The most comprehensive and up-to-date salary benchmarking data for UK professionals — compiled from over 18,000 placements and 50,000 salary data points collected in the past 12 months.
All salaries reflect base pay in GBP per annum (excluding bonuses and benefits) based on UK national averages. London salaries are typically 20–35% higher.
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Junior | £30,000 – £42,000 | £36,000 | ↑ +6.2% |
| Software Engineer | Mid | £45,000 – £65,000 | £54,000 | ↑ +7.8% |
| Senior Software Engineer | Senior | £68,000 – £95,000 | £80,000 | ↑ +9.1% |
| Data Scientist | Junior | £35,000 – £48,000 | £41,000 | ↑ +8.5% |
| Data Scientist | Mid | £52,000 – £72,000 | £61,000 | ↑ +10.2% |
| Lead Data Scientist | Senior | £75,000 – £105,000 | £88,000 | ↑ +12.0% |
| DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer | Mid | £55,000 – £78,000 | £65,000 | ↑ +8.9% |
| Senior DevOps Engineer | Senior | £80,000 – £110,000 | £93,000 | ↑ +9.5% |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | Mid | £48,000 – £68,000 | £57,000 | ↑ +11.3% |
| Head of Cybersecurity | Senior | £90,000 – £130,000 | £108,000 | ↑ +13.5% |
| Product Manager | Mid | £55,000 – £80,000 | £67,000 | ↑ +7.4% |
| Head of Product | Senior | £85,000 – £120,000 | £100,000 | ↑ +8.2% |
| CTO | C-Suite | £130,000 – £200,000+ | £160,000 | ↑ +10.0% |
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | Junior | £28,000 – £38,000 | £33,000 | ↑ +4.8% |
| Financial Analyst | Mid | £40,000 – £58,000 | £48,000 | ↑ +5.6% |
| Finance Manager | Senior | £60,000 – £85,000 | £72,000 | ↑ +6.1% |
| Investment Analyst | Mid | £55,000 – £80,000 | £66,000 | ↑ +7.2% |
| Risk Manager | Mid | £60,000 – £85,000 | £71,000 | ↑ +6.8% |
| Head of Risk | Senior | £90,000 – £130,000 | £108,000 | ↑ +7.5% |
| Compliance Officer | Mid | £45,000 – £65,000 | £54,000 | ↑ +8.0% |
| CFO | C-Suite | £130,000 – £220,000+ | £170,000 | ↑ +9.2% |
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Executive | Junior | £22,000 – £32,000 | £27,000 | ↑ +4.2% |
| Marketing Manager | Mid | £38,000 – £55,000 | £45,000 | ↑ +5.3% |
| Senior Marketing Manager | Senior | £58,000 – £80,000 | £68,000 | ↑ +6.1% |
| Digital Marketing Manager | Mid | £40,000 – £58,000 | £48,000 | ↑ +7.5% |
| Head of Marketing | Senior | £70,000 – £100,000 | £84,000 | ↑ +6.8% |
| CMO / Marketing Director | C-Suite | £100,000 – £160,000+ | £128,000 | ↑ +8.3% |
| Creative Director | Senior | £65,000 – £95,000 | £78,000 | → +2.1% |
| Content Strategist | Mid | £35,000 – £52,000 | £43,000 | ↑ +5.9% |
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR Advisor | Junior | £26,000 – £36,000 | £31,000 | ↑ +4.5% |
| HR Business Partner | Mid | £42,000 – £60,000 | £50,000 | ↑ +5.8% |
| Senior HR Business Partner | Senior | £62,000 – £85,000 | £72,000 | ↑ +6.2% |
| Talent Acquisition Manager | Mid | £45,000 – £65,000 | £54,000 | ↑ +7.0% |
| Head of Talent & Acquisition | Senior | £70,000 – £95,000 | £81,000 | ↑ +7.8% |
| HR Director | Director | £85,000 – £120,000 | £100,000 | ↑ +5.5% |
| Chief People Officer | C-Suite | £110,000 – £175,000+ | £140,000 | ↑ +9.0% |
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Qualified Solicitor | NQ | £42,000 – £65,000 | £52,000 | ↑ +5.2% |
| Solicitor (3–5 PQE) | Mid | £60,000 – £90,000 | £74,000 | ↑ +6.1% |
| Senior Solicitor (6–9 PQE) | Senior | £85,000 – £120,000 | £100,000 | ↑ +6.8% |
| In-House Counsel | Mid | £65,000 – £95,000 | £78,000 | ↑ +7.2% |
| General Counsel / CLO | Senior | £110,000 – £180,000+ | £145,000 | ↑ +8.0% |
