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Average Portfolio Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A portfolio manager in United Kingdom earns about 139,100 GBP a year. That's 100% 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 70,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 212,500 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 portfolio manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
139,100 GBP
11,591 GBP per month
Lowest reported
70,600 GBP
5,883 GBP per month
Highest reported
212,500 GBP
17,708 GBP per month

A typical portfolio manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 11,591 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 70,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 212,500 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 portfolio manager 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 portfolio manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How portfolio manager 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 portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn less than 132,000 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 92,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 163,800 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of portfolio managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 70,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 212,500 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.

70,600
Low
132,000
Median
212,500
High
92,100
25th
163,800
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Portfolio manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    80,500 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +34% from previous
    108,200 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +32% from previous
    142,300 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +21% from previous
    172,100 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    187,500 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    199,700 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 34%. That is the point at which a portfolio manager 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.

Portfolio manager pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    100,200 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +14% from previous
    114,600 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +38% from previous
    158,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +21% from previous
    192,600 GBP

Portfolio manager 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 portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 140,200 GBP a year, while female portfolio managers earn around 134,700 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.

Portfolio Manager gender pay gap

4%

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

Men 140,200 GBP
Women 134,700 GBP

Pay raises for a portfolio manager 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 13% every 17 months, which works out to roughly 9% 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

Portfolio manager 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.

82%

82% of portfolio managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a portfolio manager a high-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 6% to 8% of base salary. The remaining 18% of portfolio managers 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

Portfolio manager: 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

Portfolio manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Portfolio manager 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
  • Leeds
  • Glasgow
  • Birmingham
  • Sheffield
  • Bristol
  • Manchester
  • London
  • Nottingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion274,000 GBP260,300 GBP140,200-416,900 GBP
ScotlandRegion187,500 GBP184,700 GBP94,300-292,100 GBP
LeedsCity167,100 GBP167,100 GBP81,900-259,700 GBP
GlasgowCity166,600 GBP166,600 GBP83,000-257,500 GBP
BirminghamCity165,900 GBP177,200 GBP76,800-263,900 GBP
SheffieldCity164,100 GBP156,200 GBP85,400-250,600 GBP
BristolCity163,800 GBP158,900 GBP83,900-253,400 GBP
ManchesterCity161,300 GBP150,100 GBP86,800-245,600 GBP
LondonCity160,600 GBP172,200 GBP73,500-254,400 GBP
NottinghamCity158,900 GBP153,700 GBP81,000-243,000 GBP
EdinburghCity156,200 GBP152,700 GBP80,900-241,000 GBP
LeicesterCity153,800 GBP153,700 GBP74,100-235,300 GBP
LiverpoolCity153,800 GBP160,600 GBP70,700-239,000 GBP
SomersetCity153,700 GBP163,500 GBP73,500-243,000 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity152,900 GBP151,800 GBP78,900-236,700 GBP
DerbyCity152,900 GBP161,300 GBP73,100-241,200 GBP
CardiffCity152,900 GBP161,300 GBP73,100-241,000 GBP
BelfastCity151,800 GBP146,700 GBP79,000-229,600 GBP
AberdeenCity151,800 GBP142,100 GBP81,200-227,600 GBP
CoventryCity151,800 GBP156,200 GBP72,700-235,300 GBP
BrightonCity150,100 GBP141,000 GBP78,700-226,100 GBP
PortsmouthCity150,100 GBP160,600 GBP68,900-236,700 GBP
SwanseaCity147,900 GBP138,700 GBP78,200-222,300 GBP
NewcastleCity147,900 GBP138,700 GBP76,900-219,500 GBP
PeterboroughCity147,900 GBP150,100 GBP70,700-226,100 GBP
BradfordCity146,900 GBP137,100 GBP79,000-222,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity142,300 GBP141,000 GBP73,500-218,700 GBP
NewportCity142,300 GBP157,600 GBP66,900-228,200 GBP
YorkCity142,300 GBP130,500 GBP76,900-215,100 GBP
GloucesterCity142,100 GBP132,000 GBP73,300-213,800 GBP
PlymouthCity142,100 GBP147,900 GBP65,700-219,500 GBP
DerryCity141,000 GBP139,100 GBP69,800-215,100 GBP
OxfordCity140,700 GBP140,700 GBP68,200-216,300 GBP
WolverhamptonCity140,200 GBP152,900 GBP67,000-223,800 GBP
LincolnCity140,200 GBP146,900 GBP67,800-222,700 GBP
PooleCity139,100 GBP147,900 GBP64,900-216,600 GBP
NorwichCity139,100 GBP132,000 GBP70,600-212,500 GBP
ExeterCity138,700 GBP127,700 GBP72,300-206,300 GBP
ArmaghCity138,700 GBP130,500 GBP71,200-210,600 GBP
NewryCity138,700 GBP141,000 GBP68,900-213,800 GBP
DundeeCity137,100 GBP130,500 GBP69,700-210,600 GBP
CambridgeCity132,000 GBP128,400 GBP69,400-205,400 GBP
SalisburyCity130,500 GBP123,000 GBP68,100-195,500 GBP
WinchesterCity130,400 GBP141,000 GBP61,800-210,600 GBP
WalesRegion130,400 GBP125,400 GBP71,200-200,600 GBP
CanterburyCity128,400 GBP128,400 GBP63,400-199,700 GBP
HartlepoolCity128,400 GBP123,800 GBP65,700-199,700 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion128,200 GBP128,200 GBP62,300-195,500 GBP
KirkwallCity127,700 GBP130,500 GBP60,700-197,600 GBP
DurhamCity127,700 GBP137,100 GBP56,900-200,600 GBP
ChesterCity127,700 GBP127,600 GBP61,600-195,200 GBP
InvernessCity127,700 GBP127,600 GBP61,600-195,200 GBP
LisburnCity127,600 GBP127,600 GBP65,500-197,600 GBP
TruroCity127,600 GBP127,600 GBP65,200-197,600 GBP
StirlingCity127,600 GBP134,700 GBP61,400-201,000 GBP
StrontianCity125,400 GBP116,400 GBP67,900-189,800 GBP
WakefieldCity123,800 GBP127,600 GBP63,200-195,200 GBP
WellsCity123,000 GBP128,200 GBP59,800-190,400 GBP
RiponCity121,800 GBP111,700 GBP66,900-183,900 GBP
StromnessCity121,800 GBP130,500 GBP54,200-191,100 GBP
AbingdonCity121,800 GBP127,700 GBP58,500-187,500 GBP
BangorCity118,900 GBP125,400 GBP55,300-185,900 GBP
St DavidsCity117,100 GBP109,000 GBP64,300-177,100 GBP

Portfolio Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a portfolio manager make per month in United Kingdom?

    A portfolio manager in United Kingdom earns about 11,591 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 139,100 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a portfolio manager in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level portfolio managers in United Kingdom start near 70,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 212,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 92,100 and 163,800 GBP.

  • Is the median portfolio manager salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 132,000 GBP, lower than the average of 139,100 GBP. Half of portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for portfolio managers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a portfolio manager in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (140,200 vs 134,700 GBP a year).

  • Do portfolio managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 82% of portfolio managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 6% to 8% of base salary.

  • Do portfolio managers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do portfolio managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A portfolio manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.