The average salary in Bristol is £39,509 a year for a full-time worker (ONS, April 2025), £470 above the UK median (1.2% higher). That leaves about £31,966 after tax. Here is the full breakdown.
ONS data, April 2025After tax: £31,966Free, no signup
Average salary in Bristol (median, full-time)
£39,509
a year before tax · about £31,966 take-home (£2,664 a month)
Yearly
Monthly
Gross salary
£39,509
£3,292
Income tax
−£5,388
−£449
National Insurance
−£2,155
−£180
Take-home pay
£31,966
£2,664
At £39,509, the average Bristol salary is £470 above the UK median (1.2% higher). The mean for Bristol is £45,859, higher than the median because a minority of large salaries lift the average.
ONS ASHE April 2025, full-time residents of the Bristol, City of. Income tax and National Insurance only. Verify at gov.uk. Not tax advice.
Bristol is one of the higher-earning cities outside the South East, sitting a touch above the UK median. On ONS figures for April 2025, the median full-time salary for Bristol residents is £39,509, which is £470 above the UK median (1.2% higher). After income tax and National Insurance, that leaves about £31,966 a year, or roughly £2,664 a month. A student loan or pension contribution would reduce it further.
How Bristol compares to the UK
The table sets the Bristol average against the UK median so you can see the gap in both gross pay and take-home.
Area
Median
Mean
Median after tax
Bristol
£39,509
£45,859
£31,966
United Kingdom
£39,039
£48,512
£31,628
Use the take-home pay calculator to add a student loan plan or pension and see your exact net pay on the Bristol average, or any salary you like.
Work out your own take-home
Your salary
Your salary before tax, National Insurance and pension
£
Scotland sets its own income tax bands. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
Salary sacrifice, comes out before tax and NI
%
Take-home pay
£31,966
a year · £31,966 a year
Gross salary£39,509
Income tax−£5,388
National Insurance−£2,155
Take-home a year£31,966
Where your pay goes
Take-home 81%Tax 14%NI 5%
2026/27 estimate, England, Wales and Northern Ireland bands. Verify current figures at gov.uk; not tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Bristol?
The average salary in Bristol is £39,509 a year for a full-time employee (median, ONS April 2025), which is £470 above the UK median (1.2% higher). On a mean basis the figure is £45,859, higher because top earners lift the average.
What is the average Bristol salary after tax?
On the £39,509 median salary for Bristol, take-home pay is about £31,966 a year, roughly £2,664 a month, after income tax and National Insurance (2026/27 rates). Student loan and pension would lower it further.
Is Bristol a well-paid city?
Bristol is one of the higher-earning cities outside the South East, sitting a touch above the UK median. Compared with the UK median of £39,039, Bristol residents earn £470 above the UK median (1.2% higher). Living costs matter too, so a higher or lower salary does not translate one-for-one into spending power.
Does this figure cover the city or the wider area?
It is the ONS figure for the Bristol, City of, on a place-of-residence basis, so it reflects what people who live there earn rather than the pay of jobs located in the city centre. It covers full-time employees only.
Simon is the founder of Orbit Money, a tool that helps people track subscriptions and recurring spend. He builds Orbit's free money calculators and writes about personal finance for UK and Australian readers.
Figures are ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (April 2025), full-time residents of the Bristol, City of. After-tax amounts are estimates for guidance, not tax advice.
