Permanent
Average pay
£83,200.00
Jobs counted
1,910
Software Engineer average salary in the UK in 2026
Use live pay and demand signals to decide your next move as a Software Engineer
Last checked: 2 May 2026, 16:33
Salary by
- Year
- Month
- Week
- Day
- Hour
Contract Rate by
- Year
- Month
- Week
- Day
- Hour
Historical annual view
Track Software Engineer pay and demand beyond the last 12 months
Switch between completed calendar years from 2023 onwards, then compare the current year to the same point last year.
Annual archive
Completed year snapshots
Contract inside IR35
Average pay
£550.00
Jobs counted
146
Contract outside IR35
Average pay
£525.00
Jobs counted
96
Contract IR35 not specified
Average pay
NA
Jobs counted
0
Permanent salary trend in 2025
Monthly permanent pay and listing counts for Software Engineer across the whole of 2025.
| Month | Jobs | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | 64 | £65,350.00 | £71,825.00 | £78,275.00 |
| November 2025 | 117 | £75,975.00 | £82,475.00 | £88,975.00 |
| October 2025 | 85 | £70,275.00 | £77,850.00 | £85,450.00 |
| September 2025 | 108 | £76,675.00 | £85,475.00 | £94,275.00 |
| August 2025 | 100 | £83,125.00 | £92,125.00 | £101,125.00 |
| July 2025 | 180 | £77,925.00 | £96,150.00 | £114,350.00 |
| June 2025 | 72 | £75,750.00 | £84,000.00 | £92,250.00 |
| May 2025 | 96 | £74,650.00 | £80,075.00 | £85,500.00 |
| April 2025 | 159 | £77,375.00 | £84,275.00 | £91,175.00 |
| March 2025 | 215 | £77,850.00 | £86,150.00 | £94,425.00 |
| February 2025 | 247 | £77,225.00 | £87,400.00 | £97,550.00 |
| January 2025 | 467 | £64,925.00 | £69,850.00 | £74,775.00 |
Contract rate trend in 2025
Switch IR35 view to see how contract demand and day rates moved through the year.
| Month | Jobs | Low | Day rate | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | 9 | £550.00 | £575.00 | £600.00 |
| November 2025 | 12 | £475.00 | £500.00 | £550.00 |
| October 2025 | 9 | £500.00 | £525.00 | £525.00 |
| September 2025 | 15 | £550.00 | £550.00 | £575.00 |
| August 2025 | 10 | £500.00 | £525.00 | £550.00 |
| July 2025 | 18 | £525.00 | £550.00 | £575.00 |
| June 2025 | 8 | £475.00 | £500.00 | £525.00 |
| May 2025 | 11 | £550.00 | £575.00 | £600.00 |
| April 2025 | 9 | £525.00 | £550.00 | £550.00 |
| March 2025 | 19 | £525.00 | £550.00 | £550.00 |
| February 2025 | 12 | £500.00 | £500.00 | £525.00 |
| January 2025 | 14 | £525.00 | £575.00 | £600.00 |
Year to date
2026 vs 2025 at the same point in the year
Comparison window: 1 Jan to 2 May 2026. The previous year is automatically cut to the same day, so these figures stay like-for-like.
Permanent
2026 average pay
£76,825.00
555 jobs
Compared with 2025
Pay down 5% (£4,100.00)
Jobs down 50% (557)
Contract inside IR35
2026 average pay
£550.00
98 jobs
Compared with 2025
Pay Flat
Jobs up 78% (43)
Contract outside IR35
2026 average pay
£550.00
36 jobs
Compared with 2025
Pay up 10% (£50.00)
Jobs up 20% (6)
Contract IR35 not specified
2026 average pay
NA
0 jobs
Compared with 2025
Pay -
Jobs -
Nothing to compare
What is the role of a Software Engineer in the UK?
Related IT roles
Explore other salary and hiring pages in the IT sector.
Software ProgrammerSoftware Project ManagerSupport ConsultantSystems AdministratorSystems CoordinatorSystems ManagerSystems ProgrammerSystems SpecialistTechnical LeadTechnical Project ManagerTechnical Services ManagerTechnical SupportTechnical Support ManagerTechnical Team LeaderWebsite.Net Development Lead1st Line Advisor1st Line Desktop Engineer1st Line Helpdesk Advisor1st Line IT Support1st Line IT Support Technician1st Line Support1st Line Support Helpdesk1st Line Technician
Timeframe
When showing job numbers, salaries, and contract rates, we will use all the jobs posted in the…
Timeframe
When showing job numbers, salaries, and contract rates, we will use all the jobs posted in the…