Average Salary in Edinburgh

The average salary in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the highest-earning major city outside London, lifted by its finance and public-sector base. On ONS figures for April 2025, the median full-time salary for Edinburgh residents is £43,169, which is £4,130 above the UK median (10.6% higher). After income tax and National Insurance, that leaves about £34,505 a year, or roughly £2,875 a month. A student loan or pension contribution would reduce it further.

Scottish income tax on the Edinburgh average

Edinburgh residents are Scottish taxpayers, so their pay runs through six bands rather than the three used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: a 19% starter rate, 20% basic, 21% intermediate, 42% higher, 45% advanced and 48% top rate. The starter rate makes lower salaries slightly cheaper to tax, while the 42% higher rate starts at £43,663 instead of £50,270, which is where the gap opens up. The crossover sits at about £33,500: below that a Scottish taxpayer pays less, above it they pay more.

On the £43,169 Edinburgh median, Scottish bands leave £34,505 against £34,601 under rest-of-UK bands, a difference of about £97 a year against Edinburgh. National Insurance is not devolved, so it is identical either way, and savings interest and dividends are taxed at UK rates for Scottish taxpayers too.

How Edinburgh compares to the UK

The table sets the Edinburgh average against the UK median so you can see the gap in both gross pay and take-home.

Use the take-home pay calculator to add a student loan plan or pension and see your exact net pay on the Edinburgh average, or any salary you like.

Work out your own take-home

Frequently asked questions