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Average Salary: £30,983.47

Min: £19,760.00 Max: £61,979.00

Average Average Salary in UK: £30,983.47

What Other Factors Affect Salaries?

There's more to salary setting than just industry and region. Loads of different reasons can affect the average UK salary for full-time employees.

Below are some of the key criteria that influence the average wage across the corporate landscape.

Location

It won’t come as a surprise to learn that jobs in London, and other major cities, often command higher salaries than the equivalent positions in smaller cities or towns will.

However, it’s worth remembering that living in a big city, or indeed commuting into one, is very expensive. So, what looks like a great salary on paper, may not necessarily translate to more money in your pocket to spend.

Given the huge rise in home working and the reduced requirement for employees to work from an office, your location may start to have less and less impact on the average salary for your job or industry, but if you work in a physical workplace then it's still a factor to consider.

Age

It doesn't take a genius to work out that as we get older, we gain more and more experience, thus commanding higher salaries.

Recent school leavers entering the world of employment can expect to be some of the lowest paid employees, given their lack of any experience. University leavers can hope to earn more, due to their extensive education.

However, it’s not until we reach our 30s that we start to get into our earning stride, when we have both education and/or qualifications, plus some experience, behind us.

Employees aged 40-49 are some of the best paid as they have, by this age, racked up a good 15 years + experience.

Of course, there are always anomalies, and in some industries, if you're good at your job, you can reach your peak regular pay. Industries such as the financial sector can see employees realise huge earning potential at a young age, but this is generally the exception that proves the rule.

Gender

Whilst the gender pay gap has thankfully narrowed enormously over the last 20 years, sadly there is still a gap between men and women who perform the same job. This isn’t true in every industry and companies are becoming much better at paying a specified salary for a role, regardless of gender.

Still, in some sectors there's still a gender pay gap, so you need to be aware of this when you're negotiating your salary. The best way to understand if you're getting paid less than the average wage because of your gender is to communicate with your colleagues and be open about how much you make. You can then find out if your salary is lower simply because of your gender, then discuss it with your boss to ensure that you get paid a fair wage.

Skillsets / Education

As we touched on above, the more qualifications you have, or the more educated you are, then usually, the more you can expect to earn. Having a relevant degree for your industry may well be a prerequisite, or it may serve to enhance your CV and put you ahead of the competition.

Ensuring your skills are kept up to date and relevant should also ensure you maximise your earning potential. One of the most effective ways to ensure your salary increases steadily as you get older is to specialise within your industry. Having a ‘niche’ skillset will improve your salary prospects.

Occupation / Industry

Different industries will have different requirements when it comes to education and skills. Clearly, a job within the medical profession or in the legal industry will have very comprehensive requirements for job-seekers. However, a position within the retail industry may require a can-do attitude and good people skills rather than qualifications.

Certain industries like Construction, Energy, Information Technology and Digital Marketing have seen a boom over the last few years, so working in one of these growth areas may also provide you with the potential for higher earnings.

Salary Reports

While the data from the ONS's survey is useful, it's important that you get a greater understanding about how this information was gathered and what it means.

Check out this report on the Highest Paid Jobs in the UK Minimum Wage UK to find out more information about how these averages were calculated and what they could potentially mean for you.


Salaries By Age Group

Age is an important factor in average earnings. Often, notably younger employees receive a lower salary, as employers believe that they don't have as much experience. Also, younger workers might be more likely to be part-time workers, which means they could be earning less money as they work fewer hours.

If you're interested in seeing how your age affects your wage, then here is the data from the Office For National Statistics for average salary by age in the UK.

Average Salary data from the ONS

Minimum

Median

Maximum

Age Group


Below are 4 areas of key criteria that influence how much people earn.

Average Salaries by Country and Region

Where you're based also affects your average salary. Check out the average salary by location to see where to consider moving to get the best wage.

Region/Country Salary
England £31,538.66
Scotland £28,630.56
Wales £29,334.37
Northern Ireland £26,446.36
East Midlands £28,065.00
Eastern £30,507.47
Isle of Man £33,940.91
London £40,296.96
North East £29,091.78
North West £30,071.25
South East £30,330.39
South West £28,984.07
West Midlands £28,749.98
Yorkshire and the Humber £28,795.55

The highest paying towns and cities In the UK

View the highest paying towns and cities in the UK.

Location Salary
Heathfield £57,258.09
Normanton £46,976.97
Corsham £45,252.92
Poplar £44,938.75
Clare £41,535.28
Paddington £40,876.34
Bishop's Castle £40,846.04
Royston £37,329.24
Reading £37,145.70
Maybole £37,107.50

The lowest paying towns and cities In the UK

View the lowest paying towns and cities in the UK.

Location Salary
Yarmouth £19,681.25
New Quay £19,767.81
Thornton £20,520.19
Rothwell £21,207.34
Thurnscoe £21,324.49
Portrush £21,360.55
Filey £21,592.21
Whitburn £21,751.64
Caister-on-Sea £21,868.94
Llantwit Major £21,929.84

How To Negotiate A Raise

These are the average salaries for UK employees, but these figures aren't set in stone. If you feel that you're worth more money and want to increase your salary, then you can ask for a pay rise.

If you want to get more from your role and feel that your job specification has expanded, then you can ask for a higher salary, but you need to make sure you do it right.

Whether you're currently earning less than the average salary in the UK for your role, or you feel that you deserve a pay rise for extra responsibilities, here are some practical tips to help you get the salary you deserve.

Prepare A Presentation Before You Ask

Like any good speech, you need to make sure that you prepare before you ask for a raise. If you wing it, then you might find that you come across as unprofessional and don't get the key points across to your boss.

Plan a speech that outlines in detail how your role has expanded since you started, and why you should receive more compensation as a result. Bring in figures and the latest data on how your work has impacted the business, so you can highlight how much you're worth.

Act Professionally Throughout The Process

Your behaviour during these negotiations could be the difference between a pay increase and losing the respect of your senior manager.

So, you need to make sure that you act in a professional manner worthy of someone who should be given a higher salary.

It's easy to feel frustrated, particularly if the negotiations don't seem to be going your way, but you could put your whole career in jeopardy if you don't behave in a professional way.

Try your best to think before you speak and take the time to craft polite but firm responses, so that you get the best possible outcome from your salary negotiations.

Use All The Resources At Your Disposal

There are plenty of resources out there to help you negotiate a better salary. One of them is this list of average salaries; you can show your employer if your wages are below the national average.

Additionally, you could also use our career advice and job search support to find the role of your dreams and get yourself on the right path towards earning a better wage.

By using Check-a-Salary's range of resources, including our blog, you can improve your chances of achieving your full potential and get the salary you deserve.