Updated November 2026 · 123 ACCA packages · How the data works
What ACCA (Chartered Certified Accountant) holders in UK finance actually earn, from packages they shared anonymously. Newly qualified, the median is £50,000. At the top, the median ACCA qualified Chief Financial Officer earns £157,000.
| Role | ACCA median | Middle half | All qualifications | ACCA packages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer | £157,000 | £139k to £184k | £165,000 | 16 |
| Finance Director | £105,000 | £91k to £128k | £115,000 | 15 |
| Head of Finance | £105,000 | £88k to £117k | £100,000 | 11 |
| Group Financial Controller | £95,000 | n/a | £108,000 | 5 |
| Financial Controller | £85,000 | £81k to £94k | £82,000 | 12 |
| Finance Manager | £68,000 | n/a | £66,000 | 9 |
| Finance Business Partner | £59,000 | n/a | £57,000 | 5 |
| Financial Accountant | £52,000 | n/a | £54,000 | 5 |
| Management Accountant | £52,000 | £49k to £59k | £46,000 | 10 |
Permanent roles, base salary. Roles with fewer than 5 ACCA packages are not shown; ranges need 10. Differences between qualifications in the same role also reflect sector, company size and location, so treat them as context, not as the value of the qualification itself.
Across all roles. Years since qualifying moves with seniority, so read this alongside the role table.
| Median base | Middle half | Total package | Packages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly qualified (0 to 2 years) | £50,000 | £41k to £59k | £64,000 | 25 |
| 3 to 5 years | £66,000 | £56k to £75k | £82,000 | 14 |
| 6 to 10 years | £88,000 | £81k to £95k | £105,000 | 27 |
| 11 to 15 years | £128,000 | £91k to £165k | £183,000 | 22 |
| 16+ years | £119,000 | £91k to £150k | £135,000 | 34 |
The median base salary across all 123 ACCA qualified finance professionals in The Finance Pay Index is £85,000. That mixes every level from newly qualified to CFO, so the figure for your role or years since qualifying, below, is more useful.
ACCA holders who qualified in the last two years earn a median base salary of £50,000, with the middle half between £41,000 and £59,000, from 25 packages.
Median base salary by years since qualifying: 0 to 2 years: £50,000; 3 to 5 years: £66,000; 6 to 10 years: £88,000; 11 to 15 years: £128,000; 16+ years: £119,000. Most of the growth comes from moving up a level, so compare by role as well.
The median ACCA qualified Chief Financial Officer earns £157,000 base, from 16 packages. Every Chief Financial Officer in the index, whatever their qualification, has a median of £165,000.
From permanent UK packages shared anonymously with The Finance Pay Index. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000, a figure needs at least 5 people and a range at least 10.
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