ACCA salary is one of the most-asked questions from anyone considering the qualification, and the honest answer is that it depends heavily on where you are in your career and where in the UK you’re working.
Quick summary
UK-wide, ACCA finalists earn £35k to £70k and newly qualified members £45k to £65k, rising to £65k to £110k with 5 or more years’ experience (Hays 2026).By region, Morgan McKinley’s 2026 data shows a Financial Controller earning £85k to £125k in London versus £70k to £110k in the Northern Home Counties.
Qualification, moving into commercial roles, and taking on leadership responsibility are the three biggest drivers of pay increases. See our ACCA career paths guide for the roles behind these numbers.
A note on these data: most salary surveys and recruiters track pay by role, seniority and location rather than by which specific accounting qualification someone holds, so most figures below reflect what these roles pay generally, the market ACCA qualifies you to compete in.
The one exception is the direct ACCA vs ACA, CIMA and CIPFA comparison immediately below, which is genuinely qualification-specific data.
How does ACCA salary compare to ACA, CIMA and AAT
One advantage of ACCA is that it’s not just competitive against generalist market data, it holds up well against the specific qualifications candidates often compare it to. ACCA’s own 2026 London benchmarking shows:
| Qualification | Finalist | Part-qualified |
|---|---|---|
| ACCA | £60k | £48k |
| CIMA | £60k | £48k |
| CIPFA | £48k | £39k |
| ACA | £46k | £39k |
| AAT | £30k (student/trainee) | – |
ACCA and CIMA finalists command identical London averages, both well ahead of ACA and CIPFA at the same stage. If you’re weighing ACCA against a specific alternative, our ACCA vs CIMA and ACCA vs ACA guides cover the fuller picture beyond salary.
What does ACCA pay by career stage in the UK
According to ACCA’s own salary insights, based on the Hays UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2026 guide, accountancy and finance salaries in the UK range from around £22k at trainee level up to £500k at senior CFO level. The bulk of that range breaks down as follows.
| Career stage | Typical UK salary (2026) |
|---|---|
| Trainee / studying ACCA | From around £22k |
| ACCA finalist | £35k – £70k |
| Newly qualified | £45k – £65k |
| 5+ years post-qualified | £65k – £110k |
| Financial Director | £85k – £300k |
| Group CFO | £150k – £500k |
The Group CFO figure above (£150k – £500k) reflects the largest, highest-paying multinational roles. ACCA’s own Careers Role Insights tool gives a more typical CFO range of £91.5k – £146k across the wider market, which is the figure most ACCA members reaching CFO level should actually benchmark against. These figures show the possible large variations in CFO pay depending on industry, seniority, company size.
What does ACCA pay by role
ACCA’s own Careers Role Insights tool publishes estimated 2026 salary bands by job title, based on live job market data rather than survey responses.
| Role | Typical salary (2026) |
|---|---|
| Assistant accountant | £24k – £36k |
| Tax accountant | £40k – £60.5k |
| Audit manager | £55.6k – £76k |
| Financial director | £75k – £104k |
| Chief financial officer | £91.5k – £146k |
How does ACCA salary vary by region in the UK
Regional pay differences are significant, and the gap widens the more senior you get. This data is from Morgan McKinley’s 2026 UK Salary Guide, using their Large Corporates / Commerce & Industry benchmark, the closest match to a typical ACCA career (rather than niche investment banking or private equity pay, which is meaningfully higher, see below).
| Career stage | London | South East | South West | Northern Home Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts Assistant | £25k – £37k | £22k – £30k | £20k – £33k | £23k – £28k |
| Newly Qualified Accountant | £55k – £70k | £48k – £60k | £55k – £65k | £55k – £60k |
| Finance Manager | £60k – £90k | £40k – £70k | £50k – £75k | £55k – £70k |
| Financial Controller | £85k – £125k | £65k – £95k | £70k – £100k | £70k – £110k |
| Finance Director | £125k – £200k | £90k – £180k | £100k – £175k | £90k – £180k |
| CFO | £150k – £300k+ | £130k – £250k+ | £100k – £225k | £130k – £250k+ |
London consistently commands the highest pay at every stage, though the gap narrows somewhat for Financial Director and CFO roles, where large employers outside London can offer comparable packages.
Do banking, private equity and fund roles pay more?
Yes, meaningfully so at senior level. A Financial Services CFO in London can range up to £300k+, and CFO roles in Investment Funds, Private Equity and Private Credit run even higher, from £180k up to £250k+ at the top end.
If you’re weighing a move into financial services or fund accounting specifically, Morgan McKinley’s Banking & Financial Services salary data has the fuller breakdown by sub-sector.
What are the 3 key factors that drive ACCA salary increases
Meaningful pay increases on any ACCA career path are linked to shifts in responsibility and capability, not just time served. Three milestones tend to drive the biggest jumps.
1. Qualification
Moving from part-qualified to fully qualified usually brings a noticeable increase, since employers now see you as capable of operating independently. That said, qualification alone doesn’t guarantee a raise everywhere. The increase is more reliable when you either move into a newly qualified role with more responsibility, or change employer after qualifying.
2. Moving from technical to commercial roles
A second shift happens when you move beyond pure reporting into roles that influence business performance, such as Financial Accountant into FP&A or Finance Manager. These roles involve forecasting and explaining results in a way that shapes decisions, which is why pay increases here reflects direct commercial impact.
3. Taking on leadership responsibility
The next step change comes when you manage people or own a finance function. Leading a team or taking budget responsibility changes how your role is valued, but this is also where progression slows for some. Technical skill alone doesn’t get you there; the ability to manage people and think beyond your immediate remit does.
FAQs
It can be, though usually not immediately. Entry-level roles while studying start around £22k-£25k, rising to £35k-£70k once you’re an ACCA finalist. At manager and senior leadership level, salaries commonly move into the £85k-£125k+ range, with Financial Directors and CFOs earning significantly more depending on sector and region.
ACCA finalists earn £35k-£70k UK-wide, according to Hays 2026 data. In London specifically, the average finalist salary is £60k, on par with CIMA and ahead of ACA and CIPFA finalists at the same stage.
It depends on career stage. London finalists average £60k, newly qualified accountants typically earn £55k-£70k, Financial Controllers £85k-£125k, and Finance Directors £125k-£200k, per Morgan McKinley’s 2026 data for Large Corporates.
Yes. London pays the most at every career stage, though the gap narrows at senior level. A Financial Controller earns £85k-£125k in London versus £70k-£110k in the Northern Home Counties, a difference of roughly 15-20% rather than the 40%+ gap seen at junior levels.
Estimates vary by source and company size. ACCA’s own Role Insights tool puts typical CFO pay at £91.5k-£146k, while Hays 2026 data on the largest multinational “Group CFO” roles shows a much wider £150k-£500k range. Sector matters too, financial services and private equity CFOs often earn well above £200k.
At finalist level in London, ACCA and CIMA are identical at £60k, both ahead of ACA and CIPFA at £46k-£48k. Beyond that stage, pay depends more on sector and role than on which qualification you hold.
Related articles:
- ACCA Hub: Everything you need to know
- ACCA Career Paths: Roles, Progression and How to Switch
- ACCA vs CIMA: Which Is Best For Your Accounting Career?
- ACCA vs ACA (ICAEW): Which is Best in 2026?
- AAT vs ACCA: Where’s Best To Start Your Accounting Career?
- ACCA Exam Fees and Costs: Complete 2026 Breakdown
- 6 Useful Salary Negotiation Tips You Must Know
- Accounting Career Path: Roles, Salaries, Progression