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Average Project Portfolio Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A project portfolio manager in United Kingdom earns about 83,800 GBP a year. That's 20% 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 45,200 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 130,500 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 project portfolio manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
83,800 GBP
6,983 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,200 GBP
3,766 GBP per month
Highest reported
130,500 GBP
10,875 GBP per month

A typical project portfolio manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 6,983 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,200 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 130,500 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 project 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 project portfolio manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How project 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 project portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn less than 80,000 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 55,500 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 100,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of project 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 45,200 GBP. The highest stretch to 130,500 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.

45,200
Low
80,000
Median
130,500
High
55,500
25th
100,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Project portfolio manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    50,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +31% from previous
    65,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +33% from previous
    87,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +21% from previous
    105,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +10% from previous
    116,400 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +5% from previous
    121,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 33%. That is the point at which a project 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.

Project portfolio manager pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    59,100 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +17% from previous
    68,900 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +42% from previous
    98,100 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +18% from previous
    115,600 GBP

Project 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 project portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 87,500 GBP a year, while female project portfolio managers earn around 81,700 GBP. That works out to a 7% 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.

Project Portfolio Manager gender pay gap

7%

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

Men 87,500 GBP
Women 81,700 GBP

Pay raises for a project 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 14 months, which works out to roughly 11% 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

Project 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.

81%

81% of project portfolio managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a project 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 19% of project 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

Project 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

Project portfolio manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Project 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
  • Glasgow
  • Leeds
  • Somerset
  • Liverpool
  • Cardiff
  • Belfast
  • London
  • Birmingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion163,800 GBP158,700 GBP87,500-252,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion127,700 GBP114,300 GBP69,400-191,500 GBP
GlasgowCity100,900 GBP107,300 GBP46,200-158,900 GBP
LeedsCity100,700 GBP107,700 GBP45,600-158,700 GBP
SomersetCity100,200 GBP91,500 GBP51,500-151,800 GBP
LiverpoolCity98,300 GBP95,300 GBP51,100-153,800 GBP
CardiffCity96,600 GBP88,500 GBP51,800-147,900 GBP
BelfastCity96,500 GBP91,500 GBP50,700-146,900 GBP
LondonCity96,000 GBP103,600 GBP44,300-151,800 GBP
BirminghamCity95,400 GBP102,700 GBP45,000-153,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity95,100 GBP102,700 GBP45,200-151,800 GBP
DerbyCity95,000 GBP89,800 GBP48,300-142,300 GBP
BradfordCity94,800 GBP97,100 GBP43,100-148,300 GBP
ManchesterCity94,000 GBP100,500 GBP46,400-151,800 GBP
NewcastleCity93,600 GBP93,600 GBP45,300-147,900 GBP
CoventryCity93,300 GBP92,100 GBP49,000-142,300 GBP
NottinghamCity93,200 GBP83,000 GBP50,300-140,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity93,100 GBP85,400 GBP49,700-140,700 GBP
BrightonCity92,600 GBP92,600 GBP47,800-147,900 GBP
EdinburghCity92,600 GBP84,800 GBP50,000-140,200 GBP
BristolCity92,200 GBP90,900 GBP46,900-142,300 GBP
SheffieldCity92,100 GBP88,000 GBP47,100-142,100 GBP
SwanseaCity92,000 GBP92,000 GBP46,300-142,100 GBP
LeicesterCity91,700 GBP91,500 GBP45,000-140,200 GBP
NewportCity90,300 GBP95,900 GBP41,000-142,300 GBP
AberdeenCity89,400 GBP89,400 GBP45,700-141,000 GBP
DundeeCity88,700 GBP86,300 GBP47,600-140,700 GBP
PooleCity88,600 GBP83,700 GBP45,000-130,400 GBP
PlymouthCity88,300 GBP88,600 GBP43,800-139,100 GBP
ArmaghCity88,000 GBP88,000 GBP43,800-138,700 GBP
OxfordCity87,900 GBP93,600 GBP41,400-142,100 GBP
SouthamptonCity86,800 GBP80,300 GBP46,700-134,100 GBP
YorkCity86,600 GBP90,900 GBP41,000-137,100 GBP
ExeterCity85,500 GBP88,300 GBP39,000-130,400 GBP
NewryCity84,800 GBP88,000 GBP43,500-134,700 GBP
GloucesterCity83,900 GBP83,900 GBP42,300-132,000 GBP
StirlingCity83,800 GBP77,300 GBP45,000-127,700 GBP
InvernessCity83,300 GBP83,300 GBP39,000-127,600 GBP
CambridgeCity83,300 GBP75,900 GBP43,100-127,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity83,300 GBP86,600 GBP42,600-130,500 GBP
LincolnCity83,100 GBP82,200 GBP45,000-128,400 GBP
PortsmouthCity83,000 GBP92,200 GBP39,800-134,700 GBP
SalisburyCity81,300 GBP81,300 GBP39,500-123,800 GBP
DerryCity81,000 GBP73,700 GBP45,200-123,000 GBP
CanterburyCity81,000 GBP84,600 GBP36,200-128,200 GBP
NorwichCity80,000 GBP78,200 GBP40,600-125,400 GBP
WinchesterCity80,000 GBP74,700 GBP43,500-124,500 GBP
LisburnCity79,800 GBP87,700 GBP36,500-127,600 GBP
TruroCity78,700 GBP81,900 GBP36,700-123,800 GBP
WalesRegion78,700 GBP78,700 GBP41,300-125,400 GBP
AbingdonCity78,500 GBP74,200 GBP40,000-118,900 GBP
ChesterCity78,200 GBP78,500 GBP36,500-123,000 GBP
StromnessCity77,100 GBP83,700 GBP35,600-123,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity77,100 GBP77,000 GBP41,900-119,700 GBP
WakefieldCity76,900 GBP80,200 GBP36,700-119,700 GBP
WellsCity76,000 GBP71,400 GBP39,400-116,400 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion76,000 GBP81,000 GBP35,000-121,800 GBP
DurhamCity75,800 GBP83,800 GBP37,200-123,000 GBP
RiponCity75,400 GBP80,200 GBP34,800-118,900 GBP
KirkwallCity74,100 GBP74,100 GBP36,900-116,400 GBP
BangorCity73,800 GBP72,700 GBP39,100-114,300 GBP
StrontianCity73,500 GBP75,400 GBP33,800-114,900 GBP
St DavidsCity71,700 GBP74,900 GBP33,300-116,400 GBP

Project Portfolio Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

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

    A project portfolio manager in United Kingdom earns about 6,983 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 83,800 GBP.

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

    Entry-level project portfolio managers in United Kingdom start near 45,200 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 130,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 55,500 and 100,700 GBP.

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

    The median is 80,000 GBP, lower than the average of 83,800 GBP. Half of project portfolio managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

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

    Men working as a project portfolio manager in United Kingdom earn around 7% more than women on average (87,500 vs 81,700 GBP a year).

  • Do project portfolio managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 81% of project portfolio managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 6% to 8% of base salary.

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

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a project 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 project portfolio managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A project portfolio manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 14 months, equivalent to roughly 11% a year.