A complete, sourced guide to salaries, taxes, and cost of living in the United Kingdom — built for job seekers, professionals, students, expats, employers, and researchers comparing pay across 500+ professions and 15 industries.
Figures above are illustrative national averages — see Methodology for how they're calculated.
The UK salary landscape is dominated by a strong services economy centred on London — particularly finance, law, and technology — with a significant gap between London salaries and the rest of the country. This is one of the widest regional pay gaps of any major European economy.
Outside London and the South East, salaries in most regions are considerably more moderate, though cost of living is correspondingly lower, especially for housing.
All figures on this page are shown in USD for cross-country comparison and represent national average estimates. Actual pay depends heavily on region, employer, and experience.
| Profession | Industry | Avg. Monthly | Avg. Annual | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Technology | $6,200 | $74,400 | $53,600 – $115,300 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $6,450 | $77,400 | $55,700 – $120,000 |
| Product Manager | Technology | $7,000 | $84,000 | $60,500 – $130,200 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $4,700 | $56,400 | $40,600 – $87,400 |
| IT Support Specialist | Technology | $3,100 | $37,200 | $26,800 – $57,700 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $4,350 | $52,200 | $37,600 – $80,900 |
| Physician (General) | Healthcare | $12,300 | $147,600 | $106,300 – $228,800 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $9,800 | $117,600 | $84,700 – $182,300 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $7,250 | $87,000 | $62,600 – $134,800 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $5,300 | $63,600 | $45,800 – $98,600 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $5,050 | $60,600 | $43,600 – $93,900 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $5,200 | $62,400 | $44,900 – $96,700 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $5,600 | $67,200 | $48,400 – $104,200 |
| Electrician | Construction | $3,650 | $43,800 | $31,500 – $67,900 |
| Plumber | Construction | $3,500 | $42,000 | $30,200 – $65,100 |
| Construction Worker | Construction | $2,550 | $30,600 | $22,000 – $47,400 |
| Architect | Construction | $4,850 | $58,200 | $41,900 – $90,200 |
| Teacher (K-12) | Education | $3,250 | $39,000 | $28,100 – $60,400 |
| University Professor | Education | $5,050 | $60,600 | $43,600 – $93,900 |
| School Administrator | Education | $4,550 | $54,600 | $39,300 – $84,600 |
| Retail Sales Associate | Retail | $1,900 | $22,800 | $16,400 – $35,300 |
| Retail Store Manager | Retail | $3,100 | $37,200 | $26,800 – $57,700 |
| Chef | Hospitality | $2,950 | $35,400 | $25,500 – $54,900 |
| Waiter / Waitress | Hospitality | $1,750 | $21,000 | $15,100 – $32,600 |
| Hotel Manager | Hospitality | $3,650 | $43,800 | $31,500 – $67,900 |
| Factory Worker | Manufacturing | $2,300 | $27,600 | $19,900 – $42,800 |
| Production Manager | Manufacturing | $4,750 | $57,000 | $41,000 – $88,400 |
| Government Administrator | Government | $3,700 | $44,400 | $32,000 – $68,800 |
| Police Officer | Government | $3,550 | $42,600 | $30,700 – $66,000 |
| Truck Driver | Transportation | $2,900 | $34,800 | $25,100 – $53,900 |
| Logistics Manager | Transportation | $4,650 | $55,800 | $40,200 – $86,500 |
| Marketing Manager | Marketing | $5,600 | $67,200 | $48,400 – $104,200 |
| Digital Marketing Specialist | Marketing | $3,650 | $43,800 | $31,500 – $67,900 |
| Corporate Lawyer | Legal | $8,650 | $103,800 | $74,700 – $160,900 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $3,250 | $39,000 | $28,100 – $60,400 |
| Sales Representative | Sales | $3,350 | $40,200 | $28,900 – $62,300 |
| Account Executive | Sales | $4,650 | $55,800 | $40,200 – $86,500 |
| Customer Service Representative | Customer Service | $2,200 | $26,400 | $19,000 – $40,900 |
| Call Center Manager | Customer Service | $3,850 | $46,200 | $33,300 – $71,600 |
| Accountant | Finance | $4,150 | $49,800 | $35,900 – $77,200 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $4,900 | $58,800 | $42,300 – $91,100 |
| Investment Banker | Finance | $9,550 | $114,600 | $82,500 – $177,600 |
| HR Manager | Various | $5,450 | $65,400 | $47,100 – $101,400 |
| Graphic Designer | Various | $3,150 | $37,800 | $27,200 – $58,600 |
Figures are illustrative national average estimates rounded for readability, not exact statistical values. See Methodology for how these are calculated.
Savings potential varies enormously between London — where high rent consumes a large share of income even at above-average salaries — and the rest of the country, where a more modest salary can still support meaningful savings due to significantly lower housing costs.
