A recent salary survey highlights Leeds as an emerging tech hub, with some roles commanding salaries of up to £120,000. The city’s tech sector is growing rapidly, supported by a strong ecosystem of universities, innovation centres, and an increasing number of startups and scaleups.
While London remains the highest-paying city for tech professionals, Leeds is proving to be a competitive alternative. The study found that the average tech salary in Leeds is £62,500—about 24% lower than in London—but some roles in data, cybersecurity, and business analysis offer pay on par with the capital.
In the data sector, a head of data in Leeds can earn an average of £120,000, with potential earnings reaching £160,000. Other roles in the field include data architects (£90,000), data engineers (£62,500), and data governance analysts (£60,000). Business analysts earn an average of £52,500, while a head of transformation role in Leeds carries a salary of around £98,750—higher than the same role in London.
Cybersecurity and cloud computing are also strong areas for Leeds’ tech industry. A cybersecurity manager can expect to earn £65,000, while cloud engineers average £60,000. IT programme managers earn around £70,000, and enterprise architects see salaries of £90,000.
Leeds’ tech sector has expanded 125% faster than the national average, with software development growing at an annual rate of 20%. The city also hosts the Leeds Digital Festival, the UK’s largest open platform tech event outside London, further cementing its status as a key player in the industry.
The UK government continues to invest in the technology sector, committed to spending £20 billion annually on research and development by 2024/25. The goal is to boost R&D spending to 2.4% of GDP by 2027, positioning the UK as a global leader in data-driven innovation.
SPG Resourcing, the technology talent firm behind the salary survey, has offices in Leeds and Newcastle and provides staffing solutions across multiple industries, including financial services, healthcare, and housing.
