualified)	£50,000-£150,000+	£37,800-£87,000+	City law significantly higher
Financial analyst	£45,000-£90,000	£34,800-£62,500	Investment banking much higher

Take-Home Pay After Tax UK 2026

Approximate 2026-27 calculations. Personal allowance £12,570 (frozen until 2028). Excludes pension contributions, student loan.
Gross Salary	Income Tax	Employee NIC	Take-Home	Monthly Take-Home
£20,000	£1,486	£586	£17,928	£1,494
£25,000	£2,486	£986	£21,528	£1,794
£30,000	£3,486	£1,386	£25,128	£2,094
£35,000	£4,486	£1,786	£28,728	£2,394
£40,000	£5,486	£2,186	£32,328	£2,694
£50,000	£7,486	£2,986	£39,528	£3,294
£60,000	£11,432	£3,154	£45,414	£3,785
£75,000	£17,432	£3,454	£54,114	£4,510
£100,000	£27,432	£3,854	£68,714	£5,726

Regional Salary Differences UK 2026

Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). Approximate 2026 median full-time earnings.
Region	Average Salary	vs UK Average
London	£53,000	+£18,000 above UK average
South East	£40,000	+£5,000
East of England	£38,000	+£3,000
Scotland	£36,000	+£1,000
South West	£34,000	Near average
East Midlands	£33,000	Below average
Yorkshire & Humber	£32,000	Below average
Wales	£31,000	Below average
Northern Ireland	£30,500	Lowest in UK

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary in the UK 2026?

The UK median salary in 2026 is approximately £35,000 per year (£2,917/month before tax, approximately £2,310/month take-home). The mean average salary is higher at around £42,000 due to high earners pulling the average up. The National Living Wage from April 2026 is £12.21/hour for workers aged 21 and over, equivalent to £23,450/year for a full-time 37.5-hour week.

What salary is top 10% UK?

To be in the top 10% of UK earners in 2026, you need to earn approximately £60,000 or more per year. The top 5% starts at around £80,000, and the top 1% starts at approximately £130,000. These thresholds shift the tax burden — income above £60,000 triggers the higher rate of income tax and the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Above £100,000, the personal allowance begins to taper.

What is a good salary in the UK 2026?

A salary of £35,000-£45,000 is broadly considered a comfortable living wage for a single person in most UK cities outside London. In London, £45,000-£55,000 is more typical for a comfortable single income. For a family with a mortgage and children, £60,000+ household income provides a solid financial base in most of the UK. For context, the median UK full-time salary is around £35,000 in 2026.

What do doctors earn UK 2026?

NHS doctor salaries in 2026: Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors earn a basic salary of £36,616, Foundation Year 2 (FY2) £42,008. Core/specialty training doctors earn £49,909-£64,288. Specialty registrars earn £57,970-£86,187. Consultants earn £99,532-£131,965 basic, with additional Clinical Excellence Awards and private practice income. GP partners earn significantly more — typically £100,000-£160,000 depending on list size and efficiency.

What is the average teacher salary UK 2026?

Teacher salaries in England from September 2025 onwards: newly qualified teachers (England outside London) earn a minimum of £31,650. The main pay range runs from £31,650 to £43,607. Leading Practitioners earn £45,425-£68,025. Assistant Headteachers earn £50,856-£78,507. Headteachers earn £63,815 to £125,098 depending on school size and responsibilities. Teacher salaries are higher in London due to the Inner and Outer London allowances.

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Disclaimer: Always verify with GOV.UK, HMRC, VOA, and Acas. Sources: gov.uk, bcpcouncil.gov.uk, bristol.gov.uk, commonslibrary.parliament.uk, gtlaw.com, kingsbridge.co.uk, ir35update.co.uk. April 2026.