PayMetric Labs
Wales, United Kingdom2026 salary guide

Wales Tech Salary Guide by Role 2026

Explore average salary in Wales across software, data, cybersecurity, product, and design roles. Compare role salary ranges and seniority, then benchmark Wales against United Kingdom overall.

58

Roles covered

2026

Data year

£77K

City benchmark median

Limited Market Data

Confidence

Low data coverage notice

City-level benchmarks are available but sample depth is currently limited, so treat guidance as directional.

£77K

Median salary

City benchmark midpoint

£75K

Average salary

Weighted average benchmark

Chief Information Officer

Highest-paying role

£135K median

Project & Change

Most represented category

Largest tracked category

Limited Market Data

Confidence

Coverage and consistency-weighted

-5%

National comparison

£4K lower

£26K

Salary range floor

Observed lower bound

£220K

Salary range ceiling

Observed upper bound

Local salary context

Wales Technology Job Market

City overview

Wales is a UK regional technology market with a mix of established enterprise employers, public sector organisations, and a growing base of digital product and services companies. The city contributes meaningfully to the UK's technology employment outside London.

Local hiring market

The local technology sector spans software engineering, cloud infrastructure, data analytics, and business systems roles. Key demand is driven by a combination of professional services, financial services, and public sector digital transformation programmes, supported by regional university graduate pipelines in computer science and engineering.

Salary context

Wales salary benchmarks reflect a regional UK market that typically tracks 15–25% below London rates for equivalent roles. Employer mix and the lower cost of living make total compensation packages competitive on a real-terms basis, and senior roles in specialist sectors often approach London benchmarks.

Top paying roles in Wales

Role-level salary cards with category, seniority, range, and confidence context.

Chief Information Officer

LeadershipMidWales

£135K

Median salary

£100K - £170K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Chief Technology Officer

LeadershipMidWales

£125K

Median salary

£90K - £160K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

IT Security Operations Manager

CybersecurityDirectorWales

£120K

Median salary

£90K - £150K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Transformation Director

Project & ChangeDirectorWales

£119K

Median salary

£85K - £150K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Security Architect

CybersecurityDirectorWales

£118K

Median salary

£75K - £180K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Chief Information Security Officer

LeadershipDirectorWales

£115K

Median salary

£60K - £220K

-20.7%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

GRC Specialist

CybersecurityDirectorWales

£110K

Median salary

£80K - £140K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Engineering Director

Software EngineeringDirectorWales

£105K

Median salary

£90K - £120K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Enterprise Architect

Software EngineeringMidWales

£105K

Median salary

£74K - £135K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Programme Director

Project & ChangeDirectorWales

£100K

Median salary

£85K - £115K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Engineering Manager

Software EngineeringManagerWales

£95K

Median salary

£70K - £120K

-25.5%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Head of Projects / Change

Project & ChangeDirectorWales

£93K

Median salary

£75K - £110K

0.0%
Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.
2026

Salary by category

Project & Change

10 roles

£76K median

Range £35K - £150K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Software Engineering

7 roles

£82K median

Range £45K - £135K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Infrastructure & Cloud

11 roles

£58K median

Range £26K - £110K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Data & Analytics

8 roles

£64K median

Range £35K - £100K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Leadership

7 roles

£106K median

Range £50K - £220K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Cybersecurity

9 roles

£89K median

Range £35K - £180K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Enterprise Applications

3 roles

£67K median

Range £40K - £95K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Product & Design

3 roles

£69K median

Range £42K - £110K

Limited Market DataConfidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

Salary by seniority

Mid

£66K

Range £26K – £170K

Lead

£73K

Range £50K – £90K

Manager

£73K

Range £35K – £120K

Director

£109K

Range £60K – £220K

City vs national salary comparison

Wales salaries are below the national benchmark by £4K (-5%).

Frequently Asked Questions About Wales Salaries

1

What is the average tech salary in Wales in 2026?

The median tech salary in Wales is £77K in 2026, with an average of £75K across tracked roles. Wales salaries are 5% below the United Kingdom national median, a difference of £4K per year.

2

Which tech role pays the most in Wales?

Chief Information Officer is the highest-paying tech role tracked in Wales in 2026, with a median salary of £135K. See the full role breakdown on this page for salary ranges across software engineering, data, cloud, and other disciplines.

3

What is the median salary in Wales, United Kingdom?

The benchmark median salary in Wales is £77K, based on verified market compensation data for 2026.

4

How does Wales compare with the national salary benchmark?

Wales is currently below the national benchmark by £4K (-5%).

5

How reliable is salary data for Wales?

This city benchmark is marked Limited Market Data. Confidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

6

Why can city salary benchmarks differ from country-level benchmarks?

City benchmarks reflect local demand, employer mix, and role concentration. They can differ from national figures due to location-specific compensation dynamics and sample availability.

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