Methodology

Data Source

All salary data comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs drawn from HMRC PAYE records. It covers all employee jobs in the UK and is the most comprehensive source of earnings information available.

What We Present

For each occupation we show: median gross annual pay, mean gross annual pay, percentile breakdowns (10th, 25th, 75th, 90th), median hourly rate, and estimated employment. We derive monthly, weekly, and daily figures by dividing the annual median.

Occupational Classification

Occupations follow the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020 system used by the ONS. We group occupations into broader industry categories for browsing purposes.

Comparison Pages

Our salary comparison pages show every available metric for two occupations side by side. These are generated programmatically for all possible pairs. Comparisons use the same underlying ONS data — no adjustments or weighting are applied.

Salary Bands

Salary band pages group occupations by median annual pay range (e.g. £30,000 – £40,000). This helps users identify roles that match a target income level.

Currency & Tax

All figures are in British Pounds (GBP) and represent gross (pre-tax) earnings. Take-home pay will be lower after Income Tax, National Insurance and any pension contributions.

Update Frequency

Data is refreshed daily. The ONS typically publishes ASHE data annually, usually in October or November. Between annual releases, the most recent available data is displayed.

Limitations

ASHE covers employees only — self-employed earnings are not included. Figures represent broad occupational averages and may not reflect specific employers, regions or seniority levels precisely. Bonuses, overtime and benefits in kind may or may not be included depending on the measure.