Salary guide · Regional UK · June 2026
What does architecture pay outside London?
Our published benchmarks for 94 roles outside Greater London, our own bands for five regions, and how far each UK region sits from the capital.
- 94 roles
- 7 industries
- 9 regions compared
Check your salary
Annual salary before tax · GBP
£35,000–£42,000
A year · basePale band: our Outside London published range, £35,000 to £42,000. Blue mark: London typical, £44,000.
Same role in London
Our London and UK guide, June 2026
£40,000–£48,000
Published range, London typical £44,000. Our North West band sits about 13% below that typical figure.
Your figure stays in your browser.
Our band: Architecture Social Manchester Salary Guide 2026, Manchester and the North West, October 2026. Full-time employee base salary. Roles and regions outside the guide use our Outside London range. Benchmarks, not offers.
View the full role guide ↗01 · Compare the regions
How far each region sits from London.
Our own bands put the Midlands, Yorkshire, Manchester and the South West within about 9% of London, and Scotland 13% below. For the four regions our regional guide does not cover, we show other agencies’ figures. It differs by grade, so check your own role above.
Our bands: the midpoint of our band for Part II, Architect (3 to 5 years), Senior Architect and Associate in each region, as a share of the same roles in our London and UK guide (London Architect, 0 to 4 years). Other agencies: the same four grades in two other agencies’ 2026 regional tables, each as a share of that guide’s London figure, then blended. Context, not our survey.
8–9%
Midlands, Yorkshire, Manchester and the South West.Our bands sit within about 9% of London, on average across the four grades.
13%
Scotland.The widest gap in our regional guide, in line with the RIBA’s 2026 earnings survey.
16–17%
North East and Wales.The widest gaps in other agencies’ tables. Our regional guide does not cover them yet.
02 · Grade by grade
London and outside London, side by side.
Our typical salaries for nine architecture grades. The gap runs from £3,500 to £10,000 up to associate director, then opens to £20,000 at director.
Typical annual salaries, Architecture Social salary guide, June 2026 edition. Part I reviewed 30 October 2026 against the real Living Wage. Benchmarks, not guaranteed offers.
UK regions · Free guide
Regional pay, region by region.
A 20-page guide to architecture pay in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester, set against London. Annual base salary bands, published comparisons and the market.
- Our bands for 23 roles in the Midlands, Scotland, the South West and Yorkshire
- Ten roles side by side across six places, with London and Manchester
- How we set each regional band, and where the sources disagree
- Advice for practices hiring across several studios
UK Regions Salary Guide 2026
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PDF, 20 pages, October 2026. Your account is free, and we never put you forward for a role without your agreement.
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Architecture jobs
Architecture, interiors, BIM and practice roles across the UK.
Browse jobs →Manchester · Free guide
Manchester pay, in one focused guide.
A 16-page guide for practices and professionals in Manchester and Greater Manchester. Annual base salary bands, regional context and the working week.
See all 33 Manchester roles →- Our Manchester salary bands for 33 roles
- Eight role comparisons with London and the wider UK
- Five community polls, with dates and vote totals
- Practical advice for offers, hiring and practice leadership
Manchester Salary Guide 2026
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PDF, 16 pages, October 2026. Your account is free, and we never put you forward for a role without your agreement.
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Browse jobs →Free guide · Candidates
Planning a move? Get the London and UK guide free.
The full London and UK Salary Guide 2026, written for people in architecture, with advice on negotiating your next offer. Free with an Architecture Social account.
- Benchmarks for 94 roles, by location and experience
- How to negotiate an offer, with a worked example
- Ten years of pay, and what people tell us they earn
- Saved to Downloads in your member space
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The detail behind this page, prepared for practices planning hires and pay reviews.
- Benchmarks for 94 roles across 7 industries, by location and experience
- Ten years of pay, and how our estimates compare with other recruitment agencies
- What candidates tell us they want from their next move
- Sent to your work email with a private link for 30 days
Your regional pay questions.
Make the numbers useful for your next move or your next hire.
Why do some regions use other agencies’ figures?
Our London and UK guide gives one Outside London figure for each of 94 roles. Our UK Regions Salary Guide adds our own bands for 23 roles in the Midlands, North West, Scotland, South West and Yorkshire. For the other regions we show other agencies’ figures rather than invent a number.
How do hybrid roles for London practices pay?
Hybrid roles for London practices usually pay London rates or close to them. Agree the office days and the location the salary is set against before you compare.
Where do the regional percentages come from?
For the Midlands, North West, Scotland, South West and Yorkshire, from our own regional bands: the midpoint of our band for Part II, Architect, Senior Architect and Associate as a share of the same roles in London. For the East of England, South East, North East and Wales, from two 2026 guides by other agencies that publish regional tables, averaged across the same four grades and blended.
Can I add my salary to help?
Yes. Every salary added to our survey makes the regional picture clearer. It takes about a minute and individual answers are never published.