Understanding the Average Salary in Northern Ireland

When converting an hourly rate to an annual salary, it helps to know the benchmarks. The latest ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) for 2025 shows that the median gross annual earnings for full-time employees in Northern Ireland is £37,100. This is the "average salary northern ireland" figure most commonly cited for full-time workers. For comparison, the UK median is £39,039.

Hourly to Annual Conversion

A typical conversion uses a standard working week of 37.5 hours and 52 weeks per year. For example, if you earn £16.28 per hour (the NI median hourly rate for all employees), your annual salary would be approximately £16.28 × 37.5 × 52 = £31,746. However, the median full-time hourly rate (excluding overtime) is higher. The ONS reports that median hourly earnings for full-time employees in the UK is £19.67. For Northern Ireland, the median weekly earnings for full-time employees is £713, and the mean full-time weekly hours are 38.9, which gives an hourly equivalent of about £18.33. The difference between the all-employee median (£16.28) and the full-time equivalent reflects the inclusion of part-time workers who tend to have lower hourly rates.

National Living Wage and Minimum Wage

The National Living Wage (NLW) for those aged 21 and over is £12.21 per hour (April 2025 rate). At 37.5 hours per week, that equates to an annual salary of £23,809.50. This is well below the median, as expected. For younger workers, the National Minimum Wage rates are £10.00 per hour for ages 18–20 and £7.55 for ages 16–17 and apprentices. These rates apply across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

Regional Context

Northern Ireland's median weekly earnings for full-time employees rose 7.4% to £713, the highest growth among UK regions. However, median hourly pay for all employees (£16.28) remains the third lowest in the UK, £1.68 below the UK median of £17.96. The highest 10% of full-time earners in NI earned at least £67,500 annually, showing significant variation at the top end.

Using Our Tools

Use our Hourly to Salary calculator to convert your own rate. For more salary data, see our salary data page, which includes breakdowns by region and occupation.

Caveats

These figures are from ASHE April 2025, based on a 1% sample of PAYE records. They include overtime, bonuses, and allowances. Your actual pay may differ based on your contract, hours, and location. London weighting does not apply in Northern Ireland. Always check your contract and official GOV.UK guidance for the latest rates.