Pediatrician Salary UK: What You Actually Take Home When Comparing Job Offers

Understanding the Pediatrician Salary in the UK

If you are negotiating or comparing job offers as a paediatrician in the UK, knowing the gross salary is only half the picture. What matters is your take-home pay – the amount that actually reaches your bank account after Income Tax, National Insurance, pension contributions and other deductions. This article uses the latest official data to give you a clear view of the pediatrician salary landscape and what you can expect to net.

What the Data Shows

The best source for UK salary benchmarks is the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). For the occupation group covering paediatricians (SOC 2211 – medical practitioners), the 2024 full-time median gross annual salary is £119,800. The 25th percentile sits at £109,475 and the 75th percentile at £144,000. These figures are for all medical practitioners, but paediatricians fall within this group and the median is a reliable guide.

For context, the UK median full-time salary across all occupations is around £39,039. A paediatrician’s median is over three times that, reflecting the lengthy training and specialist responsibility.

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

Using 2026/27 tax and National Insurance rates, and assuming a standard tax code of 1257L (full Personal Allowance of £12,570), here is how the median paediatrician salary translates into net pay:

• Gross annual salary: £119,800
• Income Tax: £33,952 (20% on £37,700, 40% on £74,900, plus 45% on the portion above £125,140 – but at £119,800 you are just below the additional-rate threshold, so 40% applies to most of the higher band)
• National Insurance (employee): £5,147 (8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above)
• Pension contribution (5% net-pay arrangement): £2,200 (on qualifying earnings £6,240–£50,270)
• Estimated annual take-home: £75,201
• Monthly take-home: £6,267

Important: This estimate uses a 5% pension contribution, which is the auto-enrolment minimum. NHS consultants typically contribute at higher rates under the NHS Pension Scheme (2015 scheme): 9.8% for those earning up to £56,160, 12.5% above that. If you contribute 12.5% of your full pensionable pay, your take-home will be lower – around £5,800–£6,000 per month depending on exact pensionable earnings.

Comparing Job Offers: What to Look For

When comparing paediatrician job offers, do not just look at the basic salary. Consider:

• Additional PAs and on-call: Many consultant paediatricians earn extra through programmed activities (PAs) for safeguarding, neonatal sessions, or tertiary subspecialty work. Cat A on-call is common in neonatal/PICU centres and can add thousands to gross pay.
• Clinical Excellence Awards (CEAs): Tier 2 awards are typical at senior level and boost basic pay.
• Pension scheme: NHS pension is generous (defined benefit) but employee contributions are higher than a typical private-sector scheme. Factor this into net pay comparisons.
• Location: Scotland uses different Income Tax bands (starter, basic, intermediate, higher, top) which can reduce take-home compared to England/Wales/NI. London weighting or High Cost Area Supplements may offset this.
• Student loan: If you have a Plan 1, 2, or 5 loan, repayments will reduce take-home. For a paediatrician on £119,800, Plan 2 repayments would be around £4,500 per year (9% above £29,385).
• Salary sacrifice options: Cycle-to-work, electric car schemes, and childcare vouchers can reduce taxable income and NI, increasing net pay.

Use our take-home calculator to model different scenarios with your specific tax code, pension rate, and student loan plan. You can also explore salary data for other medical roles to benchmark your offer.

Junior Doctors: A Different Picture

If you are considering training pathways, note that junior doctors (foundation/core training) earn a median of £43,900, with monthly take-home around £2,802. This is a significant drop from consultant pay, but training grades progress quickly. Always check the latest NHS pay scales for your grade and year.

Key Takeaways for Negotiation

• The median pediatrician salary is £119,800, but actual earnings can range from £109,475 to £144,000 or more with additional duties.
• Take-home on the median is roughly £6,267 per month, but this falls to around £5,800–£6,000 with full NHS pension contributions.
• Always ask for a full breakdown of the offer: basic salary, additional PAs, on-call commitments, CEA eligibility, and pension contribution rate.
• Scotland-based paediatricians should use the Scottish Income Tax calculator to compare net pay.
• Student loan deductions can significantly affect cash flow – check your repayment plan.

For a personalised estimate, use our take-home calculator with your exact figures. And remember: the figures here are estimates based on public data; always check your payslip and consult HMRC guidance for your specific circumstances.