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Average ABAP Developer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An ABAP developer in United Kingdom earns about 61,700 GBP a year. That's 11% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 28,900 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 97,900 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does an ABAP developer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
61,700 GBP
5,141 GBP per month
Lowest reported
28,900 GBP
2,408 GBP per month
Highest reported
97,900 GBP
8,158 GBP per month

A typical ABAP developer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,141 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 28,900 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 97,900 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior ABAP developer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the ABAP developer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How ABAP developer pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all ABAP developers in United Kingdom earn less than 66,400 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 44,500 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 89,400 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of ABAP developers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 28,900 GBP. The highest stretch to 97,900 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

28,900
Low
66,400
Median
97,900
High
44,500
25th
89,400
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

ABAP developer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an ABAP developer in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical ABAP developer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    32,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +35% from previous
    43,500 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +49% from previous
    64,600 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    80,200 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +5% from previous
    83,900 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +10% from previous
    92,100 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 49%. That is the point at which a ABAP developer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

ABAP developer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving ABAP developer pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average ABAP developer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Certificate or Diploma
    35,600 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +68% from previous
    59,800 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +67% from previous
    99,600 GBP

ABAP developer gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male ABAP developers in United Kingdom earn an average of 63,800 GBP a year, while female ABAP developers earn around 62,500 GBP. That works out to a 2% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

ABAP Developer gender pay gap

2%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 63,800 GBP
Women 62,500 GBP

Pay raises for an ABAP developer in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 12% every 17 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

ABAP developer bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

61%

61% of ABAP developers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an ABAP developer a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 39% of ABAP developers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

ABAP developer: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

ABAP developer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

ABAP developer pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Glasgow
  • Birmingham
  • Leicester
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • London
  • Edinburgh
  • Liverpool
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion123,000 GBP130,500 GBP55,500-193,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion91,600 GBP99,900 GBP42,700-147,900 GBP
GlasgowCity75,000 GBP80,900 GBP35,300-117,100 GBP
BirminghamCity73,700 GBP78,200 GBP32,900-114,900 GBP
LeicesterCity73,700 GBP78,200 GBP32,900-114,900 GBP
LeedsCity73,500 GBP77,100 GBP31,700-114,300 GBP
ManchesterCity72,400 GBP79,700 GBP34,000-116,400 GBP
LondonCity71,200 GBP77,100 GBP31,700-114,300 GBP
EdinburghCity71,000 GBP76,800 GBP34,100-112,700 GBP
LiverpoolCity70,900 GBP77,300 GBP30,300-111,700 GBP
SheffieldCity70,800 GBP73,300 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
BrightonCity70,800 GBP73,300 GBP31,400-108,200 GBP
BristolCity69,700 GBP73,100 GBP32,200-109,700 GBP
BelfastCity68,900 GBP72,700 GBP30,300-107,700 GBP
CardiffCity68,300 GBP77,400 GBP30,300-111,700 GBP
BradfordCity67,800 GBP74,600 GBP33,200-111,700 GBP
NottinghamCity67,300 GBP74,500 GBP29,600-109,000 GBP
NewportCity66,900 GBP70,000 GBP30,800-102,700 GBP
DerbyCity66,900 GBP70,000 GBP30,800-105,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity66,200 GBP73,500 GBP29,400-107,700 GBP
SomersetCity66,200 GBP74,000 GBP32,900-109,000 GBP
WolverhamptonCity66,200 GBP71,200 GBP29,400-107,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity65,900 GBP72,400 GBP28,900-105,200 GBP
YorkCity65,800 GBP70,500 GBP30,000-107,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity65,800 GBP72,700 GBP30,000-107,700 GBP
PlymouthCity65,500 GBP68,400 GBP30,800-103,600 GBP
GloucesterCity64,500 GBP69,800 GBP30,100-100,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity64,400 GBP69,700 GBP30,800-105,800 GBP
CoventryCity64,200 GBP69,700 GBP29,100-105,200 GBP
SwanseaCity63,800 GBP69,200 GBP29,300-103,600 GBP
NewcastleCity63,800 GBP70,800 GBP29,300-103,600 GBP
OxfordCity63,500 GBP71,100 GBP30,800-102,700 GBP
ExeterCity63,500 GBP67,800 GBP27,400-99,700 GBP
DerryCity63,200 GBP67,400 GBP26,900-97,400 GBP
LisburnCity62,600 GBP67,600 GBP29,000-95,400 GBP
DundeeCity61,800 GBP67,900 GBP29,900-97,300 GBP
AberdeenCity61,700 GBP66,400 GBP28,900-97,900 GBP
LincolnCity61,400 GBP63,700 GBP25,800-94,200 GBP
StirlingCity61,400 GBP63,400 GBP26,100-94,400 GBP
AbingdonCity60,900 GBP65,200 GBP28,800-94,900 GBP
PooleCity60,800 GBP66,100 GBP27,200-99,600 GBP
ArmaghCity60,600 GBP66,400 GBP27,200-98,700 GBP
CambridgeCity60,200 GBP63,500 GBP26,100-95,400 GBP
NorwichCity60,200 GBP63,500 GBP27,400-94,000 GBP
ChesterCity59,800 GBP64,400 GBP26,300-96,400 GBP
DurhamCity59,800 GBP64,300 GBP27,300-92,500 GBP
TruroCity59,000 GBP61,400 GBP27,100-93,800 GBP
WinchesterCity58,700 GBP63,000 GBP27,300-92,900 GBP
CanterburyCity58,700 GBP63,000 GBP25,800-91,600 GBP
WalesRegion58,600 GBP66,000 GBP25,500-93,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity58,500 GBP61,500 GBP27,300-92,100 GBP
NewryCity58,200 GBP63,500 GBP27,100-91,500 GBP
StrontianCity58,100 GBP63,200 GBP27,800-90,900 GBP
WakefieldCity57,800 GBP59,800 GBP27,400-88,300 GBP
RiponCity57,400 GBP63,900 GBP27,000-94,100 GBP
StromnessCity57,000 GBP61,300 GBP27,400-88,300 GBP
InvernessCity56,100 GBP59,200 GBP23,700-88,600 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion56,100 GBP58,800 GBP25,700-86,100 GBP
WellsCity55,200 GBP58,200 GBP26,400-83,900 GBP
BangorCity54,700 GBP61,400 GBP24,400-89,300 GBP
SalisburyCity54,100 GBP61,400 GBP24,400-88,000 GBP
KirkwallCity52,800 GBP58,400 GBP23,600-87,000 GBP
St DavidsCity50,600 GBP57,200 GBP22,400-84,900 GBP

ABAP Developer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an ABAP developer make per month in United Kingdom?

    An ABAP developer in United Kingdom earns about 5,141 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 61,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an ABAP developer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level ABAP developers in United Kingdom start near 28,900 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 97,900 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 44,500 and 89,400 GBP.

  • Is the median ABAP developer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 66,400 GBP, higher than the average of 61,700 GBP. Half of ABAP developers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for ABAP developers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an ABAP developer in United Kingdom earn around 2% more than women on average (63,800 vs 62,500 GBP a year).

  • Do ABAP developers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 61% of ABAP developers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

  • Do ABAP developers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an ABAP developer about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do ABAP developers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An ABAP developer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.