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Average Finance Director salary in the UK (2026)

Updated November 2026 · 66 real packages · How the data works

A Finance Director (also called FD, Director of Finance, Financial Director) in the UK earns a median base salary of £115,000, about £9,583 a month before tax. The middle half earn £99,000 to £149,000. With bonus potential and employer pension, the median total package is £150,000. In London the median is £125,000; elsewhere in the UK it is £104,000.

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Median base
£115,000
Median total package
£150,000
Bonus potential
15%
London premium
+20%

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Finance Director salary range

25th percentile£99,000
Median (50th)£115,000
75th percentile£149,000
Top 10% (90th)£178,000

Finance Director salary in London vs the rest of the UK

At the median, London pays about 20% more.

Median baseMiddle halfTotal packagePackages
London£125,000£105k to £150k£167,00042
Elsewhere in the UK£104,000£86k to £132k£128,00024

By region: Finance Director salary in London

Finance Director salary by company size

Median baseMiddle halfTotal packagePackages
Under 50 staff£103,000£87k to £115k£124,00017
51 to 200 staff£103,000£89k to £118k£123,00018
201 to 1,000 staff£141,000£119k to £153k£185,00020
1,000+ staff£153,000£115k to £180k£232,00011

Finance Director salary by ownership: PE-backed, listed, private

Median baseMiddle halfTotal packagePackages
PE-backed£113,000£107k to £153k£155,00012
Listed (PLC)£146,000n/a£240,0008
Privately owned£112,000£91k to £145k£133,00030

Groups with fewer than 5 packages are not shown, so no one can be identified.

Finance Director salary by years of experience

Median baseMiddle halfPackages
15 to 19 years£142,000£125k to £158k18
20+ years£110,000£98k to £136k43

Groups with fewer than 5 packages are not shown, so no one can be identified.

Finance Director bonus, pension and benefits

Bonus potential (median)15% of base
Bonus actually paid last year (median)15% of base
Employer pension (median)5%
Have an LTIP or equity25%
Annual leave (median)25 days
Get private healthcare80%

Finance Director career path and pay

Median base salaries. Planning the move? Try the career planner.

Finance Director salary: common questions

How much does a Finance Director earn in the UK?

The median Finance Director in the UK earns a base salary of £115,000. The middle half earn between £99,000 and £149,000. The top 10% earn £178,000 or more. This is based on 66 real packages shared anonymously with The Finance Pay Index, updated November 2026.

How much does a Finance Director earn per month?

A median base salary of £115,000 works out at about £9,583 a month before tax, National Insurance and pension deductions. Including bonus potential and employer pension, the median total package is £150,000 a year, about £12,500 a month.

What is the average Finance Director salary in London?

The median Finance Director in London earns £125,000 base, from 42 packages. Elsewhere in the UK the median is £104,000, so London pays about 20% more.

What does a Finance Director earn outside London, for example in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol or Edinburgh?

Across the UK outside London, the median Finance Director base salary is £104,000 (24 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.

Does company size affect Finance Director pay?

Yes. The median Finance Director at a company with under 50 staff earns £103,000, against £153,000 at a company with 1,000+ staff. Under 50 staff: £103,000; 51 to 200 staff: £103,000; 201 to 1,000 staff: £141,000; 1,000+ staff: £153,000.

What does a private equity-backed Finance Director earn?

The median Finance Director at a PE-backed business earns £113,000 base, with a median total package of £155,000, from 12 packages. The overall UK median for the role is £115,000.

What bonus does a Finance Director get?

The median bonus potential for a Finance Director is 15% of base salary. The median bonus actually paid last year was 15% of base. 25% have a long-term incentive (LTIP) or equity.

What is a typical Finance Director total package?

The median Finance Director total package is £150,000 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.

How much more does the next step up from Finance Director pay?

The median Group Finance Director earns £135,000, which is £20,000 more than the median Finance Director.

Where does this Finance Director salary data come from?

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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Related finance salaries

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.