SOC 4124 Administrative occupations

Finance officers Salary

Median salary £28,610 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £29,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For finance officers, £31,943 is the typical (median) pay. That is below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -18% versus the national average. Experienced finance officers (top 25%) earn over £35,071.

About this role

Finance officers manage financial administration within organisations, processing payments, maintaining budgets, producing financial reports and ensuring financial systems operate accurately and in compliance with regulations.

Key responsibilities

Processing invoices, payments and purchase orders
Monitoring budgets and producing variance reports
Maintaining financial systems and records
Preparing financial reports for management
Supporting audit and year-end processes

Qualifications and entry routes

AAT qualification or equivalent is common. Many roles require degree-level education in finance or accounting. Part-qualified ACCA/CIMA is valued for senior finance officer roles.

Career outlook

Steady demand, particularly in the public sector. Progression to management accountant or financial controller roles is a common career path.

Key skills

Financial administration Budget monitoring Accounting software Report production Compliance

Common industries

Public sector
NHS
Education
Charities
All commercial sectors

Data coverage

SOC code 4124

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 28,000

Median Salary

£28,610

Mean Salary

£28,686

Jobs (000s)

28k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £20,772Median: £28,610P75: £35,071

P10: £14kP25: £21kMedian: £29kP75: £35kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£14,494

0-2 years

Mid Level

£20,772

3-7 years

Senior

£35,071

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +142% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +22.1%Real growth: -11.5%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 11.6%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£28,610

Full-time Only

£31,943

Full-time premium: +£3,333

Finance officers salary: common questions

How much do finance officers earn in the UK?

Finance officers earn a median of £31,943 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £20,772 and £35,071.

Is £31,943 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for finance officers?

Entry-level finance officers typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £20,772, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £14,494.

Have finance officers salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median finance officers pay has risen from £23,996 to £31,943 — +33% in cash terms, or -4.0% after CPIH inflation. That is behind inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for finance officers?

Male finance officers earn a median £31,265 and female finance officers £27,630 — a gap of +12% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).