Managers and directors in retail and wholesale salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£36,006
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 89% of Managers work full-time
- 13% are self-employed
- 98.7% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Managers and directors in retail and wholesale pay in the UK
The typical managers and directors in retail and wholesale in the UK earns a median salary of £36,006 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 managers and directors in retail and wholesale earnings fall between £27,540 and £49,897 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 £44,349. 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 managers and directors in retail and wholesale actually takes home.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Around 13% of Managers 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: managers and directors in retail and wholesale pay ranges from £29,230 in Wales up to £40,340 in London, a difference of £11,110 (38%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see managers and directors in retail and wholesale pay in London or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for managers and directors in retail and wholesale at £40,340 — 12% above the UK median. Wales is lowest at £29,230.
UK median £36,006
| Region | Median payUK median £36,006 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £40,340 | £40,340 | £61,523 | +12% |
| South East | £38,276 | £38,276 | £43,967 | +6% |
| West Midlands | £37,082 | £37,082 | £42,336 | +3% |
| East Midlands | £37,012 | £37,012 | £45,312 | +3% |
| East of England | £36,948 | £36,948 | £45,730 | +3% |
| Scotland | £34,484 | £34,484 | £41,971 | -4% |
| South West | £33,817 | £33,817 | £37,456 | -6% |
| North West | £33,341 | £33,341 | £40,520 | -7% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £33,275 | £33,275 | £36,873 | -8% |
| North East | £30,259 | £30,259 | £40,740 | -16% |
| Wales | £29,230 | £29,230 | £32,236 | -19% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £40,340 | £40,340Mean £61,523 | +12% |
| South East £38,276 | £38,276Mean £43,967 | +6% |
| West Midlands £37,082 | £37,082Mean £42,336 | +3% |
| East Midlands £37,012 | £37,012Mean £45,312 | +3% |
| East of England £36,948 | £36,948Mean £45,730 | +3% |
| Scotland £34,484 | £34,484Mean £41,971 | -4% |
| South West £33,817 | £33,817Mean £37,456 | -6% |
| North West £33,341 | £33,341Mean £40,520 | -7% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £33,275 | £33,275Mean £36,873 | -8% |
| North East £30,259 | £30,259Mean £40,740 | -16% |
| Wales £29,230 | £29,230Mean £32,236 | -19% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£36,006); ‘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 managers and directors in retail and wholesale pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow managers and directors in retail and wholesale pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for managers and directors in retail and wholesale by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table