Average Payroll Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Payroll 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 Payroll Manager Make in United Kingdom?

A Payroll Manager working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 91,000 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 40,700 GBP to the highest average salary of 142,300 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
91,000 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
7,583 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
40,700 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
3,391 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
142,300 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
11,858 GBP

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

Payroll 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 Payroll Manager Salaries in United Kingdom

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

Salary ranges

We already know that a Payroll Manager can earn between 40,700 GBP and 142,300 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 Payroll Manager in United Kingdom is 96,400 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 96,400 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 96,400 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 Payroll Manager salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 61,800 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 61,800 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 130,500 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 130,500 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.

Payroll 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 payroll 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 Payroll Manager in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 48,200 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Payroll Manager salary would increase to 61,700 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Payroll Manager, the average salary would be 91,600 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 114,600 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Payroll Manager with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 124,500 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Payroll Manager with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 132,000 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
48,200 GBP
2-5 Years +34%
61,700 GBP
5-10 Years +48%
91,600 GBP
10-15 Years +22%
114,600 GBP
15-20 Years +9%
124,500 GBP
20+ Years +8%
132,000 GBP

Payroll 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 Payroll 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.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Payroll Manager in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 51,900 GBP.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Payroll Manager in United Kingdom with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 85,500 GBP.

  • Master's Degree. A Payroll Manager in United Kingdom with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 142,100 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Certificate or Diploma
51,900 GBP
Bachelor's Degree +57%
85,500 GBP
Master's Degree +68%
142,100 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.

Payroll 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 payroll manager will earn an average of 92,300 GBP, while a female payroll manager will earn around 86,800 GBP.

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

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
92,300 GBP
Female -6%
86,800 GBP

Payroll 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 Payroll Manager in United Kingdom is around 13% every 15 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 = ( 13 ÷ 15 ) × 12  = 10%

What this means is that a Payroll Manager in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 10% 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%

Payroll 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 Payroll Manager is a high bonus based job, with 87% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

13% 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 5% to 9%.

