How much does a Network Engineer take home in the UK?
A Network Engineer earning the median salary of £61K in the UK takes home approximately £45,937 per year (£3,828 per month) after Income Tax and National Insurance, using 2026/27 HMRC rates.
A Network Engineer earning the median salary of £61K in the UK takes home approximately £45,937/year (£3,828/month) after Income Tax and National Insurance, using 2026/27 rates.
2026 median salary for each level in the UK, and what it leaves after Income Tax and National Insurance. Standard Personal Allowance, England/Wales PAYE employee. 2026/27 rates.
| Level | Gross / year | Take-home / year | Per month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | £50,000 | £39,520£3,293/mo | £3,293 | 21.0% |
| Mid-level | £60,000 | £45,357£3,780/mo | £3,780 | 24.4% |
| SeniorHeadline median | £61,000 | £45,937£3,828/mo | £3,828 | 24.7% |
| Lead / Principal | £65,000 | £48,257£4,021/mo | £4,021 | 25.8% |
| Manager | £75,000 | £54,057£4,505/mo | £4,505 | 27.9% |
The biggest pay step is Junior to Mid-level: £10,000 more a year before tax, of which £5,838 reaches take-home. 42% of that raise goes to Income Tax and National Insurance, against an average 21% on the Junior salary, because the extra pay is taxed at the top of your bands rather than spread across all of them.
For Senior roles, the middle half of Network Engineer salaries in the UK run from £61,000 to £73,000 a year, which is £45,937 to £52,897 after Income Tax and National Insurance.
The table above uses the Network Engineer median. Enter your own gross salary below for a precise figure.
2026/27 tax year
Personal Allowance: £12,570. Basic rate (20%) up to £50,270. Higher rate (40%) up to £125,140. Additional rate (45%) above.
Common salaries:
Annual take-home pay
£45,937
Per month
£3,828
Per week
£883
Effective tax rate
24.7%
How your £61,000 is split
£45,937
75.3%
£11,832
19.4%
£3,231
5.3%
| Gross salary | £61,000 |
| Personal Allowance (tax-free) | £12,570 |
| Income Tax | -£11,832 |
| National Insurance (Class 1) | -£3,231 |
| Total deductions | -£15,063 |
| Net take-home (annual) | £45,937 |
Calculations use 2026/27 UK tax rates. Assumes England/Wales/Northern Ireland Income Tax rates (Scottish rates differ). Includes standard Personal Allowance tapering above £100,000, and applies any pension salary sacrifice entered above before calculating tax. Does not account for Gift Aid, student loan repayments, Marriage Allowance, or other reliefs. For precise advice consult a tax professional or HMRC.
Permanent median
£61,000
£45,937 take-home
Contract median
£513/day
≈ £112,860 gross a year
At a median £513/day, contract work grosses about £112,860 a year over 220 billable days, 85% more than the £61,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, pension contributions, and the gaps between contracts. Whether a contract falls inside or outside IR35 also changes how much of it you keep.
Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide rather than a like-for-like quote. See Network Engineer contract rates and contractor take-home →
A Network Engineer earning the median salary of £61K in the UK takes home approximately £45,937 per year (£3,828 per month) after Income Tax and National Insurance, using 2026/27 HMRC rates.
On a median Network Engineer salary of £61K, the effective tax rate (Income Tax and NI combined) is 24.7%, leaving £45,937 as take-home pay. This assumes standard Personal Allowance and England/Wales Income Tax rates.
On a £61K salary, a Network Engineer pays approximately £11,832 in Income Tax per year. This uses the 2026/27 Personal Allowance of £12,570, a basic rate of 20% up to £50,270, and 40% above.
On a £61K salary, employee Class 1 National Insurance amounts to approximately £3,231 per year. The 2026/27 rates are 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% above.
The standard Personal Allowance for 2026/27 is £12,570, which is tax-free. For salaries above £100,000, the allowance tapers by £1 for every £2 earned, disappearing entirely at £125,140. This does not affect the median salary shown here.
A senior Network Engineer in the UK earns a median £61,000 a year and takes home approximately £45,937 (£3,828 per month) after Income Tax and National Insurance, an effective rate of 24.7%.
A junior Network Engineer in the UK earns a median £50,000 a year and takes home approximately £39,520 (£3,293 per month) after Income Tax and National Insurance, an effective rate of 21.0%.
The biggest pay step is Junior to Mid-level: £10,000 more a year before tax, of which £5,838 reaches take-home. 42% of that raise goes to Income Tax and National Insurance, against an average 21% on the Junior salary, because the extra pay is taxed at the top of your bands rather than spread across all of them.
At a median £513/day, contract work grosses about £112,860 a year over 220 billable days, 85% more than the £61,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, pension contributions, and the gaps between contracts. Whether a contract falls inside or outside IR35 also changes how much of it you keep. Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide.
Network Engineer Salary Benchmarks
Full range, city comparisons, seniority bands
Compare a job offer
See how pay, benefits, and costs change the picture
Network Engineer contractor rates
Compare permanent pay with current contract market rates
Remote vs Hybrid
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Network Engineer Salary in Scotland
Take-home under Scottish income tax (19%–48%)