Chief executives and senior officials: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time chief executives and senior officials in the UK earned a median £99,944 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 156% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
No other occupation has a higher published full-time median.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £63,161 and £151,903.
The mean, £158,728, is 59% above the median, a sign of a few very high earners.
Median full-time pay: women £86,828 a year, men £110,017 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 147,000 employee jobs, 85% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 19.0%, from £84,003, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 208,400 people in this line of work, 30% 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 | £41,828 | £844.80 | £23.43 | – | £427.30* | £20.68 |
| 20th percentile | £54,439 | £1,102.40 | £28.56 | £41,617 | £818.40 | £26.05 |
| 25th percentile | £63,161 | £1,219.80 | £32.59 | £48,429 | £958.20 | £28.16 |
| 30th percentile | £70,574 | £1,341.30 | £36.90 | £53,433 | £1,094.60 | £31.96 |
| 40th percentile | £87,055 | £1,619.00 | £43.48 | £71,753 | £1,380.90 | £40.01 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £99,944 | £1,856.50 | £49.96 | £89,835 | £1,666.50 | £46.24 |
| 60th percentile | £118,569 | £2,140.20 | £57.58 | £105,386 | £1,916.50 | £53.06 |
| 70th percentile | £138,770 | £2,488.80 | £67.18 | £127,983 | £2,320.10 | £64.23 |
| 75th percentile | £151,903 | £2,713.50 | £72.74 | £141,253 | £2,502.30 | £71.11 |
| 80th percentile | £168,960* | £2,907.20 | £79.32 | £158,060* | £2,856.00 | £76.64 |
| Mean | £158,728 | £2,430.40 | £65.29 | £141,016 | £2,187.50 | £64.59 |
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 | £84,003 | £1,554.00 | £42.73 | £74,273* | £1,418.50 | 109 |
| 2022 revised | £79,760 | £1,554.40 | £40.41 | £72,379 | £1,400.00 | 105 |
| 2023 revised | £84,240 | £1,614.10 | £43.85 | £80,259* | £1,534.90 | 107 |
| 2024 revised | £88,350 | £1,694.70 | £46.01 | £81,810 | £1,559.40 | 124 |
| 2025 provisional | £99,944 | £1,856.50 | £49.96 | £89,835 | £1,666.50 | 147 |
Chief executives and senior officials by region
UK: 208,400 (± 17,700), April 2025 to March 2026. 3 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 61,500* | ± 12,800 |
| South East | 40,200 | ± 7,900 |
| East of England | 17,500* | ± 5,700 |
| North West | 14,500* | ± 4,600 |
| South West | 14,400* | ± 4,300 |
| East Midlands | 13,700* | ± 4,900 |
| Scotland | 12,600* | ± 4,100 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 12,300* | ± 4,100 |
| Wales | 5,800* | ± 2,100 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What chief executives and senior officials do
Chief executives and senior officials head large enterprises and organisations. They plan, direct and co-ordinate, with directors and managers, the resources necessary for the various functions and specialist activities of these enterprises and organisations. The chief executives of hospitals will be classified in this unit group. Senior officials in national government direct the operations of government departments. Senior officials in local government participate in the implementation of local government policies and ensure that legal, statutory and other provisions concerning the running of a local authority are observed. Senior officials of special interest organisations ensure that legal, statutory and other regulations concerning the running of trade associations, employers’ associations, learned societies, trades unions, charitable organisations and similar bodies are observed. Chief executives and senior officials also act as representatives of the organisations concerned for the purposes of high-level consultation and negotiation. (ONS SOC 2020, 1111)
Also covers: chairman, chief executive, civil servant (grade 5 & above), diplomat, vice President, assistant secretary, band 0, band 1b, band 1c, command secretary, company chairman, company president, deputy director, deputy secretary, executive chairman, first secretary, general manager and grade 1 (39 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Analyses economic, social, legal and other data, and plans, formulates and directs at strategic level the operation of a company or organisation
- Consults with subordinates to formulate, implement and review company/organisation policy, authorises funding for policy implementation programmes and institutes reporting, auditing and control systems
- Prepares, or arranges for the preparation of, reports, budgets, forecasts or other information
- Plans and controls the allocation of resources and the selection of senior staff
- Evaluates government/local authority departmental activities, discusses problems with government/local authority officials and administrators and formulates departmental policy
- Negotiates and monitors contracted out services provided to the local authority by the private sector
Entry may be by appointment or internal promotion, as appropriate, and is usually based on relevant experience although candidates may also require academic or professional qualifications for some posts.
Related
Chief executives and senior officials (median £96,400) · Elected officers and representatives · Production managers and directors in manufacturing · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Mean
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026