Working in the UK is an excellent career move as the country offers plenty of opportunities for growth. But before you find a new job in the UK, you need to learn how much the average salary in the UK is and how much income you need to live comfortably. This is why we’ve come up with an extensive list of all things salary-related in the UK:

1. Minimum wage in the UK
2. The average salary in the UK in 2023
3. Average salaries for different professions
4. Good salary to comfortably live in the UK
5. Factors influencing your salary

What’s the minimum wage in the UK in 2023?

Everyone over 23 has the right to a minimum hourly wage of £10.42 in the UK in 2023. This is known as the National Living Wage (NLW). This hourly minimum wage in the UK means that if you’re working full-time (40 hours per week), your monthly wage will be £1,667.20.

As the NLW increases every year, it’s projected that in 2024, the UK’s minimum wage will be between £10.90 and £11.43.

What’s the average salary in the UK?

Looking at the average income in the UK is a popular benchmark to see how your earnings compare to the other income earners in the UK. Based on data from the Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings (ASHE) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the gross average salary in the UK is £2,886 per month (or £34,632 annually) in 2023. After taxes, the net average monthly earnings are £2,297 (or £27,573) in the UK.

Breaking down the average salary by contract type, the gross income for full time employees in the UK is £3,484 monthly (or £41,808), while part time employees earn £1,218 monthly (or £14,612).

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You can use the Government's income tax calculator to see exactly how much you’ll be making in the UK after necessary deductibles (e.g. taxes and healthcare).

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What’s the average household income in the UK?

Before taxes and benefits, the median household income in the UK is £35,000 annually (or £2,917 monthly). This is a 0.6% decrease from the previous year and provides an indication of the standard of living in the UK.

What’s the average salary in the UK by region?

Some regions of the UK have higher average salaries than others. This is mainly driven by economic factors such as employment levels, income levels, living environment and access to housing. Above you can see a breakdown of the monthly average salary across the UK regions, based on data from the Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

Average salary by profession

To get a better understanding of how your profession fits on the pay scale, we looked at the average salaries for some of the in-demand professions in the UK.

Profession	Average salary in the UK
Architects	£48,800
Bricklayers and masons	£27,040
Dentists	£54,080
Doctors	£74,800
Solicitors	£57,200
Lawyers	£53,746
Nurses	£40,560
Software developers	£50,440
Sales	£54,080
Mechanical engineers	£47,840
Waiters(ses)	£17,680
Receptionists	£22,360
Marketing professionals	£33,800

Check out our guide on UK visas and see how you can apply for a Skilled worker visa, which is granted to employees relocating for in-demand jobs.

What’s the median salary in the UK?

The median salary represents the midpoint between the lowest and the highest salaries. It’s a good indication of how the economy of the country is doing and the typical standard of living. Based on data from ASHE, the median salary in the UK is £2,492 monthly (or £29,900 annually).

Breaking it down, the median salary for full time employees is £2,955 per month (or £35,464), whereas the income of part time employees is £1,044 monthly (or £12,532).

What’s a good salary in the UK?

With a cost of living of £1,950 in the UK, an average monthly net salary ranging between £2,500 and £3,300 is a good salary in the UK. With an income close to or within this range, you’re able to live comfortably by covering your expenses and having some disposable income to treat yourself.

The 5 factors influencing your salary in the UK

1. Industry

Some industries have higher salaries than others, as working in these fields can require more training and performing more complex tasks. Fields like medicine, IT and engineering pay better as you need to have specific qualifications to work in them.

Another industry factor influencing your salary in the UK is whether you’re working in the public or private sector. People working in the private sector often receive higher salaries and better work benefits but have lower job security than those working in the public sector.

2. Education

In some cases, your level of education can play a role in how much your salary is in the UK. Depending on your level of education, you can expect an average monthly salary of:

• No qualifications — £1,216
• GCSEs or equivalent (e.g. 10th grade) — £1,524
• A-levels or equivalent (e.g. high school diploma) — £1,740
• Higher education degree — £2,776

But there are also plenty of high-paying jobs which don’t require education. Whilst these jobs don’t require a specific higher education degree, having some background in the field and motivation to learn can land you your dream job. Here’s the list of the highest-paying jobs in the UK which you can do without needing a degree:

• Real estate agent
• Recruitment consultant
• Digital marketeer
• Personal trainer
• Firefighter
• Executive assistant
• Computer games tester

3. Gender

Unfortunately, even in a progressive country like the UK, there continues to be a pay gap between men and women. This means that for the same amount of hours worked, British men make, on average, more than British women.

Factors which the gender pay gap considers include the number of women at different career levels and their position on the pay scale compared to men.

Based on ONS' report on employee earnings in 2023, the median gross annual earning in the UK is £34,632 for men (equal to country’s average) and £25,532 for women (which is below the country’s average). This is a difference of £9,100 or 14.3% lower the median salary.

4. Years of experience

It shouldn’t be surprising that your years of experience greatly influence your salary. The longer you’ve worked in your field, the more valuable are your skills and knowledge to employers. This is also reflected in the highest-paying jobs in the UK, which are at the directorial and managerial levels. Here’s a list of the highest-paying jobs in the UK:

• Chief executives and senior officials
• Marketing, sales and advertising directors
• Aircraft pilots
• IT directors
• Specialist doctors
• Transport associate professionals
• Headteachers and principals
• Financial managers and directors

5. Location

Working in any of the UK’s larger cities, especially in London, means that your salary will be higher. This is largely due to higher costs of living, bigger competition and better work prospects as the saturation of companies is higher. For example, the average median salary in London is £46,380 (the highest in the country), whereas in Leeds it’s £26,298.

Understanding the UK’s minimum wage, average income, and factors influencing salaries is crucial when planning your career. Remember to always research specific industries and job sectors for accurate salary expectations. Best of luck as you embark on your professional journey in the UK!

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