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Average Assistant Director of Nursing Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An assistant director of nursing in United Kingdom earns about 98,700 GBP a year. That's 42% above 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 45,700 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 157,600 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 assistant director of nursing make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
98,700 GBP
8,225 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,700 GBP
3,808 GBP per month
Highest reported
157,600 GBP
13,133 GBP per month

A typical assistant director of nursing working in United Kingdom brings home around 8,225 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,700 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 157,600 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 assistant director of nursing 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 assistant director of nursing salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How assistant director of nursing 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 assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom earn less than 107,300 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 67,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 140,200 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of assistant director of nursings sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 45,700 GBP. The highest stretch to 157,600 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.

45,700
Low
107,300
Median
157,600
High
67,800
25th
140,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Assistant director of nursing pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an assistant director of nursing 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 assistant director of nursing salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    51,800 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +35% from previous
    70,000 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +44% from previous
    100,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +25% from previous
    125,400 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    134,700 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +10% from previous
    147,900 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 44%. That is the point at which a assistant director of nursing 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.

Assistant director of nursing pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving assistant director of nursing 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 assistant director of nursing salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    58,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +98% from previous
    116,400 GBP

Assistant director of nursing 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 assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom earn an average of 96,600 GBP a year, while female assistant director of nursings earn around 100,700 GBP. That works out to a 4% gap in favour of women, 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.

Assistant Director of Nursing gender pay gap

4%

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

Women 100,700 GBP
Men 96,600 GBP

Pay raises for an assistant director of nursing 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 11% every 18 months, which works out to roughly 7% 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

Assistant director of nursing 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.

37%

37% of assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an assistant director of nursing a low-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 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 63% of assistant director of nursings 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

Assistant director of nursing: 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

Assistant director of nursing salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Assistant director of nursing 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
  • Birmingham
  • London
  • Glasgow
  • Bristol
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Manchester
  • Liverpool
  • Leeds
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion199,700 GBP216,300 GBP90,900-315,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion142,100 GBP142,300 GBP68,400-218,100 GBP
BirminghamCity123,000 GBP130,400 GBP57,800-193,200 GBP
LondonCity123,000 GBP130,400 GBP57,000-193,400 GBP
GlasgowCity121,800 GBP115,600 GBP64,300-187,500 GBP
BristolCity117,100 GBP127,600 GBP53,800-189,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity114,900 GBP114,300 GBP54,200-177,100 GBP
ManchesterCity114,900 GBP115,600 GBP55,200-177,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity114,600 GBP109,000 GBP58,400-172,100 GBP
LeedsCity114,300 GBP111,700 GBP62,100-175,100 GBP
BradfordCity112,700 GBP114,900 GBP55,100-172,200 GBP
SomersetCity111,700 GBP107,700 GBP56,900-169,700 GBP
WolverhamptonCity111,700 GBP119,700 GBP49,700-175,100 GBP
SheffieldCity111,700 GBP119,700 GBP49,300-175,100 GBP
EdinburghCity111,700 GBP114,600 GBP55,700-172,200 GBP
DerbyCity111,700 GBP107,700 GBP57,400-171,300 GBP
CardiffCity109,700 GBP105,800 GBP56,800-166,600 GBP
CoventryCity109,000 GBP108,200 GBP51,800-167,100 GBP
OxfordCity109,000 GBP102,700 GBP55,500-163,800 GBP
NottinghamCity109,000 GBP111,700 GBP54,600-168,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity108,200 GBP112,700 GBP52,800-171,300 GBP
LeicesterCity107,700 GBP114,300 GBP50,500-171,300 GBP
NewportCity107,300 GBP114,900 GBP46,900-167,100 GBP
BelfastCity107,300 GBP114,900 GBP46,900-167,100 GBP
NewcastleCity105,800 GBP100,700 GBP54,700-160,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity105,800 GBP114,600 GBP46,700-166,600 GBP
ExeterCity105,800 GBP107,700 GBP51,400-163,500 GBP
BrightonCity105,200 GBP99,700 GBP55,600-160,700 GBP
PlymouthCity105,200 GBP107,300 GBP50,000-161,300 GBP
PooleCity105,200 GBP98,300 GBP52,300-158,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity105,200 GBP112,700 GBP49,400-163,800 GBP
YorkCity105,200 GBP107,300 GBP51,100-161,300 GBP
ArmaghCity105,200 GBP100,900 GBP55,400-158,700 GBP
DundeeCity105,200 GBP114,600 GBP47,400-165,900 GBP
NorwichCity103,600 GBP111,700 GBP47,600-164,100 GBP
SwanseaCity103,600 GBP96,800 GBP51,100-157,600 GBP
NewryCity102,700 GBP111,700 GBP48,600-163,500 GBP
LincolnCity102,700 GBP105,800 GBP49,200-160,600 GBP
StirlingCity101,400 GBP95,400 GBP53,300-153,800 GBP
AberdeenCity100,700 GBP96,400 GBP53,300-152,700 GBP
DerryCity100,700 GBP102,700 GBP49,800-158,900 GBP
GloucesterCity99,700 GBP94,800 GBP53,600-152,900 GBP
CambridgeCity96,800 GBP97,900 GBP49,400-153,800 GBP
ChesterCity96,000 GBP105,200 GBP45,000-152,700 GBP
CanterburyCity95,900 GBP93,300 GBP51,300-150,100 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion95,600 GBP95,100 GBP51,600-150,100 GBP
SalisburyCity95,500 GBP92,400 GBP50,500-146,700 GBP
InvernessCity95,100 GBP100,700 GBP42,300-146,900 GBP
LisburnCity94,900 GBP90,900 GBP49,400-142,300 GBP
RiponCity94,400 GBP95,900 GBP48,200-150,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity93,600 GBP103,600 GBP44,500-151,800 GBP
WalesRegion93,300 GBP91,000 GBP49,700-142,300 GBP
BangorCity93,200 GBP93,900 GBP46,200-142,300 GBP
WellsCity93,100 GBP92,900 GBP45,600-140,200 GBP
TruroCity93,100 GBP88,600 GBP48,600-141,000 GBP
DurhamCity92,600 GBP103,600 GBP45,100-151,800 GBP
AbingdonCity92,200 GBP94,000 GBP46,400-147,900 GBP
WakefieldCity92,100 GBP97,300 GBP40,300-147,900 GBP
StrontianCity92,100 GBP95,000 GBP46,200-142,300 GBP
WinchesterCity91,600 GBP87,600 GBP46,700-141,000 GBP
St DavidsCity90,000 GBP89,400 GBP44,500-139,100 GBP
StromnessCity88,600 GBP94,500 GBP39,000-140,700 GBP
KirkwallCity87,700 GBP86,800 GBP42,800-134,700 GBP

Assistant Director of Nursing in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an assistant director of nursing make per month in United Kingdom?

    An assistant director of nursing in United Kingdom earns about 8,225 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 98,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an assistant director of nursing in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom start near 45,700 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 157,600 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 67,800 and 140,200 GBP.

  • Is the median assistant director of nursing salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 107,300 GBP, higher than the average of 98,700 GBP. Half of assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an assistant director of nursing in United Kingdom earn around 4% less than women on average (96,600 vs 100,700 GBP a year).

  • Do assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 37% of assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do assistant director of nursings earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do assistant director of nursings in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An assistant director of nursing in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 18 months, equivalent to roughly 7% a year.