Solicitors and lawyers salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£53,314
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 87% of Solicitors work full-time
- 18% are self-employed
- 97.4% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Solicitors and lawyers pay in the UK
The typical solicitors and lawyers in the UK earns a median salary of £53,314 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 solicitors and lawyers earnings fall between £37,751 and £74,190 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 £68,462. 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 solicitors and lawyers actually takes home.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Around 18% of Solicitors 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: solicitors and lawyers pay ranges from £31,008 in North East up to £75,537 in London, a difference of £44,529 (144%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see solicitors and lawyers pay in London, Solicitors and lawyers vs Accountant or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for solicitors and lawyers at £75,537 — 42% above the UK median. North East is lowest at £31,008.
UK median £53,314
| Region | Median payUK median £53,314 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £75,537 | £75,537 | £105,475 | +42% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £54,992 | £54,992 | £54,984 | +3% |
| South East | £51,226 | £51,226 | £57,644 | -4% |
| Scotland | £49,581 | £49,581 | £47,130 | -7% |
| South West | £49,297 | £49,297 | £50,724 | -8% |
| East of England | £46,606 | £46,606 | £48,127 | -13% |
| East Midlands | £45,139 | £45,139 | £49,812 | -15% |
| North West | £44,311 | £44,311 | £47,387 | -17% |
| West Midlands | £44,221 | £44,221 | £47,725 | -17% |
| Wales | £33,333 | £33,333 | £34,626 | -37% |
| North East | £31,008 | £31,008 | £32,303 | -42% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £75,537 | £75,537Mean £105,475 | +42% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £54,992 | £54,992Mean £54,984 | +3% |
| South East £51,226 | £51,226Mean £57,644 | -4% |
| Scotland £49,581 | £49,581Mean £47,130 | -7% |
| South West £49,297 | £49,297Mean £50,724 | -8% |
| East of England £46,606 | £46,606Mean £48,127 | -13% |
| East Midlands £45,139 | £45,139Mean £49,812 | -15% |
| North West £44,311 | £44,311Mean £47,387 | -17% |
| West Midlands £44,221 | £44,221Mean £47,725 | -17% |
| Wales £33,333 | £33,333Mean £34,626 | -37% |
| North East £31,008 | £31,008Mean £32,303 | -42% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£53,314); ‘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 solicitors and lawyers pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow solicitors and lawyers pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for solicitors and lawyers by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Compare with…
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