Chartered and certified accountants: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time chartered and certified accountants in the UK earned a median £50,062 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 28% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 56th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £38,696 and £68,056.
Median full-time pay: women £48,208 a year, men £53,067 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 83,000 employee jobs, 82% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 20.6%, from £41,513, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 233,600 people in this line of work, 21% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £29,557 | £588.80 | £16.36 | £23,274* | £478.60 | £16.12 |
| 20th percentile | £36,981 | £708.60 | £19.22 | £30,909 | £611.40 | £19.17 |
| 25th percentile | £38,696 | £739.40 | £20.44 | £33,974 | £655.80 | £20.27 |
| 30th percentile | £40,384 | £781.30 | £21.52 | £36,403 | £709.10 | £21.23 |
| 40th percentile | £44,941 | £870.70 | £23.91 | £40,287 | £785.80 | £23.58 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £50,062 | £958.20 | £26.02 | £45,538 | £886.20 | £25.84 |
| 60th percentile | £57,363 | £1,112.30 | £29.71 | £51,982 | £1,021.30 | £29.16 |
| 70th percentile | £63,452 | £1,209.60 | £32.54 | £60,100 | £1,157.10 | £32.26 |
| 75th percentile | £68,056 | £1,282.20 | £33.95 | £64,223 | £1,220.20 | £33.53 |
| 80th percentile | £73,506 | £1,365.10 | £36.33 | £69,135 | £1,327.90 | £35.93 |
| Mean | £55,414 | £1,040.80 | £28.29 | £50,563 | £964.40 | £28.34 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £41,513 | £801.80 | £21.45 | £39,922 | £766.50 | 102 |
| 2022 revised | £43,484 | £848.20 | £23.07 | £40,877 | £793.20 | 113 |
| 2023 revised | £46,678 | £910.30 | £24.62 | £42,979 | £847.70 | 115 |
| 2024 revised | £49,777 | £979.40 | £26.83 | £46,131 | £910.20 | 91 |
| 2025 provisional | £50,062 | £958.20 | £26.02 | £45,538 | £886.20 | 83 |
Chartered and certified accountants by region
UK: 233,600 (± 18,800), April 2025 to March 2026. 1 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 49,800* | ± 11,500 |
| South East | 32,900* | ± 7,200 |
| North West | 23,200* | ± 5,800 |
| West Midlands | 21,100* | ± 6,000 |
| East of England | 20,400* | ± 6,100 |
| Scotland | 18,300* | ± 4,900 |
| East Midlands | 16,000* | ± 5,300 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 14,500* | ± 4,500 |
| South West | 13,700* | ± 4,200 |
| Northern Ireland | 11,000* | ± 3,400 |
| North East | 7,600* | ± 2,700 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What chartered and certified accountants do
Chartered and certified accountants provide accounting and auditing services, advise clients on financial matters, collect and analyse financial information and perform other accounting duties required by management for the planning and control of an establishment’s income and expenditure. (ONS SOC 2020, 2421)
Also covers: accountant (qualified), auditor (qualified), chartered accountant, company accountant, cost accountant (qualified), financial controller (qualified accountant), management accountant (qualified), accountancy consultant, accounting consultant, articled clerk, audit consultant, audit examiner, audit executive, bank accountant, bankruptcy examiner, borough accountant, branch accountant and certified accountant (66 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Plans and oversees implementation of accountancy system and policies
- Prepares financial documents and reports for management, shareholders, statutory or other bodies
- Audits accounts and book-keeping records
- Prepares tax returns, advises on tax problems and contests disputed claim before tax official
- Conducts financial investigations concerning insolvency, fraud, possible mergers, etc.
- Evaluates financial information for management purposes
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification. Apprenticeships are also available. To qualify as an accountant, entrants must undertake a period of training within an approved organisation and successfully complete professional examinations. Exemptions to some professional examinations are available to those with appropriate academic qualifications.
Related
Finance professionals (median £50,290) · Finance and investment analysts and advisers · Taxation experts · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026