Understanding the Data Analyst UK Salary Landscape

If you are looking for a data analyst uk salary benchmark, the most reliable source is the Office for National Statistics Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The latest provisional data for 2025 shows that the median gross annual salary for a full-time data analyst is £38,572. For all employees in this occupation (including part-time workers), the median is £38,107. These figures are based on employer-reported pay for employees in the job, not advertised vacancies.

Hourly Rate to Annual Salary Conversion

To convert an hourly rate to an annual salary, you need to know the typical contracted hours per week. For full-time roles, 37.5 hours per week is a common assumption in the UK, though some sectors use 35 or 40 hours. The conversion formula is:

Annual salary ≈ hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks

For example, if you are offered £20 per hour for a 37.5-hour week, the annual equivalent is roughly £39,000 (£20 × 37.5 × 52). This rule of thumb assumes no unpaid overtime, bonuses, or salary sacrifice. Always check your contract for the exact hours and any additional payments.

Using the ONS median hourly earnings for all full-time employees (£19.67 per hour in April 2025), the annual equivalent at 37.5 hours per week is about £38,357 – close to the £39,039 median annual figure reported by ONS. The slight difference arises because the hourly figure excludes overtime and the annual figure includes pay over a full year.

For data analysts specifically, the median full-time annual salary of £38,572 implies an hourly rate of roughly £19.78 at 37.5 hours per week. This is slightly above the national median hourly rate, reflecting the skilled nature of the role.

National Living Wage and Minimum Wage Context

The National Living Wage (for employees aged 21 and over) was £12.21 per hour from April 2025, rising to £12.71 per hour from April 2026. At 37.5 hours per week, the annual equivalent of the 2026 rate is about £24,785. This is the legal floor for full-time workers aged 21+. The 10th percentile for data analyst annual pay is £24,513 (all employees basis), which sits below that floor – but that figure includes part-time roles where annual pay can lawfully be lower. For a full-time role, any advertised salary below about £24,800 should be treated with caution; it may be a stale listing or based on fewer hours.

Full-Time vs Part-Time and Hours Assumptions

ONS defines full-time as working more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 for teaching professions). Part-time is 30 hours or fewer. When comparing salaries, always check whether the figure is for full-time or all employees. The all-employees median for data analysts (£38,107) is pulled down by part-time workers. If you are looking for a full-time role, use the full-time median of £38,572.

When converting an advertised hourly rate to annual salary, clarify the weekly hours. A part-time role at 20 hours per week paying £20 per hour would yield only £20,800 annually – well below the full-time median but perfectly lawful.

London Weighting and Sector Variations

London roles consistently pay a premium over national figures, driven by the concentration of financial services and technology employers. The national median blends London in, so it understates typical London pay and overstates many regional markets. For a current regional split, consult ONS regional earnings tables directly.

Sector also matters. Financial services and technology advertise most data analyst roles at the top of the range; retail and consumer businesses cluster around the middle; public sector and NHS roles typically sit below the private-sector median, traded against stronger pensions and stability. No precise per-sector figures are available from ASHE at this level of detail, so read live adverts in your target sector against the measured table.

Using Our Tools

To convert your own hourly rate or salary, use our Hourly to Salary calculator. For more articles on UK pay benchmarks, visit our salary articles section. You can also explore salary data for other occupations.

Key Takeaways

• The median full-time data analyst salary in the UK is £38,572 per year (ONS ASHE 2025 provisional).
• At 37.5 hours per week, this equates to roughly £19.78 per hour.
• The National Living Wage for 2026 is £12.71 per hour, with an annual equivalent of about £24,785.
• Always confirm the hours assumption when converting hourly to annual pay.
• London and sector premiums can shift pay by thousands of pounds.

Remember: hourly-to-salary figures assume a steady contracted week with no unpaid overtime, bonus, tips or salary sacrifice. Actual pay depends on rota, holiday pay method, London weighting and overtime rules. Always check your contract and official GOV.UK guidance.