Auditor Salary Overview
Auditor salaries in the UK vary significantly between external audit (working in an accountancy firm or the Big Four) and internal audit (working within a company). Both offer strong long-term career prospects, with external audit in particular providing a well-defined qualification and pay progression structure.
External Audit Salary by Level
Audit Graduate / School Leaver (ACA/ACCA training): 25,000-34,000 GBP in London, 22,000-28,000 GBP outside London. Audit Semi-Senior (part-qualified): 32,000-42,000 GBP. Newly qualified ACA/ACCA Audit Senior: 45,000-60,000 GBP. Audit Manager: 60,000-80,000 GBP. Senior Manager: 75,000-100,000 GBP. Audit Partner: 150,000-500,000 GBP and above at Big Four.
Internal Audit Salary by Level
Junior internal auditors earn 28,000-38,000 GBP. Senior internal auditors earn 40,000-55,000 GBP. Audit managers earn 55,000-75,000 GBP. Heads of Internal Audit earn 80,000-130,000 GBP. Financial services and banking pay a significant premium in internal audit versus other sectors.
Big Four vs Mid-Tier vs In-House
Big Four (PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY) pay the most in external audit but have high exit rates as qualifieds move to industry for better work-life balance. Mid-tier firms pay slightly less but often offer earlier responsibility and better work-life balance. In-house internal audit pays competitively and is usually combined with a better work-life balance than external audit practice.
Salary After Qualifying in Audit
ACA/ACCA-qualified auditors who move to industry can expect significant salary increases of 15-30% versus their practice salary. This is the main reason many qualified auditors leave practice within 2-3 years of qualifying.
FAQ
Does the Big Four pay well?
Big Four graduate entry salaries are competitive but not the highest in finance. The real value of Big Four training is the ACA or ACCA qualification and the brand recognition, which command significant salary premiums when professionals move to industry.
Further Reading
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Learnsignal Education Team
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