Average Category Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Category Manager salary for 2024 in United Kingdom and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does a Category Manager Make in United Kingdom?

A Category Manager working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 78,200 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 36,900 GBP to the highest average salary of 121,800 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
78,200 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
6,516 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
36,900 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
3,075 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
121,800 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
10,150 GBP

These are average salaries for a Category Manager in United Kingdom and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Category Manager to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Category Manager salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Category Manager Salaries in United Kingdom

So we've looked at the average salaries a Category Manager will earn in United Kingdom. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Category Manager can earn between 36,900 GBP and 121,800 GBP on average in United Kingdom. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Category Manager in United Kingdom is 78,700 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 78,700 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 78,700 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Category Manager salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 51,300 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 51,300 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 103,600 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 103,600 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Category Manager Salary by Experience Level in United Kingdom

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average category manager salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Category Manager in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 46,400 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Category Manager salary would increase to 58,500 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Category Manager, the average salary would be 78,700 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 97,300 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Category Manager with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 107,300 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Category Manager with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 114,600 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
46,400 GBP
2-5 Years +29%
58,500 GBP
5-10 Years +38%
78,700 GBP
10-15 Years +24%
97,300 GBP
15-20 Years +7%
107,300 GBP
20+ Years +7%
114,600 GBP

Category Manager Salary by Education Level in United Kingdom

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Category Manager in United Kingdom based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Category Manager in United Kingdom with a high school education can earn an average salary of 57,000 GBP.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Category Manager in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 64,600 GBP.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Category Manager in United Kingdom with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 86,300 GBP.

  • Master's Degree. A Category Manager in United Kingdom with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 109,700 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
57,000 GBP
Certificate or Diploma +15%
64,600 GBP
Bachelor's Degree +35%
86,300 GBP
Master's Degree +26%
109,700 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Category Manager Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United Kingdom, a male category manager will earn an average of 78,400 GBP, while a female category manager will earn around 74,200 GBP.

This means that a male category manager earns approximately 6% more than a female category manager for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
78,400 GBP
Female -6%
74,200 GBP

Category Manager Average Pay Raise in United Kingdom

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Category Manager in United Kingdom is around 11% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 8%

What this means is that a Category Manager in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United Kingdom for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Category Manager Bonus and Incentive Rates in United Kingdom

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Category Manager is a moderate bonus based job, with 58% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

42% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6%.

Received Bonus
58%
No Bonus
42%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
72,700 GBP
Private Sector -7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Category Manager

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Category Manager in United Kingdom.

