Find your exact salary percentile in the UK. Full ONS data breakdown showing what percentage of workers earn more or less than you, by age, region, and sector.
Most people have a vague sense of whether they're paid well or not. Very few know their actual position in the UK earnings distribution. This guide uses the latest ONS data to give you a precise answer, and to explain what that position actually means for your financial life and career decisions.
A salary percentile tells you what percentage of workers earn less than you. If you're in the 70th percentile, 70% of workers earn less than you and 30% earn more. The 50th percentile is the median, the exact midpoint of all UK earners.
Percentiles are far more useful than averages for benchmarking your salary. The mean average is distorted upward by very high earners, a handful of people earning millions pulls the mean well above what most people actually earn. The median and percentile distribution give a truer picture.
| Percentile | Annual salary (gross) | Monthly take home (approx.) | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £14,800 | £1,100 | You earn more than 10% of workers |
| 20th percentile | £18,900 | £1,380 | You earn more than 20% of workers |
| 25th percentile | £21,200 | £1,520 | Bottom quarter of earners |
| 30th percentile | £23,500 | £1,660 | You earn more than 30% of workers |
| 40th percentile | £27,800 | £1,900 | You earn more than 40% of workers |
| 50th percentile (median) | £39,039 | £2,550 | Exact midpoint, half earn more, half less |
| 60th percentile | £37,500 | £2,440 | You earn more than 60% of workers |
| 70th percentile | £44,000 | £2,820 | You earn more than 70% of workers |
| 75th percentile | £48,000 | £3,050 | Top quarter of earners |
| 80th percentile | £53,000 | £3,330 | You earn more than 80% of workers |
| 90th percentile | £67,000 | £4,000 | Top 10% of earners |
| 95th percentile | £89,000 | £5,100 | Top 5% of earners |
| 99th percentile | £145,000+ | £7,300+ | Top 1% of earners |
Note: These figures are for full time employees. Part time workers, self employed individuals, and those on zero hours contracts are not fully captured in this distribution. The ASHE survey covers employees only.
The table above covers salary earners (employees). The income distribution, which includes investment income, rental income, self employment, and benefits, looks different. HMRC's Survey of Personal Incomes shows the top 1% income threshold at around £180,000, higher than the salary only figure, because it captures dividend income and other non salary sources common among the wealthy.
For most people comparing their employment salary, the ASHE figures are the right benchmark.
Benchmarking against your age group is more meaningful than comparing to the overall population, a 25-year-old on £28,000 is doing well; a 45-year-old on the same salary is likely being significantly underpaid relative to their career stage.
| Age group | 25th percentile | Median (50th) | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–21 | £13,500 | £20,000 | £24,000 | £29,000 |
| 22–29 | £22,000 | £28,000 | £36,000 | £46,000 |
| 30–39 | £28,000 | £38,500 | £52,000 | £70,000 |
| 40–49 | £30,000 | £42,000 | £58,000 | £80,000 |
| 50–59 | £28,000 | £40,000 | £55,000 | £75,000 |
| 60–65 | £25,000 | £35,000 | £48,000 | £65,000 |
These age based percentiles reveal something important: the spread widens significantly with age. At 22–29, the gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is £14,000. By 30–39, that gap has grown to £24,000. By 40–49, it's £28,000. Early career choices compound dramatically over time.
Where you live changes everything about what percentile your salary represents. A salary that puts you in the 60th percentile nationally might put you in the 75th percentile in the North East, and in the 45th percentile in London.
