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Average C++ Developer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A c++ developer in United Kingdom earns about 78,700 GBP a year. That's 13% 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 37,900 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 124,500 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 a c++ developer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
78,700 GBP
6,558 GBP per month
Lowest reported
37,900 GBP
3,158 GBP per month
Highest reported
124,500 GBP
10,375 GBP per month

A typical c++ developer working in United Kingdom brings home around 6,558 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 37,900 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 124,500 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 c++ 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 c++ developer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How c++ 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 c++ developers in United Kingdom earn less than 81,000 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 52,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 105,200 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of c++ developers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 37,900 GBP. The highest stretch to 124,500 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.

37,900
Low
81,000
Median
124,500
High
52,800
25th
105,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

C++ developer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a c++ 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 c++ developer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    46,400 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +28% from previous
    59,500 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +34% from previous
    79,600 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +27% from previous
    100,700 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +8% from previous
    109,000 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    116,400 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 34%. That is the point at which a c++ 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.

C++ developer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Certificate or Diploma
    59,500 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +32% from previous
    78,500 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +57% from previous
    123,000 GBP

C++ 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 c++ developers in United Kingdom earn an average of 80,000 GBP a year, while female c++ developers earn around 76,900 GBP. That works out to a 4% 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.

C++ Developer gender pay gap

4%

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

Men 80,000 GBP
Women 76,900 GBP

Pay raises for a c++ 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

C++ 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.

58%

58% of c++ developers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a c++ 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 3% to 6% of base salary. The remaining 42% of c++ 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

