Updated November 2026 · 81 real packages · How the data works
A Chief Financial Officer (also called CFO, Chief Finance Officer) in the UK earns a median base salary of £165,000, about £13,750 a month before tax. The middle half earn £140,000 to £200,000. With bonus potential and employer pension, the median total package is £221,000. In London the median is £175,000; elsewhere in the UK it is £165,000.
That's the median for every Chief Financial Officer. Yours depends on your sector, company size, ownership and location. See where you sit among people like you, free and anonymous.
Check my package →| 25th percentile | £140,000 |
| Median (50th) | £165,000 |
| 75th percentile | £200,000 |
| Top 10% (90th) | £250,000 |
At the median, London pays about 6% more.
| Median base | Middle half | Total package | Packages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £175,000 | £145k to £220k | £229,000 | 49 |
| Elsewhere in the UK | £165,000 | £134k to £181k | £198,000 | 32 |
By region: Chief Financial Officer salary in London
| Median base | Middle half | Total package | Packages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50 staff | £165,000 | £155k to £184k | £216,000 | 19 |
| 51 to 200 staff | £150,000 | £135k to £180k | £206,000 | 33 |
| 201 to 1,000 staff | £180,000 | £144k to £208k | £229,000 | 20 |
| 1,000+ staff | £227,000 | n/a | £357,000 | 9 |
| Median base | Middle half | Total package | Packages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE-backed | £180,000 | £165k to £209k | £241,000 | 25 |
| Listed (PLC) | £189,000 | £165k to £250k | £325,000 | 12 |
| Privately owned | £162,000 | £136k to £184k | £206,000 | 30 |
| Charity / non-profit | £120,000 | n/a | n/a | 5 |
Groups with fewer than 5 packages are not shown, so no one can be identified.
| Median base | Middle half | Packages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 14 years | £148,000 | n/a | 8 |
| 15 to 19 years | £175,000 | £155k to £191k | 15 |
| 20+ years | £165,000 | £140k to £205k | 53 |
Groups with fewer than 5 packages are not shown, so no one can be identified.
| Bonus potential (median) | 20% of base |
| Bonus actually paid last year (median) | 12% of base |
| Employer pension (median) | 5% |
| Have an LTIP or equity | 51% |
| Annual leave (median) | 25 days |
| Get private healthcare | 81% |
Median base salaries. Planning the move? Try the career planner.
The median Chief Financial Officer in the UK earns a base salary of £165,000. The middle half earn between £140,000 and £200,000. The top 10% earn £250,000 or more. This is based on 81 real packages shared anonymously with The Finance Pay Index, updated November 2026.
A median base salary of £165,000 works out at about £13,750 a month before tax, National Insurance and pension deductions. Including bonus potential and employer pension, the median total package is £221,000 a year, about £18,417 a month.
The median Chief Financial Officer in London earns £175,000 base, from 49 packages. Elsewhere in the UK the median is £165,000, so London pays about 6% more.
Across the UK outside London, the median Chief Financial Officer base salary is £165,000 (32 packages). We don't yet publish city-level figures for this role: we only show a figure once at least 5 people in that place have shared their pay, so individuals can't be identified. Regional figures appear as more people contribute.
Yes. The median Chief Financial Officer at a company with under 50 staff earns £165,000, against £227,000 at a company with 1,000+ staff. Under 50 staff: £165,000; 51 to 200 staff: £150,000; 201 to 1,000 staff: £180,000; 1,000+ staff: £227,000.
The median Chief Financial Officer at a PE-backed business earns £180,000 base, with a median total package of £241,000, from 25 packages. The overall UK median for the role is £165,000.
The median bonus potential for a Chief Financial Officer is 20% of base salary. The median bonus actually paid last year was 12% of base. 51% have a long-term incentive (LTIP) or equity.
The median Chief Financial Officer total package is £221,000 a year. That is base salary plus bonus potential, employer pension and any car allowance. The typical employer pension contribution is 5%. Typical annual leave is 25 days.
Every figure comes from real packages shared anonymously by UK finance professionals with The Finance Pay Index: base salary, bonus, pension, benefits, location, company size and ownership. Figures are permanent roles only, rounded to the nearest £1,000, and only published once at least 5 people have contributed. Ranges need at least 10.
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Source: The Finance Pay Index, built on real UK finance pay data. Permanent roles, rounded to the nearest £1,000. Indicative benchmark for discussion, not financial advice.