Average salary in Edinburgh, UK
ONS data for April 2025 · Page updated
Edinburgh has one of the highest full-time medians in the UK outside London and the South East, and well above the Scottish figure. Its upper quartile and 90th percentile are among the highest of any city outside the south of England, driven by financial services, government and the universities.
- Median full-time pay
- £43,715
- Change on a year earlier
- +5.3%
- Compared with the UK
- +12%
- Full-time jobs
- 233k
How pay is spread in Edinburgh
Line: 10th to 90th percentile. Bar: the middle half of earners (25th to 75th). Mark and label: median. Where ONS doesn't publish the 90th percentile, the line stops at the highest published point.
| Full-time annual pay | Edinburgh | Scotland | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £25,961 | £24,591 | £23,990 |
| 25th percentile | £31,620 | £29,635 | £29,262 |
| Median | £43,715 | £39,719 | £39,039 |
| 75th percentile | £63,327 | £52,500 | £54,009 |
| 90th percentile | £89,554 | £71,307 | £76,903 |
| Mean | £52,628 | £45,586 | £48,512 |
These are gross annual earnings for full-time employee jobs based in Edinburgh, wherever the employee lives. The median is the middle salary: half of full-time jobs pay more, half pay less. The mean is pulled up by a small number of very high earners, so the median is the better guide to a typical salary. Figures cover the City of Edinburgh Council area.
Take-home pay in Scotland depends on Scottish income tax bands, which differ from the rest of the UK. Use the Scottish rates on GOV.UK to work out take-home pay for a salary in Edinburgh.
Who employs people in Edinburgh
NatWest Group has its headquarters in Edinburgh, and the city is a major centre for banking, insurance and asset management. The Scottish Government, the universities and a well-established technology sector are also large employers.
Negotiating pay in Edinburgh
Scottish income tax. If you live in Scotland you pay Scottish rates, with more bands and a 42% higher rate that starts below the rest-of-UK threshold. Above roughly £30,000, the same gross salary takes home a little less than it would in England, so compare offers on take-home pay if you're weighing a move across the border.
Benchmark against London for finance roles. Many Edinburgh financial services jobs sit in teams that also hire in London. Ask how the employer sets location pay, and whether the band is the same for both offices.
Pension and benefits are often generous. Banks, insurers and the public sector often offer employer pension contributions well above the legal minimum. Value these carefully; see total compensation in the UK.
A city median is a starting point, not a target. What you should ask for depends on your role, level and the employer. Check the pay ranges by role, or see where your salary sits in Edinburgh.
Negotiating a job or pay rise in Edinburgh?
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Pay in nearby cities
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 7.7a (work geography). Gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs, April 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See how we use this data.