C++ 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

C++ developer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

C++ 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 (region)
  • England (region)
  • Scotland (region)
  • Scotland (region)
  • Birmingham (city)
  • Liverpool (city)
  • London (city)
  • London (city)
  • Glasgow (city)
  • Manchester (city)
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
England (region)Region146,900 GBP151,800 GBP72,700-229,000 GBP
England (region)Region140,200 GBP138,700 GBP72,400-216,600 GBP
Scotland (region)Region107,700 GBP107,700 GBP51,900-165,900 GBP
Scotland (region)Region102,700 GBP94,500 GBP54,900-157,600 GBP
Birmingham (city)City91,900 GBP99,100 GBP41,400-142,300 GBP
Liverpool (city)City90,600 GBP82,200 GBP47,100-134,100 GBP
London (city)City90,600 GBP97,200 GBP41,900-142,100 GBP
London (city)City89,900 GBP98,100 GBP40,200-140,200 GBP
Glasgow (city)City87,700 GBP85,400 GBP43,800-134,100 GBP
Manchester (city)City87,300 GBP88,600 GBP39,800-134,100 GBP
Glasgow (city)City87,300 GBP88,700 GBP41,100-134,700 GBP
Coventry (city)City87,300 GBP83,000 GBP44,300-130,400 GBP
Nottingham (city)City86,800 GBP86,800 GBP43,500-132,000 GBP
Bristol (city)City86,600 GBP83,800 GBP46,400-130,400 GBP
Leeds (city)City86,600 GBP91,600 GBP38,900-138,700 GBP
Manchester (city)City86,400 GBP91,700 GBP38,000-134,100 GBP
Bradford (city)City86,100 GBP91,000 GBP40,300-134,100 GBP
Coventry (city)City85,500 GBP77,000 GBP45,000-127,600 GBP
Edinburgh (city)City85,500 GBP85,500 GBP43,400-132,000 GBP
Sheffield (city)City85,400 GBP87,700 GBP42,500-132,000 GBP
Leeds (city)City84,600 GBP81,900 GBP44,300-130,400 GBP
Brighton (city)City84,600 GBP84,600 GBP40,700-127,600 GBP
Birmingham (city)City83,800 GBP90,600 GBP39,100-134,100 GBP
Kingston upon Hull (city)City83,800 GBP83,800 GBP42,600-127,600 GBP
Leicester (city)City83,700 GBP83,000 GBP41,100-127,600 GBP
Cardiff (city)City83,300 GBP75,400 GBP45,000-125,400 GBP
Bristol (city)City83,100 GBP87,400 GBP42,400-130,400 GBP
Sheffield (city)City83,000 GBP80,300 GBP45,300-128,400 GBP
Kingston upon Hull (city)City83,000 GBP75,100 GBP46,200-127,700 GBP
Edinburgh (city)City83,000 GBP79,600 GBP45,600-127,600 GBP
Derby (city)City82,200 GBP75,900 GBP44,800-125,400 GBP
Somerset (city)City81,300 GBP79,600 GBP45,300-127,700 GBP
Liverpool (city)City81,300 GBP76,600 GBP42,300-124,500 GBP
Belfast (city)City81,200 GBP81,300 GBP39,100-125,400 GBP
Somerset (city)City81,000 GBP75,000 GBP44,300-123,000 GBP
Newcastle (city)City80,800 GBP83,400 GBP36,500-123,800 GBP
Dundee (city)City80,200 GBP80,800 GBP38,000-124,500 GBP
Oxford (city)City80,200 GBP84,500 GBP36,800-123,800 GBP
Brighton (city)City80,000 GBP83,300 GBP39,100-128,200 GBP
Bradford (city)City79,800 GBP79,600 GBP36,400-124,500 GBP
Wolverhampton (city)City79,700 GBP86,100 GBP35,000-125,400 GBP
Plymouth (city)City79,600 GBP78,500 GBP39,000-123,000 GBP
Peterborough (city)City79,600 GBP76,000 GBP42,000-118,900 GBP
Swansea (city)City79,600 GBP83,000 GBP39,600-127,600 GBP
Leicester (city)City79,500 GBP76,800 GBP40,300-125,400 GBP
Swansea (city)City78,700 GBP78,700 GBP40,000-124,500 GBP
Newcastle (city)City78,700 GBP78,700 GBP41,300-125,400 GBP
Cardiff (city)City78,700 GBP77,000 GBP43,500-123,000 GBP
Wolverhampton (city)City78,700 GBP87,300 GBP34,800-127,700 GBP
Derby (city)City78,700 GBP71,900 GBP45,100-121,800 GBP
Southampton (city)City78,200 GBP78,200 GBP39,100-119,700 GBP
Belfast (city)City78,200 GBP73,800 GBP39,000-118,900 GBP
Nottingham (city)City78,100 GBP72,800 GBP40,600-115,600 GBP
Peterborough (city)City77,300 GBP79,000 GBP39,100-123,000 GBP
Oxford (city)City77,100 GBP75,800 GBP41,100-121,800 GBP
Plymouth (city)City77,000 GBP72,300 GBP41,400-119,700 GBP
Derry (city)City77,000 GBP69,200 GBP38,900-114,900 GBP
York (city)City77,000 GBP78,700 GBP37,200-118,900 GBP
Dundee (city)City76,800 GBP76,000 GBP40,300-118,900 GBP
Gloucester (city)City75,900 GBP79,000 GBP37,300-119,700 GBP
Southampton (city)City75,800 GBP69,700 GBP40,300-114,300 GBP
Armagh (city)City74,300 GBP81,200 GBP36,800-119,700 GBP
Portsmouth (city)City74,100 GBP79,600 GBP34,000-118,900 GBP
Poole (city)City74,100 GBP69,100 GBP37,900-111,700 GBP
Newry (city)City74,100 GBP72,800 GBP37,900-114,900 GBP
Poole (city)City74,100 GBP67,900 GBP39,800-108,200 GBP
Wales (region)Region73,800 GBP78,900 GBP34,900-117,100 GBP
York (city)City73,700 GBP78,500 GBP36,500-115,600 GBP
Portsmouth (city)City73,700 GBP80,400 GBP34,000-118,900 GBP
Armagh (city)City73,700 GBP73,700 GBP35,600-114,300 GBP
Aberdeen (city)City73,300 GBP78,100 GBP35,300-115,600 GBP
