Accountant Pay 2026 — Trainee to Finance Director, After Tax
What accountancy pays at every stage of qualification in 2026, with the after-tax figures.
Accountancy pay is driven by qualification stage. Trainees start at £25,000–£32,000; part-qualified accountants earn £32,000–£40,000; and the ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification jump takes newly qualified accountants to £42,000–£52,000 — more in London and at Big Four firms. The national average across all accountants sits near £33,000–£45,000 depending on the survey.
| Level | Typical salary | Take-home / year | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee | £27,000 | £22,960 | £1,913 |
| Part-qualified | £36,000 | £29,440 | £2,453 |
| Newly qualified ACA/ACCA | £47,000 | £37,360 | £3,113 |
| Finance manager | £60,000 | £45,357 | £3,780 |
| Financial controller | £75,000 | £54,057 | £4,505 |
| Finance director | £100,000 | £68,557 | £5,713 |
Take-home figures use 2026/27 England/Wales/NI rates (Income Tax + employee NI only, standard tax code, no pension or student loan). Model your exact situation with our Take-Home Pay Calculator.
Practice vs industry vs your own firm
Big Four salaries lag industry at mid-level but accelerate at director/partner. Many accountants eventually go self-employed or start a practice — at which point Self Assessment, payments on account and IR35 (for contractors) all apply. Our Sole Trader vs Ltd Calculator shows the structure question every practice owner faces.
Check your own numbers
Frequently asked questions
Typically £42,000–£52,000 (ACA/ACCA/CIMA), rising to £55,000+ in London — take-home on £47,000 is about £37,360 a year.
Training salaries are similar to industry, but progression to senior manager, director and partner pays substantially more — partners commonly earn several hundred thousand pounds.
Day rates of £300–£600 are common, but IR35 status determines whether that's worthwhile — check our IR35 Calculator before contracting.