Official pay data
Updated 11 October 2026
Salary guide
Official annual estimates for the whole country, mapped to the closest published occupation.
United Kingdom · gross annual earnings estimate
25th percentile
£43,049
Median
£57,625
75th percentile
£79,598
This ASHE benchmark covers full-time employee jobs, not self-employed income or part-time jobs. ASHE gross earnings include basic pay, overtime, incentive pay such as bonuses and commissions, shift premiums, and other cash pay. They are before deductions, exclude payments in kind, and are not take-home pay or the whole benefits package. Compare the benchmark with an offer on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
This is a country-level occupation benchmark, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. Mapped to Sales accounts and business development managers; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
This national benchmark is a useful starting point for a Business Development Manager because the mapped occupation covers sales accounts and business development management. Compare the job itself before comparing pay: a manager may combine market analysis, client negotiation, relationship building, sales planning and reporting, but no single duty is universal.
Benchmark fit
The benchmark uses the broader occupation Sales accounts and business development managers. That makes it relevant to Business Development Manager roles with commercial account and growth responsibilities, but it is an occupational comparison, not a claim that every similarly named sales or commercial role is the same job.
Treat the figures as a comparison point for a Business Development Manager, not a salary assigned to every adjacent title. The national profile supports this role only and does not establish equivalence with other titles or differently senior roles.
Role scope
A Business Development Manager may find and develop commercial opportunities, work with customers and clients, and help plan how sales targets will be met.
Analyse companies and market trends to spot new investment opportunities. · Attend events and conferences to build business contacts. · Negotiate services and prices with new and existing clients. · Develop customer relationships and identify opportunities for sales and marketing campaigns. · Forecast sales targets and help plan how the organisation will meet them. · Write reports and give presentations to customers and senior management.
Market and company analysis that identifies possible investment opportunities. · Reports and presentations for customers and senior management. · Sales-target forecasts and plans to help meet them.
This guide describes possible Business Development Manager duties. It does not treat adjacent titles as equivalent solely because their names or some duties overlap.
Read the range
Use the benchmark alongside the actual remit. A Business Development Manager post may involve analysing markets for investment opportunities, networking to create contacts, negotiating with clients, preparing reports and presentations, or planning how to meet sales targets. Compare which of those responsibilities the offer includes; they describe scope, not separate salary bands.
One quarter of employees earn below this figure.
Half of employees earn below this figure and half above it; it is not the arithmetic midpoint of the displayed range.
One quarter of employees earn above this figure.
Location
Supplementary regional medians are available for several UK regions, including London, Scotland, Wales and English regions.
| Region | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Not published | £54,035 | Not published |
| East Midlands | Not published | £50,746 | Not published |
| London | Not published | £66,711 | Not published |
| North East | Not published | £58,493 | Not published |
| North West | Not published | £54,956 | Not published |
| Scotland | Not published | £56,564 | Not published |
| South East | Not published | £61,644 | Not published |
| South West | Not published | £57,136 | Not published |
| Wales | Not published | £53,007 | Not published |
| West Midlands | Not published | £56,047 | Not published |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | Not published | £49,488 | Not published |
Use the national benchmark as a country-level comparison rather than a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties and working pattern.
Beyond salary
Compare the offer's annual cash pay on the same working-hours basis as the benchmark. Separate fixed pay from any conditional commission, bonus, overtime or shift payment, then assess pension, health cover, leave and equity on their own written terms rather than folding them into salary.
Ask for the annual basic-pay amount and the contracted hours it covers, so you can make a like-for-like comparison.
If offered, check the rules: what triggers payment, whether there is a cap, when it is paid and whether payment is discretionary. Incentive pay can be part of gross earnings, but it is not the same as fixed pay.
Check whether the quoted salary assumes overtime or shift premiums. These are cash-pay components to keep separate from the contracted basic amount.
If pension contributions, health cover, leave or equity are offered, ask for the eligibility, employer contribution or award terms, vesting where relevant, and any conditions. Benefits are not cash earnings or take-home pay.
Offer review
Questions
Source
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Sales accounts and business development managers (3556) and full time employee jobs. Updated 11 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Business Development vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.
