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.
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.
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.