Received Bonus
87%
No Bonus
13%

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 Payroll Manager

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

Job Title Category Salary
Account Examiner Accounting and Finance 40,000 GBP
Account Executive Accounting and Finance 67,400 GBP
Accountant Accounting and Finance 50,500 GBP
Accounting Analyst Accounting and Finance 65,400 GBP
Accounting Assistant Accounting and Finance 40,300 GBP
Accounting Associate Accounting and Finance 35,300 GBP
Accounting Clerk Accounting and Finance 30,000 GBP
Accounting Coordinator Accounting and Finance 45,600 GBP
Accounting Head Accounting and Finance 105,800 GBP
Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 107,300 GBP
Accounting Officer Accounting and Finance 37,300 GBP
Accounting Specialist Accounting and Finance 69,200 GBP
Accounting Supervisor Accounting and Finance 72,700 GBP
Accounting Technician Accounting and Finance 35,400 GBP
Accounting Unit Controller Accounting and Finance 83,800 GBP
Accounts Executive Accounting and Finance 65,800 GBP
Accounts Officer Accounting and Finance 42,600 GBP
Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist Accounting and Finance 50,600 GBP
Accounts Payable Assistant Accounting and Finance 39,300 GBP
Accounts Payable Associate Accounting and Finance 48,600 GBP
Accounts Payable Clerk Accounting and Finance 36,900 GBP
Accounts Payable Manager Accounting and Finance 105,200 GBP
Accounts Receivable Administrator Accounting and Finance 73,100 GBP
Accounts Receivable Clerk Accounting and Finance 34,800 GBP
Accounts Receivable Financial Analyst Accounting and Finance 71,900 GBP
Accounts Receivable Manager Accounting and Finance 98,000 GBP
Accounts Receivable Team Leader Accounting and Finance 73,100 GBP
Assistant Accountant Accounting and Finance 41,700 GBP
Assistant Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 99,400 GBP
Assistant Auditor Accounting and Finance 50,500 GBP
Assistant Corporate Controller Accounting and Finance 69,400 GBP
Assistant Finance Manager Accounting and Finance 105,800 GBP
Assistant Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 67,600 GBP
Audit Director Accounting and Finance 115,600 GBP
Audit Supervisor Accounting and Finance 95,500 GBP
Auditing Clerk Accounting and Finance 42,600 GBP
Auditing Manager Accounting and Finance 108,200 GBP
Billing Clerk Accounting and Finance 38,700 GBP
Billing Coordinator Accounting and Finance 44,500 GBP
Billing Specialist Accounting and Finance 54,600 GBP
Billing Supervisor Accounting and Finance 79,000 GBP
Bookkeeper Accounting and Finance 31,400 GBP
Bookkeeping Specialist Accounting and Finance 49,200 GBP
Budget Analyst Accounting and Finance 85,500 GBP
Budget Manager Accounting and Finance 107,300 GBP
Business Support Analyst Accounting and Finance 54,500 GBP
Capital Markets Associate Accounting and Finance 77,400 GBP
Cash Flow Analyst Accounting and Finance 80,800 GBP
Cash Management Manager Accounting and Finance 95,400 GBP
Cash Management Officer Accounting and Finance 57,400 GBP
Cashbook Clerk Accounting and Finance 33,300 GBP
Chartered Accountant Accounting and Finance 67,800 GBP
Chief Accountant Accounting and Finance 80,200 GBP
Collections Clerk Accounting and Finance 31,700 GBP
Collections Representative Accounting and Finance 44,200 GBP
Collections Specialist Accounting and Finance 49,700 GBP
Corporate Controller Accounting and Finance 83,200 GBP
Corporate Treasurer Accounting and Finance 93,800 GBP
Cost Accountant Accounting and Finance 48,300 GBP
Cost Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 99,700 GBP
Cost Accounting Supervisor Accounting and Finance 80,300 GBP
Cost Analyst Accounting and Finance 83,800 GBP
Credit and Collection Manager Accounting and Finance 102,700 GBP
Credit and Collection Staff Accounting and Finance 38,700 GBP
Credit and Loans Officer Accounting and Finance 37,800 GBP
Credit Controller Accounting and Finance 71,800 GBP
Credit Manager Accounting and Finance 102,700 GBP
Debt Adviser Accounting and Finance 83,900 GBP
Debt Collector Accounting and Finance 42,300 GBP
Debtors Clerk Accounting and Finance 33,300 GBP
