UK Salary Guide · ONS ASHE 2025

Software Engineer salary
in the UK

Real take-home pay, rent costs and disposable income for Software Engineers across 20 UK cities. 2025/26 tax year.

UK Median
£52,000
avg per year
Avg take-home
£3,470
per month
Highest city
£72,000
London
Lowest city
£46,000
Exeter
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Salary range in the UK

Salary distribution of Software Engineer earners · ONS ASHE 2025

MEDIAN£52,000P0P25P50P75P100
25th percentile earns
£50,000
Median earnings
£52,000
75th percentile earns
£58,000

Software Engineer salary by city

20 cities · sorted highest to lowest

CityGross salaryTake-homeAvg rentRTI
London£72,000£4,360/mo£2,150/mo49% RTIView →
Cambridge£68,000£4,166/mo£1,500/mo36% RTIView →
Oxford£65,000£4,021/mo£1,450/mo36% RTIView →
Reading£63,000£3,925/mo£1,350/mo34% RTIView →
Bristol£58,000£3,683/mo£1,350/mo37% RTIView →
Brighton£58,000£3,683/mo£1,400/mo38% RTIView →
Manchester£55,000£3,538/mo£1,050/mo30% RTIView →
Edinburgh£55,000£3,396/mo£1,100/mo32% RTIView →
Birmingham£52,000£3,393/mo£850/mo25% RTIView →
Leeds£52,000£3,393/mo£900/mo27% RTIView →
Glasgow£52,000£3,256/mo£900/mo28% RTIView →
Liverpool£52,000£3,393/mo£800/mo24% RTIView →
Sheffield£50,000£3,293/mo£825/mo25% RTIView →
Aberdeen£50,000£3,164/mo£1,050/mo33% RTIView →
Leicester£50,000£3,293/mo£800/mo24% RTIView →
York£48,000£3,173/mo£950/mo30% RTIView →
Nottingham£47,000£3,113/mo£850/mo27% RTIView →
Newcastle£46,000£3,053/mo£750/mo25% RTIView →
Cardiff£46,000£3,053/mo£900/mo29% RTIView →
Exeter£46,000£3,053/mo£1,000/mo33% RTIView →

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Software Engineer salary in the UK?+
The UK average Software Engineer salary across 20 cities is £52,000 per year, based on ONS ASHE 2025 data. The middle 50% of cities pay between £50,000 and £58,000. Salaries range from £46,000 in Exeter to £72,000 in London.
Which UK city pays Software Engineers the most?+
London offers the highest median Software Engineer salary at £72,000 per year — £20,000 above the UK median. Exeter is at the lower end with £46,000.
What is the take-home pay for a Software Engineer in London?+
A Software Engineer in London earns a median £72,000 per year. After income tax and National Insurance (2025/26 tax year), that works out to approximately £4,360 per month take-home. See the full London breakdown →