Head of IT, CTO, IT Director and specialist IT management salaries with take-home pay
* Take-home calculated using 2025/26 PAYE rates. Personal allowance £12,570. Basic rate 20%, Higher rate 40%, Additional rate 45%. Employee NI: 8% on £12,570–£50,270, 2% above. No pension or student loan deductions included.
| Role | SME | Mid-Size | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT Manager (General) | £40,000 – £58,000 | £48,000 – £68,000 | £55,000 – £75,000 |
| Senior IT Manager | £52,000 – £72,000 | £60,000 – £85,000 | £68,000 – £95,000 |
| Head of IT | £60,000 – £85,000 | £70,000 – £100,000 | £80,000 – £115,000 |
| IT Director | £75,000 – £110,000 | £90,000 – £135,000 | £110,000 – £160,000 |
| CTO (SME) | £80,000 – £140,000 | £100,000 – £175,000 | N/A |
| CTO (Enterprise) | N/A | £140,000 – £220,000 | £200,000 – £400,000+ |
| Security Manager / CISO | £60,000 – £90,000 | £80,000 – £120,000 | £100,000 – £180,000 |
| Cloud / DevOps Manager | £58,000 – £85,000 | £70,000 – £105,000 | £85,000 – £130,000 |
| Sector | Salary Premium vs UK Average | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services / Banking | +25–35% | Highest base + strong bonuses |
| Fintech / Tech Scale-ups | +20–40% | Plus equity / share options |
| Technology (FAANG / Big Tech) | +30–50% | Total comp includes RSUs |
| Healthcare (Private) | +5–10% | Growing digital transformation |
| Retail / E-commerce | 0–+10% | Varies by company maturity |
| Media / Publishing | -5–+5% | Market pressure on salaries |
| Public Sector / NHS | -15–-25% | Better pension, job security |
The right certifications can significantly boost your earning potential as an IT manager in the UK:
| Certification | Focus Area | Salary Premium | Cost to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITIL 4 Managing Professional | IT Service Management | +10–15% | £500 – £1,500 |
| CISSP | Cybersecurity | +15–25% | £500 – £2,000 |
| CISM (ISACA) | Security Management | +15–25% | £500 – £1,500 |
| AWS Solutions Architect | Cloud (Amazon) | +12–20% | £300 – £600 |
| Microsoft Azure Admin | Cloud (Microsoft) | +10–18% | £200 – £500 |
| PMP / Prince2 Practitioner | Project Management | +8–15% | £800 – £2,500 |
| CKA (Kubernetes Admin) | DevOps / Containers | +12–20% | £300 – £600 |
| MBA | Business / Leadership | +15–30% | £15,000 – £40,000 |
Many experienced IT managers opt for contract roles. UK day rates are:
| Role | Day Rate Range | Annual Equivalent (220 days) |
|---|---|---|
| IT Manager (general) | £350 – £550/day | £77,000 – £121,000 |
| Senior IT Manager | £450 – £700/day | £99,000 – £154,000 |
| Head of IT (interim) | £550 – £800/day | £121,000 – £176,000 |
| IT Director (interim) | £650 – £1,000/day | £143,000 – £220,000 |
| Interim CTO | £800 – £1,500/day | £176,000 – £330,000 |
| Security / CISO (contract) | £600 – £900/day | £132,000 – £198,000 |
| Cloud / DevOps Manager | £500 – £800/day | £110,000 – £176,000 |
Contract rates are gross — contractors must account for employer NI equivalent, no paid leave or benefits, IR35 status, business expenses and pension contributions when comparing to employed salaries.
The journey from IT support to senior IT management typically takes 8–15 years. Technical skills matter most in early stages; leadership, communication, budgeting and strategic planning become critical at Head of IT and above. An MBA or executive education programme can accelerate progression to Director or CTO level.