UK edition2026/27 HMRC rates
United Kingdom Technology Market Intelligence 2026
Explore what the technology market in the United Kingdom actually pays in 2026, including the highest-paying roles, the skills most in demand from employers, and which jobs are seeing the fastest salary growth.
99tech roles tracked20in-demand skills tracked£170Khighest median salary7roles with pay growth data
Top salaries
Top-paying tech roles in the United Kingdom
The highest-paying technology skills and roles in the United Kingdom, ranked by median salary.
Swipe to see every figure
| Skill | Median Salary | Average Salary | Salary Range | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1Chief Digital Officer LeadershipContractor rate | £170K | £162K | £103K-£200K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #2Chief Transformation Officer Leadership | £166K | £166K | £129K-£202K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #3Chief Technology Officer LeadershipContractor rate | £161K | £155K | £80K-£202K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #4Transformation Director Project & ChangeContractor rate | £160K | £160K | £120K-£200K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #5GRC Manager Cybersecurity | £152K | £152K | £103K-£220K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #6Principal Software Engineer Software EngineeringContractor rate | £148K | £148K | £120K-£175K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #7Chief Information Officer Leadership | £144K | £144K | £85K-£250K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #8Programme Director Project & ChangeContractor rate | £135K | £143K | £85K-£200K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #9Chief Data Officer LeadershipContractor rate | £130K | £131K | £66K-£200K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #10MLOps Engineer Data & AnalyticsContractor rate | £120K | £118K | £90K-£145K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #11IT Security Operations Manager Cybersecurity | £120K | £121K | £90K-£160K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #12Delivery Manager Project & ChangeContractor rate | £115K | £119K | £95K-£150K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #13Security Engineer CybersecurityContractor rate | £115K | £106K | £58K-£140K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #14Platform Engineer Infrastructure & CloudContractor rate | £110K | £106K | £60K-£145K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #15Threat Intelligence Analyst CybersecurityContractor rate | £110K | £108K | £80K-£135K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #16DevOps Engineer Infrastructure & CloudContractor rate | £108K | £110K | £82K-£140K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #17Enterprise Architect Software EngineeringContractor rate | £106K | £106K | £82K-£140K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #18Engineering Director Software EngineeringContractor rate | £105K | £105K | £90K-£120K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #19Scala Developer Software EngineeringContractor rate | £105K | £105K | £80K-£130K | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #20Solutions Architect Software EngineeringContractor rate | £105K | £108K | £75K-£160K | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
Hiring demand
Most In-Demand Tech Skills in the United Kingdom
Find out which technology skills United Kingdom employers are hiring for most, based on coverage depth and benchmark consistency.
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| Skill | Demand Index | Coverage Score | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1SAP Specialist Enterprise ApplicationsContractor rate | Very High | 32/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #2Project Manager Project & ChangeContractor rate | Very High | 86/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #3Data Scientist Data & AnalyticsContractor rate | High | 61/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #4Service Delivery Manager Infrastructure & Cloud | High | 37/100 | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #5ERP/CRM Specialist Enterprise ApplicationsContractor rate | High | 58/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #6Change Manager Project & Change | High | 35/100 | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #7Business Analyst Project & ChangeContractor rate | High | 68/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #8Solutions Architect Software EngineeringContractor rate | Medium | 56/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #9Cybersecurity Analyst CybersecurityContractor rate | Medium | 67/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #10Engineering Manager Software EngineeringContractor rate | Medium | 67/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #11GRC Specialist Cybersecurity | Medium | 33/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #12QA Engineer Software EngineeringContractor rate | Medium | 55/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #13Lead Software Engineer Software Engineering | Medium | 32/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #14Software Engineer Software EngineeringContractor rate | Medium | 43/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #15Head Of Projects / Change Project & Change | Medium | 20/100 | Moderate ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #16Chief Information Security Officer LeadershipContractor rate | Medium | 53/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #17Programme Manager Project & ChangeContractor rate | Medium | 53/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #18Data Engineer Data & AnalyticsContractor rate | Medium | 64/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #19Data Analyst Data & AnalyticsContractor rate | Medium | 52/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #20Product Owner Product & Design | Medium | 30/100 | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
Salary growth trends
Fastest Growing Tech Jobs in the United Kingdom
Which United Kingdom tech roles have seen the biggest pay rises, based on matched year-on-year salary comparisons.
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| Role | 2025 Median | 2026 Median | Growth | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1Chief Information Security Officer LeadershipContractor rate | £129K | £168K | +30.2% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #2Security Architect CybersecurityContractor rate | £95K | £108K | +13.7% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #3Chief Technology Officer LeadershipContractor rate | £129K | £145K | +12.4% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #4Scrum Master Project & ChangeContractor rate | £65K | £69K | +6.2% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #5Data Architect Data & AnalyticsContractor rate | £89K | £93K | +4.5% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #6Engineering Director Software EngineeringContractor rate | £128K | £131K | +2.3% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
| #7SAP Specialist Enterprise ApplicationsContractor rate | £73K | £74K | +1.4% | High ConfidenceHigh Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only. |
Salary Distribution
Under £70K0 roles
£70K-£90K0 roles
£90K-£110K5 roles
£110K+15 roles
Market intelligence
UK tech hiring moves faster than job boards show
Our monthly UK market briefing covers salary movements, which roles are in demand, and what contractors are actually billing, sourced from live market data.
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Market insights
Tech Pay Trends in the United Kingdom: What the Data Shows
Data-driven insights on where United Kingdom's technology pay is heading, which disciplines are moving, and what the benchmarks signal for hiring in 2026.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Analyst is one of the clearest signals in this cluster, with medium demand and a £50K median benchmark.
Signal
High ConfidenceStrong coverage
Cloud & Infrastructure
Service Delivery Manager is one of the clearest signals in this cluster, with high demand and a £68K median benchmark.
Signal
Moderate ConfidenceDeveloping coverage
Data & AI
Data Scientist is one of the clearest signals in this cluster, with high demand and a £95K median benchmark.
Signal
High ConfidenceStrong coverage
Software Engineering
Solutions Architect is one of the clearest signals in this cluster, with medium demand and a £105K median benchmark.
Signal
High ConfidenceModerate coverage
Product & Design
Product Owner is one of the clearest signals in this cluster, with medium demand and a £70K median benchmark.
Signal
High ConfidenceDeveloping coverage
Reports
Deep-Dive Reports: United Kingdom Salary & Market Data
Explore individual reports on the highest-paid tech skills, the most in-demand roles, and the fastest-growing jobs in the United Kingdom.
Know your UK take-home pay
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