UK Salaries by Profession (2026/27)
55 UK jobs, ranked by what they actually take home — real ONS median salary data run through the same tax and National Insurance calculation as every other page on this site.
All 55 professions, ranked by take-home pay
Median gross salary from ONS, take-home pay calculated for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, assuming a standard tax code, no pension contribution and no student loan.
| Profession | Category | Median gross | Take-home (yr) | Take-home (mo) | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital Doctor | Healthcare | £92,847 | £64,409 | £5,367 | 30.6% |
| Train Driver | Transport & Logistics | £76,327 | £54,827 | £4,569 | 28.2% |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | £60,303 | £45,533 | £3,794 | 24.5% |
| IT Business Analyst | Technology | £60,288 | £45,524 | £3,794 | 24.5% |
| IT Project Manager | Technology | £58,373 | £44,414 | £3,701 | 23.9% |
| HR Manager | Professional Services | £57,529 | £43,924 | £3,660 | 23.6% |
| Solicitor | Professional Services | £56,977 | £43,604 | £3,634 | 23.5% |
| Software Developer | Technology | £56,914 | £43,568 | £3,631 | 23.5% |
| GP | Healthcare | £55,494 | £42,744 | £3,562 | 23% |
| Paramedic | Healthcare | £53,818 | £41,772 | £3,481 | 22.4% |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | £53,772 | £41,745 | £3,479 | 22.4% |
| Marketing Manager | Professional Services | £53,703 | £41,705 | £3,475 | 22.3% |
| Actuary | Professional Services | £53,342 | £41,496 | £3,458 | 22.2% |
| Management Consultant | Professional Services | £53,295 | £41,469 | £3,456 | 22.2% |
| University Lecturer | Teaching & Education | £52,835 | £41,202 | £3,433 | 22% |
| Quantity Surveyor | Engineering | £52,537 | £41,029 | £3,419 | 21.9% |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | £51,366 | £40,350 | £3,362 | 21.4% |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | £51,110 | £40,201 | £3,350 | 21.3% |
| Vet | Healthcare | £51,058 | £40,171 | £3,348 | 21.3% |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | £51,030 | £40,155 | £3,346 | 21.3% |
| Accountant | Professional Services | £50,062 | £39,564 | £3,297 | 21% |
| Secondary School Teacher | Teaching & Education | £47,632 | £37,815 | £3,151 | 20.6% |
| Architect | Engineering | £47,143 | £37,463 | £3,122 | 20.5% |
| Midwife | Healthcare | £46,990 | £37,352 | £3,113 | 20.5% |
| Primary School Teacher | Teaching & Education | £45,939 | £36,596 | £3,050 | 20.3% |
| Social Worker | Healthcare | £44,550 | £35,596 | £2,966 | 20.1% |
| Journalist | Professional Services | £44,534 | £35,584 | £2,965 | 20.1% |
| Firefighter | Public Sector | £44,033 | £35,223 | £2,935 | 20% |
| Physiotherapist | Healthcare | £43,532 | £34,863 | £2,905 | 19.9% |
| Nurse | Healthcare | £42,300 | £33,976 | £2,831 | 19.7% |
| Insurance Underwriter | Professional Services | £41,610 | £33,479 | £2,790 | 19.5% |
| HGV Driver | Transport & Logistics | £39,905 | £32,251 | £2,688 | 19.2% |
| Electrician | Skilled Trades | £39,647 | £32,065 | £2,672 | 19.1% |
| Data Analyst | Technology | £38,572 | £31,291 | £2,608 | 18.9% |
| Librarian | Professional Services | £38,068 | £30,929 | £2,577 | 18.8% |
| Plumber | Skilled Trades | £37,881 | £30,794 | £2,566 | 18.7% |
| Car Mechanic | Skilled Trades | £37,458 | £30,489 | £2,541 | 18.6% |
| Bus Driver | Transport & Logistics | £36,340 | £29,684 | £2,474 | 18.3% |
| Personal Assistant | Office & Admin | £34,954 | £28,686 | £2,391 | 17.9% |
| Carpenter | Skilled Trades | £34,014 | £28,010 | £2,334 | 17.7% |
| Security Guard | Retail & Hospitality | £33,832 | £27,879 | £2,323 | 17.6% |
| Bricklayer | Skilled Trades | £33,030 | £27,301 | £2,275 | 17.3% |
| Graphic Designer | Professional Services | £32,510 | £26,927 | £2,244 | 17.2% |
| Estate Agent | Retail & Hospitality | £30,648 | £25,586 | £2,132 | 16.5% |
| Bank Clerk | Office & Admin | £30,265 | £25,310 | £2,109 | 16.4% |
| Chef | Retail & Hospitality | £30,010 | £25,127 | £2,094 | 16.3% |
| Delivery Driver | Transport & Logistics | £27,854 | £23,574 | £1,965 | 15.4% |
| Customer Service Advisor | Office & Admin | £27,848 | £23,570 | £1,964 | 15.4% |
| Warehouse Operative | Transport & Logistics | £27,832 | £23,559 | £1,963 | 15.4% |
| Care Worker | Healthcare | £27,468 | £23,297 | £1,941 | 15.2% |
| Dental Nurse | Healthcare | £25,742 | £22,054 | £1,838 | 14.3% |
| Retail Assistant | Retail & Hospitality | £25,056 | £21,560 | £1,797 | 14% |
| Receptionist | Office & Admin | £24,678 | £21,288 | £1,774 | 13.7% |
| Hairdresser | Retail & Hospitality | £24,279 | £21,000 | £1,750 | 13.5% |
| Waiter / Waitress | Retail & Hospitality | £22,936 | £20,034 | £1,669 | 12.7% |
Median pay from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2025 provisional results (published 2025-10-23), full-time UK employee jobs. Take-home figures are this calculator's own estimate for 2026/27, assuming a standard tax code, no pension contribution and no student loan.
Healthcare
- Nurse salary after tax
- Midwife salary after tax
- GP salary after tax
- Hospital Doctor salary after tax
- Paramedic salary after tax
- Physiotherapist salary after tax
- Pharmacist salary after tax
- Optometrist salary after tax
- Dental Nurse salary after tax
- Vet salary after tax
- Care Worker salary after tax
- Social Worker salary after tax
Teaching & Education
Technology
Engineering
Skilled Trades
Public Sector
Professional Services
- Accountant salary after tax
- Solicitor salary after tax
- Marketing Manager salary after tax
- HR Manager salary after tax
- Management Consultant salary after tax
- Actuary salary after tax
- Insurance Underwriter salary after tax
- Journalist salary after tax
- Graphic Designer salary after tax
- Librarian salary after tax
Transport & Logistics
Retail & Hospitality
Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Where does this salary-by-profession data come from?
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2025 provisional results, published 2025-10-23. Figures are median gross annual pay for UK full-time employee jobs, by occupation (four-digit Standard Occupational Classification).
Why is take-home pay not simply proportional to gross salary?
Because of the tax-free Personal Allowance and the way Income Tax and National Insurance bands work, a higher gross salary is taxed at a higher effective rate — so ranking by take-home pay doesn't always match ranking by gross pay.
Is my profession missing?
This page covers 55 common UK occupations. Use the <a href="/">full calculator</a> to work out take-home pay for any salary, including yours.