Example: how £40k, £60k and £80k compare
Try £40,000, £60,000 and £80,000 as annual salaries to see how the estimated percentile band changes. The comparison is based on gross full-time salary benchmarks, not take-home pay.
Compare salary with UK benchmarks
Enter gross salary and review the salary comparison section below the take-home result.
Salary comparison
Find your salary percentile
Enter gross annual salary to compare it with UK full-time salary benchmarks, with take-home pay shown as supporting context.
Estimated UK salary position
70th percentile
Based on gross annual pay of £50,000 against UK full-time salary benchmarks.
Estimated position
Above the UK full-time median
Monthly take-home
£3,143.30
Estimate only. Results are based on the selected 2026/27 PAYE tax year settings and do not replace payroll, HMRC or financial advice.
Salary comparison
How your gross salary compares
Compared with UK full-time employee gross annual pay, your salary is estimated within the Above the UK full-time median range.
Approximate percentile
70th
Estimated position
Above the UK full-time median
UK median full-time salary
£39,039
Distance above median
£10,961
LowerMedianHigher
Your estimated position
Median
£39,039
£10,961 above this threshold.
Top 25%
£54,009
£4,009 below this threshold.
Top 10%
£76,903
£26,903 below this threshold.
Top 5%
£99,387
£49,387 below this threshold.
Methodology and source notes
Estimate only. The comparison uses benchmark data for UK full-time gross annual employee pay. It compares gross salary before tax and deductions, not take-home pay.
It does not adjust for household income, bonuses not captured in annual pay, region, age, occupation, sector, hours pattern, wealth, or cost of living. Percentile values are broad context rather than an exact ranking.
Current benchmark: UK full-time employee gross annual pay, 2025 provisional.
Read the full methodologyEstimated deductions
- Income tax
- £6,986.00
- National Insurance
- £2,794.40
- Pension contribution
- £2,500.00
- Student loan repayment
- £0.00
- Effective deduction rate
- 24.56%
How this calculator works
The calculator estimates take-home pay, then compares gross annual salary with UK full-time employee pay benchmarks. The percentile is interpolated between benchmark points.
What this estimate includes
It includes the standard take-home pay estimate and a comparison of gross annual salary with UK full-time employee salary benchmarks. The comparison is broad context rather than a precise salary ranking.
What this estimate does not include
It does not include part-time earnings comparisons, household income, bonuses outside salary, investment income, wealth, regional cost of living, sector, occupation or age-adjusted benchmarks.
When this estimate may be wrong
The comparison can feel misleading for highly regional roles, very bonus-heavy jobs, part-time work, self-employment, public-sector bands or occupations with unusual pay distributions.
Estimate-only disclaimer
Treat the percentile as broad context, not a precise ranking. Salary benchmarks can change over time and do not replace payroll, career, tax or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does the percentile estimate mean?
It estimates where your gross annual salary sits against a UK full-time gross annual pay benchmark dataset. It is not a ranking of total wealth or household income.
Is this official ONS data?
The percentile estimate is broad context based on gross annual pay benchmarks. It is not an exact ranking and does not account for occupation, region, household income, wealth or cost of living.
Does this compare household income?
No. It compares individual gross annual salary with full-time employee pay benchmarks. It does not include partner income, benefits, savings, property wealth or investment income.
Does location affect salary percentile?
Yes, location can matter a lot, but this calculator uses UK-wide benchmarks. London, regional, sector and occupation-specific comparisons can be different.
Why is the percentile only an estimate?
The result is interpolated between benchmark thresholds rather than calculated from every individual salary record, so it should be read as a broad position.
Should I use gross salary or take-home pay?
Use gross annual salary for the percentile comparison. Take-home pay depends on tax, pension, student loans and personal circumstances, so it is not used for the benchmark.
Related calculators and guides
UK Median Wage CalculatorCheck whether annual, weekly or hourly wage is above the UK median.UK Salary CalculatorEstimate annual salary, monthly take-home pay and deductions.Take-Home Pay CalculatorFocus on net pay after tax, NI, pension and student loans.MethodologySee the assumptions behind tax, NI, pensions, loans and comparison data.