Pay guide
Site Manager Salary UK 2026
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A typical site manager job was advertised at £52,500 a year in our June to August 2026 Pay Index. The middle half offered £45,000 to £60,000; contract roles £280 a day. NCS starter guidance is £27,000. The top quarter of construction managers and directors earned about £70,700 or more in 2025.
Sources: UKTJ Pay Index (428 salary adverts, June to August 2026), ONS earnings survey 2025 and the National Careers Service. How we review.
Site manager pay at a glance
UKTJ adverts: 1 June to 7 August 2026. ONS: 2025 full-time employee pay for construction managers and directors, a broader group that includes site managers. NCS: England career guidance.
| Role or measure | Pay |
|---|---|
| Starting out (NCS) | £27,000 a year |
| Supervisor or foreman (ONS) | £45,021 median |
| Typical site manager advert (UKTJ) | £52,500; middle half £45,000 to £60,000 (428 adverts) |
| Construction managers and directors (ONS) | £56,021 full-time median |
| Top quarter of managers and directors (ONS) | £70,700 or more, rounded |
| London managers and directors (ONS) | £64,179 median |
| Contract day rate (UKTJ) | £280; middle half £256 to £311 (203 adverts) |
| Typical working week (NCS) | 41 to 43 hours |
Site Manager jobs live now
See all site manager jobsAssistant Site Manager
Ivy Resource Group
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Site Manager - Clean Water
Logical Personnel Solutions
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Site Supervisor
Danny Sullivan & Sons Ltd
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Site manager pay by region
ONS 2025 provisional full-time medians for construction managers and directors. Regions are listed without implying statistically precise differences between neighbouring estimates. Wales is suppressed; Northern Ireland is not reported in this table.
| Workplace region | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| London | £64,179 |
| South East | £58,514 |
| Scotland | £57,783 |
| West Midlands | £57,654 |
| East of England | £55,186 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £53,398 |
| North East | £52,288 |
| North West | £51,394 |
| East Midlands | £50,837 |
| South West | £50,676 |
| UK | £56,021 |
Site manager day rates
On a self-employed contract, allow for unpaid leave, your own pension and gaps between projects. A day rate alone does not tell you your employment status or benefits. Count the weeks you expect to be booked before comparing it with a salary.
Compare day rates across trades.
What gets you a better number
Stepping up to senior. The top quarter of the wider construction-manager-and-director group earned about £70,700 or more in 2025 (ONS). That includes directors, so it is not a senior-site-manager-only rate.
London. The regional ONS median was £64,179, about £8,000 above the UK figure. Use the regional table alongside the actual responsibility and hours in an offer.
Before you accept an offer
Car: company car, cash allowance or just mileage? Get the amount and terms.
Hours: NCS describes 41 to 43 hours a week, with some evenings and weekends. Ask about Saturdays.
The job: one section, a whole site or several sites? Establish the project, team and reporting duties.
Sources and method
ONS Table 14: 2025 provisional employee medians and quartiles, construction managers and directors (SOC 1122), and construction supervisors (SOC 5330). ONS Table 15: workplace-region medians for SOC 1122.
National Careers Service construction manager profile: £27,000 to £65,000 starter-to-experienced guidance and 41 to 43 hours.
CITB SMSTS and SAMS online course: duration, validity and dated provider price. Reviewed by the UK Trade Jobs editorial team on 7 October 2026 with AI-assisted source checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average site manager salary in the UK?▼
ONS recorded a £56,021 median for full-time construction managers and directors in 2025, a group that includes site managers. UKTJ site manager adverts had a £52,500 median across 428 adverts from June to August 2026.
Does a site manager salary include a car allowance?▼
Some employers offer a car or allowance. Ask whether it is a company car, cash allowance or mileage reimbursement, and get the amount and terms in writing.
How much do site managers earn in London?▼
The 2025 ONS median for full-time construction managers and directors in London was £64,179, against £56,021 across the UK.
Is freelance site management better paid?▼
Contract site manager adverts offered a £280 median day rate, with the middle half between £256 and £311 (203 adverts, June to August 2026). Annual income depends on booked days, gaps and costs.
How much does a senior site manager earn?▼
ONS does not isolate senior site managers in this table. The top quarter of full-time construction managers and directors earned about £70,700 or more in 2025. Compare the duties and package in senior site manager vacancies.
What is a site manager starting salary?▼
NCS gives £27,000 as starter guidance for construction managers. Construction supervisors and foremen, a common step towards site management, had an ONS median of £45,021 in 2025.
How many hours do site managers work?▼
NCS describes a typical 41 to 43 hours a week, with some evenings and weekends.
More site manager guides to compare
UK Trade Pay Index
Advertised pay for 19 trades, day rates for 6.
Read guide →Assistant site manager salary
Pay for the step below site manager.
Read guide →SMSTS or SSSTS?
Which course fits your role and what it costs.
Read guide →How to become a site manager
Routes into site management and the experience employers ask for.
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