Job Title Category Salary
Asset Management Associate Purchasing and Inventory 63,200 GBP
Asset Protection Associate Purchasing and Inventory 61,300 GBP
Asset Protection Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 65,800 GBP
Assistant Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 59,700 GBP
Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 103,600 GBP
Capacity Planner Purchasing and Inventory 68,900 GBP
Category Leader Purchasing and Inventory 66,100 GBP
Category Management Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 70,000 GBP
Channel Services Representative Purchasing and Inventory 69,700 GBP
Contracts Manager Purchasing and Inventory 74,700 GBP
Contracts Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 63,500 GBP
Demand Planner Purchasing and Inventory 71,800 GBP
Demand Planning Manager Purchasing and Inventory 80,700 GBP
Distribution Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 59,000 GBP
Distribution Associate Purchasing and Inventory 56,100 GBP
Distribution Manager Purchasing and Inventory 127,600 GBP
Inventory Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 63,000 GBP
Inventory Control Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 32,900 GBP
Inventory Control Manager Purchasing and Inventory 84,800 GBP
Inventory Management Associate Purchasing and Inventory 65,700 GBP
Inventory Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 61,600 GBP
Logistics Engineer Purchasing and Inventory 57,100 GBP
Master Planner Purchasing and Inventory 65,200 GBP
Material Handler Purchasing and Inventory 41,300 GBP
Material Planning Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 51,900 GBP
Merchandise Manager Purchasing and Inventory 75,900 GBP
Procurement Administrator Purchasing and Inventory 75,800 GBP
Procurement Agent Purchasing and Inventory 51,400 GBP
Procurement Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 81,400 GBP
Procurement Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 47,200 GBP
Procurement Associate Purchasing and Inventory 65,900 GBP
Procurement Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 29,200 GBP
Procurement Engineer Purchasing and Inventory 64,300 GBP
Procurement Manager Purchasing and Inventory 132,000 GBP
Procurement Officer Purchasing and Inventory 29,300 GBP
Procurement Process Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 74,100 GBP
Procurement Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 60,800 GBP
Production Planner Purchasing and Inventory 71,700 GBP
Project Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 80,000 GBP
Purchaser Purchasing and Inventory 96,500 GBP
Purchasing Agent Purchasing and Inventory 51,800 GBP
Purchasing Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 35,000 GBP
Purchasing Manager Purchasing and Inventory 130,500 GBP
Purchasing Officer Purchasing and Inventory 60,500 GBP
Purchasing Supervisor Purchasing and Inventory 83,800 GBP
Shipping and Receiving Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 30,800 GBP
Shipping Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 64,900 GBP
Stock Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 32,900 GBP
Stock Regulator Purchasing and Inventory 38,000 GBP
Storage Manager Purchasing and Inventory 78,500 GBP
Store Keeper Purchasing and Inventory 32,600 GBP
Stores and Logistics Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 65,800 GBP
Supply Chain Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 93,800 GBP
Supply Chain Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 69,400 GBP
Supply Chain Development Manager Purchasing and Inventory 114,900 GBP
Supply Chain Director Purchasing and Inventory 134,100 GBP
Supply Chain Manager Purchasing and Inventory 132,000 GBP
Supply Planner Purchasing and Inventory 60,100 GBP
Warehouse Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 23,600 GBP
Warehouse Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 27,300 GBP
Warehouse Executive Purchasing and Inventory 107,700 GBP
Warehouse Lead Purchasing and Inventory 73,500 GBP
Warehouse Manager Purchasing and Inventory 114,300 GBP
Warehouse Supervisor Purchasing and Inventory 79,600 GBP
Wholesale Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 100,700 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Aberdeen 77,000 GBP
Abingdon 70,900 GBP
Armagh 75,500 GBP
Bangor 67,800 GBP
Belfast 83,800 GBP
Birmingham 90,600 GBP
Bradford 80,800 GBP
Brighton 81,000 GBP
Bristol 83,700 GBP
Cambridge 72,700 GBP
Canterbury 64,200 GBP
Cardiff 79,000 GBP
Chester 69,400 GBP
Coventry 78,100 GBP
Derby 78,400 GBP
Derry 71,000 GBP
Dundee 75,900 GBP
Durham 73,500 GBP
Edinburgh 80,400 GBP
Exeter 72,700 GBP
Glasgow 87,700 GBP
Gloucester 74,600 GBP
Hartlepool 68,200 GBP
Inverness 65,400 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 83,800 GBP
Kirkwall 66,900 GBP
Leeds 83,800 GBP
Leicester 83,300 GBP
Lincoln 69,800 GBP
Lisburn 73,100 GBP
Liverpool 86,800 GBP
London 83,800 GBP
Manchester 83,800 GBP
Newcastle 76,600 GBP
Newport 74,700 GBP
Newry 71,100 GBP
Norwich 74,000 GBP
Nottingham 83,800 GBP
Oxford 76,000 GBP
Peterborough 77,000 GBP
Plymouth 75,800 GBP
Poole 74,700 GBP
Portsmouth 76,000 GBP
Ripon 67,300 GBP
Salisbury 66,900 GBP
Sheffield 83,000 GBP
Somerset 80,500 GBP
Southampton 73,800 GBP
St Davids 61,500 GBP
Stirling 67,300 GBP
Stromness 66,900 GBP
Strontian 67,500 GBP
Swansea 79,700 GBP
Truro 65,700 GBP
Wakefield 65,900 GBP
Wells 65,400 GBP
Winchester 69,800 GBP
Wolverhampton 78,200 GBP
York 80,200 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

City Average Salary
England 141,000 GBP
Northern Ireland 66,900 GBP
Scotland 109,000 GBP
Wales 71,900 GBP

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