Newport (city)City73,300 GBP78,500 GBP34,000-115,600 GBP
Hartlepool (city)City73,300 GBP73,700 GBP40,500-114,900 GBP
Hartlepool (city)City73,100 GBP77,000 GBP35,600-116,400 GBP
Norwich (city)City73,100 GBP68,500 GBP38,700-108,200 GBP
Lisburn (city)City73,100 GBP74,700 GBP33,500-114,600 GBP
Aberdeen (city)City73,100 GBP73,100 GBP35,200-114,900 GBP
Chester (city)City72,700 GBP71,000 GBP39,100-114,600 GBP
Wales (region)Region72,700 GBP72,700 GBP36,400-114,600 GBP
Newry (city)City72,700 GBP72,400 GBP35,500-114,600 GBP
Exeter (city)City72,700 GBP77,300 GBP35,300-114,900 GBP
Salisbury (city)City72,400 GBP72,400 GBP37,200-108,200 GBP
Stirling (city)City72,300 GBP68,200 GBP40,900-114,600 GBP
Cambridge (city)City72,000 GBP68,900 GBP39,800-108,200 GBP
Durham (city)City71,700 GBP74,200 GBP32,600-112,700 GBP
Lisburn (city)City71,700 GBP73,100 GBP38,700-114,600 GBP
Cambridge (city)City71,600 GBP71,600 GBP35,500-108,200 GBP
Winchester (city)City70,900 GBP65,900 GBP35,400-107,300 GBP
Exeter (city)City70,700 GBP75,400 GBP35,500-114,600 GBP
Newport (city)City70,700 GBP75,800 GBP33,600-114,600 GBP
Lincoln (city)City70,500 GBP72,400 GBP35,200-111,700 GBP
Northern Ireland (region)Region70,100 GBP67,200 GBP35,300-105,800 GBP
Norwich (city)City69,800 GBP74,100 GBP34,700-112,700 GBP
Lincoln (city)City69,800 GBP67,500 GBP36,200-109,700 GBP
Gloucester (city)City69,600 GBP69,600 GBP33,300-109,700 GBP
Winchester (city)City69,600 GBP63,500 GBP39,400-107,300 GBP
Chester (city)City69,400 GBP69,200 GBP32,600-107,300 GBP
Salisbury (city)City69,200 GBP73,500 GBP35,300-112,700 GBP
Wells (city)City69,100 GBP64,600 GBP34,800-105,200 GBP
Stirling (city)City68,900 GBP61,400 GBP35,200-102,700 GBP
Canterbury (city)City68,900 GBP69,200 GBP30,600-107,300 GBP
Durham (city)City68,400 GBP73,700 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
Ripon (city)City68,300 GBP72,300 GBP32,200-111,700 GBP
Ripon (city)City68,200 GBP72,700 GBP31,700-108,200 GBP
Derry (city)City68,200 GBP68,200 GBP33,800-109,000 GBP
Abingdon (city)City68,100 GBP67,900 GBP34,400-107,300 GBP
Wells (city)City67,800 GBP65,900 GBP33,000-105,800 GBP
Truro (city)City67,600 GBP64,600 GBP35,500-100,700 GBP
Bangor (city)City67,300 GBP64,500 GBP35,300-102,700 GBP
Inverness (city)City67,200 GBP70,100 GBP33,600-105,200 GBP
Strontian (city)City66,700 GBP68,300 GBP29,400-105,200 GBP
Bangor (city)City66,700 GBP64,900 GBP33,500-103,600 GBP
St Davids (city)City66,200 GBP71,100 GBP32,600-107,300 GBP
Inverness (city)City66,100 GBP64,800 GBP34,300-105,200 GBP
Stromness (city)City66,100 GBP71,700 GBP30,200-109,000 GBP
Abingdon (city)City65,900 GBP63,900 GBP34,300-100,700 GBP
Stromness (city)City65,900 GBP73,200 GBP29,100-107,300 GBP
Wakefield (city)City65,800 GBP68,900 GBP33,600-105,800 GBP
Wakefield (city)City65,700 GBP63,400 GBP34,700-102,700 GBP
Truro (city)City65,400 GBP68,800 GBP30,000-102,700 GBP
Northern Ireland (region)Region65,100 GBP67,800 GBP30,300-105,200 GBP
Canterbury (city)City65,100 GBP64,800 GBP31,700-100,700 GBP
Strontian (city)City64,900 GBP67,500 GBP32,900-103,600 GBP
Kirkwall (city)City64,600 GBP61,300 GBP35,300-99,600 GBP
Kirkwall (city)City63,900 GBP61,700 GBP32,600-99,100 GBP
St Davids (city)City63,900 GBP67,400 GBP29,300-99,900 GBP

C++ Developer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a c++ developer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A c++ developer in United Kingdom earns about 6,558 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 78,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a c++ developer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level c++ developers in United Kingdom start near 37,900 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 124,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 52,800 and 105,200 GBP.

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

    The median is 81,000 GBP, higher than the average of 78,700 GBP. Half of c++ developers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

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

    Men working as a c++ developer in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (80,000 vs 76,900 GBP a year).

  • Do c++ developers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 58% of c++ developers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

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

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

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

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