Average UK salary by age

Breakdown of the average UK salary by age

Although we often say “average salary”, the median is actually the more useful figure. It’s the salary in the middle: half of employees earn more and half earn less, which means that unlike the average, it’s not pulled upwards by a small number of very high earners.

Data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), provides one of the clearest pictures of salary by age, UK trends, and the wider income distribution across the workforce.

As you can see below, median annual salary was around £24,500 for so-called ‘YoPros’ (young professionals aged 18 to 21), peaking later at around £43,000 for workers in their forties, before dropping by about 18% to £36,500 for those aged 60 and over.

What can we take from these statistics?

The fastest salary growth tends to come in your 20s because that’s when qualifications and your first taste of experience begins to pay off. Workers in their 40s combine experience with senior responsibility. And later on, high earners retire or move into less demanding, more flexible work. As such, age is more of a proxy for experience, skills and changing lifestyle preferences. 

Also, single national numbers like we have here from the Office of National Statistics are only a starting point – the better comparison is with people who have similar skills, working in a similar location, and on similar working hours. These factors all make a bigger difference than age alone. 

The biggest pay rises usually follow a change in what you offer or where you offer it. A past ONS analysis found that job “hoppers” saw faster earnings growth than people who stayed put. But there are pros and cons to this. While it’s a good idea to test your market value from time to time, if you move between permanent roles constantly, that will start to worry some employers. 

The average salary in London

London remains the highest-paying region in the UK. The median full-time salary was around £49,700 in 2025 – roughly 27% above the national figure.

There are two main reasons. One is the concentration of higher-paying industries in London such as finance, insurance and technology. And the other is that employers sometimes pay a London premium to attract workers to a city with expensive housing, travel and everyday costs.

While London remains ahead of the national average, regional differences can be striking. For example, the average salary in Northern Ireland is considerably lower.

Are you wealthy for your age?

Your salary helps you build wealth, but it doesn’t tell you how wealthy you really are. 

When asking are you wealthy for your age, it’s important to separate your income from your wealth. Wealth is the value of what you own – such as savings, investments, and property – minus what you owe. Income reflects what you earn on an ongoing basis.

Someone on £70,000 with little saved and substantial credit card debt could have less wealth than someone earning £35,000 who has built a pension and started investing. A higher income creates more opportunity, but seizing that opportunity by doing the right things matters most. That’s why we recently wrote a wealth management article on how to invest £100,000.

Read here: https://www.charles-stanley.co.uk/insights/commentary/what-is-the-best-way-to-invest-100-000

Getting the most out of your salary at different life stages

It’s never too early to think in terms of protecting and growing what you have. Build skills that employers genuinely need and throw yourself in to get valuable experience. In your 20s, it’s usually best to establish an emergency fund, which gives you the license to invest with more confidence. Putting your money to work will help you combat inflation. As will starting a pension, so don’t leave employer pension contributions on the table either. 

In your 30s and 40s, salaries are often higher but so are the demands placed on them. You may be paying a mortgage, supporting children or elderly parents, with other commitments at the same time. This is a good time to review your market value rather than assuming annual pay rises will keep you competitive.

In your 50s and beyond, you have more options. Leadership is one route, but consulting part-time or doing project work may suit you better. The question gradually shifts from how much you earn to what your income needs to make possible. Are you thinking of a retirement lifestyle, planning care costs, or looking to pass on wealth to children who need it more?

Our financial coaching sessions are popular with people of all ages who want to understand where their money is going, how to set goals and build practical plans. Book a free 15-minute session now.