| Role Title | Experience Level | Salary Range | Median | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Engineer | Junior | £26,000 – £34,000 | £30,000 | ↑ +3.8% |
| Mechanical Engineer | Mid | £38,000 – £55,000 | £46,000 | ↑ +4.5% |
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | Senior | £58,000 – £80,000 | £68,000 | ↑ +5.1% |
| Civil / Structural Engineer | Mid | £40,000 – £58,000 | £48,000 | ↑ +5.6% |
| Principal Engineer | Senior | £65,000 – £90,000 | £76,000 | ↑ +5.9% |
| Engineering Director | Director | £90,000 – £130,000 | £108,000 | ↑ +6.2% |
How salaries vary across major UK cities compared to London. Data based on mid-level professional roles.
| Sector / Role Type | London | Manchester | Birmingham | Edinburgh | Leeds | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology (Mid-Level) | £65,000 Index: 100 | £52,000 Index: 80 | £49,000 Index: 75 | £55,000 Index: 85 | £50,000 Index: 77 | £54,000 Index: 83 |
| Finance (Mid-Level) | £58,000 Index: 100 | £44,000 Index: 76 | £42,000 Index: 72 | £48,000 Index: 83 | £43,000 Index: 74 | £46,000 Index: 79 |
| Marketing (Mid-Level) | £48,000 Index: 100 | £38,000 Index: 79 | £36,000 Index: 75 | £40,000 Index: 83 | £37,000 Index: 77 | £40,000 Index: 83 |
| HR (Mid-Level) | £52,000 Index: 100 | £40,000 Index: 77 | £38,000 Index: 73 | £42,000 Index: 81 | £39,000 Index: 75 | £41,000 Index: 79 |
| Legal (Mid-Level) | £80,000 Index: 100 | £58,000 Index: 73 | £55,000 Index: 69 | £62,000 Index: 78 | £56,000 Index: 70 | £60,000 Index: 75 |
| Engineering (Mid-Level) | £55,000 Index: 100 | £44,000 Index: 80 | £44,000 Index: 80 | £46,000 Index: 84 | £44,000 Index: 80 | £45,000 Index: 82 |
Note: Salaries represent UK national average. London Premium typically 20–35% above national average for equivalent roles. Data as at Q1 2026.
Our consultants have helped thousands of candidates negotiate better packages. Here's what works.
Use this salary guide alongside Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and data from your specific industry to build a compelling case based on evidence, not expectation. Know your market value before the conversation starts.
Base salary is just one element. Pension contributions, bonus potential, equity, healthcare, holiday allowance, and flexible working all have real monetary value. Sometimes improving these is easier than moving the base figure.
If possible, encourage the employer to make the first offer. This anchors the discussion at their starting position rather than revealing your expectations. If pushed, give a range — never a single number.
Even if the offer meets your expectations, ask for 24–48 hours to consider. This signals professionalism, prevents regret, and occasionally prompts employers to improve their initial offer without you asking.
If you're working with a TalentBridge UK consultant, we negotiate on your behalf. We have real-time data on what similar candidates are achieving and the experience to push for the best outcome without damaging the relationship.
Studies show that 80% of professionals who accept counter-offers leave within 12 months anyway. If you receive a counter-offer from your current employer, consider carefully whether the underlying reasons for leaving have genuinely changed.
Get our complete 48-page salary guide covering 200+ roles across 8 sectors, regional breakdowns, bonus data, benefits benchmarking, and in-depth market analysis for 2026.
No sign-up required • Instant download • Updated May 2026