| Region | Median salary | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £47,455 | £72,000 | £105,000 |
| South East | £39,983 | £58,000 | £82,000 |
| East of England | £38,500 | £56,000 | £78,000 |
| Scotland | £36,500 | £52,000 | £72,000 |
| South West | £35,500 | £50,000 | £68,000 |
| North West | £35,000 | £50,000 | £68,000 |
| West Midlands | £34,800 | £49,000 | £67,000 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £34,200 | £48,000 | £65,000 |
| East Midlands | £33,800 | £47,500 | £64,000 |
| North East | £32,500 | £46,000 | £61,000 |
| Wales | £33,500 | £47,000 | £62,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £32,500 | £45,000 | £59,000 |
Sector has an enormous influence on your position in the earnings distribution. Someone on £40,000 in nursing is in roughly the 65th percentile for their profession. The same salary in finance puts you in the 40th percentile. Understanding your sector's distribution matters as much as the national figures.
| Sector | Median salary | Top 10% threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Financial services | £48,000 | £120,000+ |
| Information technology | £46,000 | £95,000+ |
| Legal | £44,000 | £120,000+ |
| Engineering | £42,000 | £80,000+ |
| Healthcare (NHS) | £36,000 | £75,000+ |
| Education | £34,000 | £65,000+ |
| Marketing / Creative | £33,000 | £70,000+ |
| Public sector (non NHS) | £32,000 | £60,000+ |
| Construction / Trades | £32,000 | £60,000+ |
| Retail / Hospitality | £24,000 | £42,000+ |
The gender pay gap is often reported as a single percentage, typically 8–14% depending on methodology. But percentile data reveals the gap more starkly. At the median, women earn around £34,000 versus men's £42,000. At the 90th percentile, the gap widens: women's 90th percentile is around £55,000, men's is around £80,000. The gap is not uniform across the distribution, it's largest at the top, driven by the underrepresentation of women in the highest paying senior roles.
Knowing your salary percentile is useful, but it doesn't tell you whether you're paid fairly for your specific role. A 60th percentile salary nationally might be below the median for your particular job title in your city. The right benchmark is always role specific and location specific, not just the national distribution.
Use our salary checker to compare your pay against the market rate for your exact role and region, rather than just the national percentile.
If your salary is below the median for your role and region, you have the strongest possible argument for a pay rise. "Based on ONS data, my role typically pays £X at this experience level, and my current salary of £Y puts me in the Nth percentile, I'd like to discuss bringing it closer to market rate" is a far more compelling case than a vague request for more money.
Employers respond to market data. Percentile benchmarking gives you that data in a form they cannot easily dismiss. See our full salary negotiation guide for the complete approach.
The top 1% threshold, around £145,000 in salary terms, is where earnings become genuinely exceptional. To put this in context: a GP partner earns around £110,000; a secondary school headteacher at a large school around £90,000–£120,000; a senior solicitor at a regional firm around £80,000–£100,000. Reaching the top 1% typically requires either a senior position in finance or law, successful entrepreneurship, or a very senior public sector role.
The top 0.1%, around £500,000+, is almost entirely composed of senior financiers, company executives, and successful business owners. Employment income at this level is rare; most is driven by bonuses, carried interest, and equity.
The national percentile is a starting point. Our salary checker gives you a role specific and location specific benchmark, so you know exactly where you stand for your job, not just the average.
Check Your Salary →A £40,000 salary places you at approximately the 55th–60th percentile of UK full time earners, above the median of £39,039 but well below the top 25% threshold of around £48,000.
You need to earn approximately £67,000 or more to be in the top 10% of UK salary earners. This threshold varies by region, in London it's around £105,000; in the North East around £61,000.
The top 1% threshold for employment salary is approximately £145,000. In income terms (including investment and dividend income) the threshold is higher, around £180,000.
The UK median full time salary in 2025/26 is £39,039, meaning half of all full time employees earn more than this and half earn less.
A £30,000 salary places you at approximately the 40th–42nd percentile of UK full time earners, below the national median of £39,039.
Compare your gross annual salary to the ONS ASHE percentile table for the UK overall, then refine by your age group and region for a more accurate picture. Our salary checker can give you a role specific benchmark.
Yes, the income percentile includes all income sources (salary, self employment, dividends, rental income, benefits), while the salary percentile covers employment income only. For employees comparing their pay, the salary percentile is the more relevant benchmark.