National average asking rent for a one-bedroom flat is roughly $1,000–$1,300/month, but can exceed $2,300/month in central London and drop below $800/month in parts of the North of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Median house prices nationally sit in the region of roughly $290,000–$330,000 USD, though London averages are considerably higher, often exceeding $600,000 USD, while parts of the North and Scotland remain well below the national average.
Cities such as Glasgow, Sheffield, Newcastle, and Belfast offer significantly lower housing costs than London while maintaining solid job markets, particularly in professional services and the public sector.
The UK provides universal healthcare through the National Health Service (NHS), funded through general taxation and National Insurance, free at the point of use for most services for UK residents.
The NHS covers the large majority of healthcare needs. A meaningful minority of workers also carry private health insurance (often as an employer benefit) to access faster elective treatment or a wider choice of specialists.
There is generally no direct bill for GP visits, hospital treatment, or emergency care. Prescription charges apply in England (with many exemptions) but are free in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Dental and optical care typically require a co-payment or private cover.
State school education is free and funded through general taxation. Private ('independent') schools are also common, particularly in London and the South East, with substantial annual fees.
Undergraduate tuition for UK/home students is capped at roughly $11,500 USD/year in England (lower or free in Scotland for Scottish students), while international student tuition is considerably higher, often $15,000–$40,000+ USD/year depending on the institution and course.
London has one of the most extensive public transport networks in the world (Underground, buses, rail). Other major cities have solid but less extensive networks, while many rural areas rely heavily on cars.
Fuel prices in the UK are generally higher than in the US due to fuel duty. Many UK drivers opt for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, and city-centre driving often incurs congestion charges in London and a small number of other cities.
The standard workweek is 37.5–40 hours. UK law guarantees a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave, including public holidays, among the more generous statutory minimums globally.
Hybrid work is widespread, particularly in London-based professional services and technology roles. Typical benefits include a workplace pension (with mandatory minimum employer contributions), private health insurance in some sectors, and paid holiday beyond the statutory minimum.
Non-UK/Irish nationals generally need a visa to work in the UK, most commonly the Skilled Worker visa, which requires sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a job meeting minimum skill and salary thresholds.
This is general information, not legal advice. For current, authoritative requirements, consult GOV.UK Visas and Immigration, or a licensed immigration adviser/solicitor.
Based on the figures shown on this page, the average salary in the UK is approximately $3,900 per month, or around $46,800 per year, though this varies significantly by region, profession, and experience level.
This depends heavily on region. In London, a salary well above the national average is often needed to offset high housing costs, while the same salary goes considerably further in most other parts of the country.
The National Living Wage for workers 21 and over is £11.44 per hour. Lower rates apply to younger workers and apprentices — always check the current official rate.
UK income tax is progressive after a tax-free personal allowance, with a basic rate of 20%, higher rate of 40%, and additional rate of 45%, plus separate National Insurance contributions — see the Tax System section above.
London and the South East consistently report the highest average salaries, driven by finance, law, and technology, though they also carry the UK's highest cost of living.
Cities in the North of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland — such as Sheffield, Newcastle, and Belfast — are generally considerably more affordable than London.
Core NHS services are free at the point of use for UK residents, funded through general taxation and National Insurance. Prescriptions, dental, and optical care may involve charges depending on the nation and individual circumstances.
UK law guarantees a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave per year, which can include public holidays depending on the employer's policy.
Technology roles on this page range from around $37,000/year for entry-level IT support roles to over $84,000/year for experienced product managers, generally below comparable US tech salaries but competitive within Europe.
Most non-UK/Irish nationals need a visa, most commonly the Skilled Worker visa, which requires employer sponsorship. See our Visa & Employment section for where to find official guidance.
Gross salary is your salary before deductions. Take-home pay is what remains after income tax and National Insurance contributions are withheld — see our Take-Home Pay Examples section above.
The figures on this page represent base salary estimates and do not include bonuses, overtime, or benefits, which can meaningfully increase total compensation in many roles, particularly in finance.
Data on this page is reviewed and updated manually on a regular cycle rather than pulled from a live feed. See the "Last Updated" note near the top of this page.
Figures are informed by categories of public sources such as government labour statistics, tax authority publications, and independent compensation surveys. See our Data Sources section below.
Yes — use the Compare tool on the Global Salary Atlas homepage to compare salary, tax, and cost of living between the UK and any other country in our database.
Figures on this page are informed by categories of public sources, including government labour statistics, national tax authority publications, public statistical agencies, and — where relevant for broader economic context — international organizations. These are named here as examples of the type of source we draw on, not as a claim of live or automated data access.
This page is manually reviewed and updated rather than fed by a real-time data feed. See the "Last Updated" note near the top of this page, and our full Data Sources and Methodology pages for more detail on how figures across Global Salary Atlas are sourced and verified.
Spotted a figure that looks outdated? Let us know — corrections are reviewed and applied on our regular update cycle.