Debtors Controller Accounting and Finance 37,300 GBP
Deputy CFO Accounting and Finance 134,700 GBP
Deputy Head of Finance Accounting and Finance 140,200 GBP
Derivative Trader Accounting and Finance 88,700 GBP
Director of Finance Accounting and Finance 153,700 GBP
Economist Accounting and Finance 114,900 GBP
Equity Analyst Accounting and Finance 90,900 GBP
Escrow Assistant Accounting and Finance 45,200 GBP
Executive Accountant Accounting and Finance 57,800 GBP
External Auditor Accounting and Finance 68,500 GBP
Finance Administrator Accounting and Finance 60,700 GBP
Finance Analyst Accounting and Finance 87,900 GBP
Finance Associate Accounting and Finance 46,100 GBP
Finance Director Accounting and Finance 147,900 GBP
Finance Executive Accounting and Finance 105,800 GBP
Finance Licensing Clerk Accounting and Finance 39,500 GBP
Finance Licensing Manager Accounting and Finance 91,500 GBP
Finance Licensing Specialist Accounting and Finance 55,400 GBP
Finance Manager Accounting and Finance 142,300 GBP
Finance Officer Accounting and Finance 46,000 GBP
Finance President Accounting and Finance 150,100 GBP
Finance Relationship Manager Accounting and Finance 119,700 GBP
Finance Release Analyst Accounting and Finance 54,900 GBP
Finance Specialist Accounting and Finance 86,100 GBP
Finance Team Leader Accounting and Finance 118,900 GBP
Financial Accountant Accounting and Finance 50,500 GBP
Financial Actuary Accounting and Finance 79,500 GBP
Financial Administrator Accounting and Finance 86,600 GBP
Financial Advisor Accounting and Finance 90,000 GBP
Financial Analyst Accounting and Finance 92,900 GBP
Financial Applications Specialist Accounting and Finance 64,500 GBP
Financial Assistant Accounting and Finance 41,500 GBP
Financial Associate Accounting and Finance 38,700 GBP
Financial Associate Accounting and Finance 47,100 GBP
Financial Claims Analyst Accounting and Finance 67,000 GBP
Financial Claims Manager Accounting and Finance 90,600 GBP
Financial Claims Supervisor Accounting and Finance 83,000 GBP
Financial Clerk Accounting and Finance 36,400 GBP
Financial Commercial Analyst Accounting and Finance 74,100 GBP
Financial Compliance Analyst Accounting and Finance 86,100 GBP
Financial Consultant Accounting and Finance 68,200 GBP
Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 78,500 GBP
Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 83,400 GBP
Financial Coordinator Accounting and Finance 43,800 GBP
Financial Customer Service Manager Accounting and Finance 92,900 GBP
Financial Dealer and Broker Accounting and Finance 52,800 GBP
Financial Director Accounting and Finance 153,800 GBP
Financial Encoder Accounting and Finance 40,300 GBP
Financial Manager Accounting and Finance 134,700 GBP
Financial Manager Accounting and Finance 150,100 GBP
Financial Operations Manager Accounting and Finance 125,400 GBP
Financial Policy Analyst Accounting and Finance 80,400 GBP
Financial Project Manager Accounting and Finance 105,200 GBP
Financial Quantitative Analyst Accounting and Finance 85,700 GBP
Financial Reporting Consultant Accounting and Finance 74,700 GBP
Financial Reporting Manager Accounting and Finance 98,900 GBP
Financial Section Head Accounting and Finance 100,700 GBP
Financial Services Manager Accounting and Finance 127,700 GBP
Financial Services Sales Agent Accounting and Finance 51,900 GBP
Fixed Assets Administrator Accounting and Finance 51,600 GBP
Forensic Accountant Accounting and Finance 60,700 GBP
Fraud Detection Supervisor Accounting and Finance 64,600 GBP
Fraud Prevention Manager Accounting and Finance 98,900 GBP
Fund Accountant Accounting and Finance 47,100 GBP
Grants Coordinator Accounting and Finance 35,400 GBP
Group Financial Manager Accounting and Finance 140,200 GBP
Internal Auditor Accounting and Finance 69,400 GBP
Internal Control Adviser Accounting and Finance 83,300 GBP
Internal Control Officer Accounting and Finance 43,500 GBP
International Tax Director Accounting and Finance 118,900 GBP
Inventory Accountant Accounting and Finance 51,600 GBP
Investment Advisor Accounting and Finance 139,100 GBP
Investment Analyst Accounting and Finance 105,800 GBP
