Chief executives and senior officials salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£89,835
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 85% of Chief executives work full-time
- 18% are self-employed
- 98.0% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Chief executives and senior officials pay in the UK
The typical chief executives and senior officials in the UK earns a median salary of £89,835 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of chief executives and senior officials earnings fall between £48,429 and £141,253 a year. That is a wide range, a sign that pay climbs steeply with experience, specialism and employer, so the median is a starting point rather than a ceiling.
The mean (average) salary is higher, at £141,016. When the mean sits above the median like this, a smaller group of high earners is pulling the average up, which is why the median is the better guide to what a typical chief executives and senior officials actually takes home.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Around 18% of Chief executives are self-employed, well above most occupations, so the employee pay above will not capture earnings for those working for themselves.
Where you work changes the picture: chief executives and senior officials pay ranges from £12,778 in Yorkshire and the Humber up to £119,981 in London, a difference of £107,203 (839%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see chief executives and senior officials pay in London or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for chief executives and senior officials at £119,981 — 34% above the UK median. Yorkshire and the Humber is lowest at £12,778.
UK median £89,835
| Region | Median payUK median £89,835 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £119,981 | £119,981 | £204,603 | +34% |
| Scotland | £87,808 | £87,808 | £107,381 | -2% |
| North West | £67,396 | £67,396 | Value unavailable | -25% |
| North East | £56,565 | £56,565 | £65,194 | -37% |
| South East | £55,636 | £55,636 | £52,818 | -38% |
| East Midlands | £55,542 | £55,542 | £58,271 | -38% |
| West Midlands | £53,963 | £53,963 | £63,898 | -40% |
| East of England | £52,763 | £52,763 | £53,969 | -41% |
| South West | £52,511 | £52,511 | £54,545 | -42% |
| Wales | £44,674 | £44,674 | £47,784 | -50% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £12,778 | £12,778 | £13,555 | -86% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £119,981 | £119,981Mean £204,603 | +34% |
| Scotland £87,808 | £87,808Mean £107,381 | -2% |
| North West £67,396 | £67,396 | -25% |
| North East £56,565 | £56,565Mean £65,194 | -37% |
| South East £55,636 | £55,636Mean £52,818 | -38% |
| East Midlands £55,542 | £55,542Mean £58,271 | -38% |
| West Midlands £53,963 | £53,963Mean £63,898 | -40% |
| East of England £52,763 | £52,763Mean £53,969 | -41% |
| South West £52,511 | £52,511Mean £54,545 | -42% |
| Wales £44,674 | £44,674Mean £47,784 | -50% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £12,778 | £12,778Mean £13,555 | -86% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£89,835); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local chief executives and senior officials pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow chief executives and senior officials pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for chief executives and senior officials by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table