Average salaries in Sheffield. What can you expect?

Jill Valentine
Nov 14
3 min read

Why salary benchmarks matter in Sheffield

Whether you're job-hunting, changing career direction, or negotiating a pay rise, understanding Sheffield’s salary landscape can make a real difference to your confidence and your outcomes. Many people worry about asking for too much (or too little), but having a clear sense of what local employers typically pay helps you make informed, realistic decisions.

As a career coach, I see how empowering it is for clients to understand their market value. Salary benchmarks don’t just guide negotiation they also help you choose roles, industries and progression routes with clarity.

How Sheffield compares: A quick overview

Sheffield’s average full-time salary sits slightly below the UK national average. Recent data places the typical full-time wage in the city between £32,000 and £36,000 per year. The UK average is usually a little higher at £37,000.

However, it is important to consider that local cost of living, particularly housing, is lower than many other major UK cities. This means a Sheffield salary can often go further than the same wage in places like Manchester, Leeds, Bristol or London.

Salary benchmarks by sector

Below is a breakdown of what people in Sheffield typically earn across key sectors. These are broad averages and ranges, but they offer a useful starting point when evaluating an offer or considering a career move.

Manufacturing & Production

Typical range: £26,000–£41,000
Average manufacturing salary are around £33,000–£34,000. Sheffield has a strong heritage in advanced manufacturing and engineering, and the sector still makes up a notable share of the local jobs market.
Entry-level roles sit in the mid-£20k range, while technical and engineering positions command higher salaries.

Health & Social Care

Support worker roles are around £31,000.
Registered and specialist roles: higher, depending on qualifications Health and social care is one of the city’s biggest employment sectors.
Salaries vary significantly depending on shift patterns, responsibilities and registration requirements.

Professional & Specialist Roles

Mid-level/specialist roles: around £40,000–£42,000. This includes legal, finance, HR, digital, engineering, consulting and other skilled professional services. More senior or niche roles can be significantly higher.

All-Sector Average

Overall average full-time salary in Sheffield is £32,000–£36,000. This is the baseline you can use to understand whether a job offer is below, around, or above typical pay for the city.

What this means for you when interpreting and negotiating salaries

1. Understanding if an offer is competitive

If a full-time role requiring relevant experience comes in under £30k, it may be below Sheffield’s typical average — depending on the sector. For professional roles, anything around £40k and above is usually considered competitive locally.

2. Use data to support your negotiation

Many people don’t realise how powerful local salary benchmarks are in negotiation. You can frame your conversation around:

the average salary for Sheffield
the typical range for your sector, the level of responsibility and impact of the role.

3. Think about career progression, not just starting salary

A role with a slightly lower starting salary may still be worth pursuing if:

it offers clear development pathways
it provides training or certifications
it opens doors to faster long-term salary growth.

Prioritising development over immediate pay is often a good strategy.

Things to consider

Salary data can be a helpful guide, but it’s not the whole picture.

Consider:

Role-specific factors: Technical roles, leadership responsibility, regulatory requirements and shift patterns all influence pay.
Experience level: Entry-level salaries can differ significantly from mid-career roles even in the same sector.
Industry variation: Sheffield’s digital, engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors often pay above city averages.
Cost of living: Local affordability matter. Sheffield generally offers strong value for money compared with many UK cities.
Full-time vs part-time data: Some statistics combine them, which can skew averages.

Use salary benchmarks as a guide, but not as a rigid rule.

Want more advice?

If you’re unsure whether a salary offer is competitive, or you want support preparing for negotiation, I can help.

I work with job seekers, career changers and professionals across Sheffield to build confidence, benchmark offers, and negotiate effectively.

Get in touch for personalised career coaching and salary guidance, it could make all the difference !