Investment Associate Accounting and Finance 87,800 GBP
Investment Broker Accounting and Finance 83,400 GBP
Investment Fund Manager Accounting and Finance 108,200 GBP
Investment Operations Manager Accounting and Finance 114,600 GBP
Investment Underwriter Accounting and Finance 45,000 GBP
Investor Accounting and Finance 67,500 GBP
Investor Relations Manager Accounting and Finance 99,400 GBP
KYC Team Leader Accounting and Finance 99,700 GBP
Loan Processor Accounting and Finance 42,500 GBP
Management Accountant Accounting and Finance 58,200 GBP
Management Economist Accounting and Finance 114,600 GBP
Paymaster Accounting and Finance 41,900 GBP
Payroll Administrator Accounting and Finance 66,400 GBP
Payroll Benefits Coordinator Accounting and Finance 56,100 GBP
Payroll Billing Manager Accounting and Finance 93,300 GBP
Payroll Clerk Accounting and Finance 44,500 GBP
Payroll Officer Accounting and Finance 45,600 GBP
Payroll Specialist Accounting and Finance 51,800 GBP
Payroll Supervisor Accounting and Finance 63,200 GBP
Pensions Administrator Accounting and Finance 51,800 GBP
Personal Financial Advisor Accounting and Finance 78,700 GBP
Pricing Analyst Accounting and Finance 82,300 GBP
Private Equity Analyst Accounting and Finance 87,500 GBP
Project Accountant Accounting and Finance 56,100 GBP
Proposal Development Coordinator Accounting and Finance 45,000 GBP
Receivables Accountant Accounting and Finance 46,700 GBP
Regulatory Accountant Accounting and Finance 58,200 GBP
Retirement Plan Analyst Accounting and Finance 83,200 GBP
Revenue Management Specialist Accounting and Finance 81,000 GBP
Revenue Recognition Analyst Accounting and Finance 92,200 GBP
Risk Management Director Accounting and Finance 124,500 GBP
Risk Management Supervisor Accounting and Finance 105,200 GBP
Staff Accountant Accounting and Finance 51,300 GBP
Tax Accountant Accounting and Finance 50,800 GBP
Tax Administrator Accounting and Finance 55,100 GBP
Tax Advisor Accounting and Finance 79,600 GBP
Tax Analyst Accounting and Finance 73,500 GBP
Tax Associate Accounting and Finance 42,600 GBP
Tax Consultant Accounting and Finance 78,400 GBP
Tax Director Accounting and Finance 117,100 GBP
Tax Examiner Accounting and Finance 55,200 GBP
Tax Manager Accounting and Finance 101,100 GBP
Tax Research Manager Accounting and Finance 102,700 GBP
Teller Accounting and Finance 30,000 GBP
Treasury Accountant Accounting and Finance 53,300 GBP
Treasury Analyst Accounting and Finance 83,200 GBP
Underwriter Accounting and Finance 34,300 GBP
Underwriting Assistant Accounting and Finance 35,300 GBP
Vice President of Finance Accounting and Finance 142,300 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 94,900 GBP
Abingdon 83,300 GBP
Armagh 93,100 GBP
Bangor 84,300 GBP
Belfast 96,000 GBP
Birmingham 107,700 GBP
Bradford 107,300 GBP
Brighton 98,000 GBP
Bristol 109,700 GBP
Cambridge 87,800 GBP
Canterbury 86,600 GBP
Cardiff 100,700 GBP
Chester 86,800 GBP
Coventry 105,200 GBP
Derby 96,600 GBP
Derry 89,900 GBP
Dundee 97,200 GBP
Durham 88,000 GBP
Edinburgh 100,700 GBP
Exeter 89,800 GBP
Glasgow 109,700 GBP
Gloucester 92,200 GBP
Hartlepool 85,400 GBP
Inverness 80,500 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 100,700 GBP
Kirkwall 83,200 GBP
Leeds 100,700 GBP
Leicester 102,700 GBP
Lincoln 86,600 GBP
Lisburn 92,300 GBP
Liverpool 105,800 GBP
London 112,700 GBP
Manchester 102,700 GBP
Newcastle 102,700 GBP
Newport 94,800 GBP
Newry 88,600 GBP
Norwich 91,000 GBP
Nottingham 105,200 GBP
Oxford 92,300 GBP
Peterborough 95,900 GBP
Plymouth 95,500 GBP
Poole 95,000 GBP
Portsmouth 93,800 GBP
Ripon 85,500 GBP
Salisbury 80,500 GBP
Sheffield 105,800 GBP
Somerset 99,600 GBP
Southampton 94,100 GBP
St Davids 79,600 GBP
Stirling 87,200 GBP
Stromness 83,700 GBP
Strontian 75,100 GBP
Swansea 97,900 GBP
Truro 81,900 GBP
Wakefield 82,200 GBP
Wells 79,600 GBP
Winchester 90,000 GBP
Wolverhampton 96,500 GBP
York 98,700 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

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

City Average Salary
England 177,200 GBP
Northern Ireland 83,300 GBP
Scotland 123,800 GBP
Wales 84,800 GBP

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