Profession · 2026/27
Chartered Accountant Salary UK 2026/27
Newly-qualified ACAs in Big 4 London earn £55–65k in 2024; regional firms £45–55k. Progression to manager (3–5 yrs PQ): £65–85k. Senior manager / director (5-10 yrs): £90–170k.
Typical pay & take-home
- Median gross
- £68,000
- Typical range
- £48,000–£130,000
- Take-home at median
- £49,997
England, no pension applied — use the salary calculator for your scheme.
At the median for this profession, you earn about 82% above the UK full-time median (£37,430), placing you in the top 14% of UK earners.
What influences chartered accountant (aca/acca qualified) pay
Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) set the London market rate — Audit ACAs post-qualification £57–65k in 2024, Tax/Advisory slightly higher, Financial Advisory / M&A highest. Regional Big 4 offices pay 10–20% less. Challenger firms (BDO, Grant Thornton) sit a tier below for equivalent grades.
Industry (corporate finance function) post-qualification pay starts lower (£50–60k) but often has better work-life balance and higher base salary trajectory if specialising. Senior in-house Finance BP roles at FTSE 100s pay £80–130k without the up-or-out pressure of practice.
Partnership at accountancy practice is a distinct path — salaried partner £120–180k, equity partner £150–500k+ profit share depending on firm size. Partnership income is self-employment (Self Assessment + Class 4 NI).
Career progression
- Graduate trainee: £26-32k + study support.
- Part-qualified: £32–45k.
- Newly qualified (NQ): £45–65k Big 4 London.
- 3–5 yrs PQ (Manager): £65–85k.
- 5-10 yrs PQ (Senior Manager / Director): £90–170k.
- Partner: £150k–£500k+.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the pension at £65k worth maximising?
- Above £50,270 every pound of pension contribution saves 42% (40% IT + 2% NI) via salary sacrifice. At £65k, sacrificing £14,730 brings you down to the higher-rate threshold and is highly tax-efficient. Partnership pensions are self-arranged (SIPPs).
- Should I go into industry or stay in practice at manager level?
- Industry typically offers better hours and equivalent cash pay at mid-career (£70-85k manager in practice vs £75-95k Finance BP in industry). Partnership trajectory in practice can reach £250k+ that industry rarely matches for equivalent years of experience.