Official pay data
Updated 15 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
£42,289
Median
£56,914
75th percentile
£75,794
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 Programmers and software development professionals; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
For a UK Software Engineer, the [engineering salary benchmark](/uk/salaries/engineering) uses the occupation group 'Programmers and software development professionals'. That is a useful comparison because the work covers creating, maintaining, auditing and improving software systems. It is not an exact match for every Computer Science graduate role: employers may use different titles and assign different duties.
Benchmark fit
The mapped occupation is a practical national reference for Software Engineer roles because both descriptions cover programming and the development or improvement of software systems. Treat it as a benchmark for comparable employee jobs, not as a precise quote for every Computer Science graduate or every vacancy.
Nearby titles: Depending on the system or language, similar work may be labelled software, systems, database or web programmer, engineer or developer..
Titles are not standardised across the UK, so the benchmark should be read alongside the duties in the offer rather than title alone.
Role scope
Software Engineers create, maintain, audit and improve computer systems and IT solutions to meet specific needs, using programming, logic and mathematical principles.
Analyse user requirements, then write, test, refine and rewrite code while communicating with other programmers involved in the project. · Research, design and write software, evaluate systems, develop existing programmes, integrate incompatible platforms and prepare technical specifications. · Maintain systems by correcting software defects and applying updates, document operations, and discuss system performance with clients and colleagues.
Typical outputs include tested code, modified or integrated software, technical specifications, operational documentation and maintained systems.
Technology providers · Digital teams across sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, retail, manufacturing and telecommunications
The title may overlap with programmer or developer titles, but the actual scope depends on the employer's system, language and assigned duties.
Read the range
A role focused on requirements, coding and testing has a narrower delivery scope than one that also evaluates systems, integrates incompatible platforms, maintains live software and prepares technical specifications. Those are responsibility differences, not guaranteed 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.
Beyond salary
Compare an offer with the benchmark on the same annual-pay and working-hours basis. Check whether the quoted cash figure is fixed or conditional, and keep benefits separate from gross cash pay.
Confirm the guaranteed basic pay and the hours or pattern attached to it before comparing the annual figure.
Ask whether overtime, bonuses, commissions or shift premiums are included, and which conditions must be met for payment.
Check pension, health cover, leave and any other non-cash terms separately because payments in kind and the wider benefits package are not part of the gross cash benchmark.
Offer review
Questions
Source
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Programmers and software development professionals (2134) and full time employee jobs. Updated 15 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Computer Science vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.
