Updated for 2025/26
£73,000 vs £88,000 Salary Comparison
Compare a £73,000 salary against £88,000. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£15,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£725.00
per month
You Keep
58%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£43,500
cumulative
Senior Leadership Compensation
At this level, tax efficiency becomes crucial. Between £100,000.00-£125,140.00, you face an effective 60% marginal rate as personal allowance is withdrawn.
- The £100k-£125k "trap" means earning £100k often leaves you with more than £115k
- Employer pension contributions can reduce taxable income below key thresholds
- Consider spreading bonuses across tax years where possible
- Professional tax advice typically pays for itself at this level
Compare Salaries
Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26
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Comparison Results
| Metric | £73,000 | £88,000 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £73,000 | £88,000 | £15,000 |
| Income Tax | £16,632 | £22,632 | £6,000 |
| National Insurance | £3,471 | £3,771 | £300 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £52,897 | £61,597 | £8,700 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £4,408 | £5,133 | £725 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 27.5% | 30.0% | 2.5% |
£73,000
Gross£73,000
Take-Home£52,897
You Keep72.5%
£88,000
Gross£88,000
Take-Home£61,597
You Keep70.0%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£73,000
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£16,632.00
National Insurance£3,470.60
Take Home (Monthly)£4,408.12
£88,000
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£22,632.00
National Insurance£3,770.60
Take Home (Monthly)£5,133.12
What £725.00 Extra Buys You
Real-world value of the take-home difference
Monthly Subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, gym - £100.00/mo
Weekend Breaks
1-2 UK getaways per month at this budget
Savings Boost
£8,700.00/year extra into savings or investments
Car Payment
Could cover a decent car on PCP or lease
Full Comparison: £73,000 vs £88,000
£73,000
- Gross Pay£73,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£52,897.40
- Take Home (Month)£4,408.12
- Effective Tax Rate27.5%
£88,000
- Gross Pay£88,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£61,597.40
- Take Home (Month)£5,133.12
- Effective Tax Rate30.0%
The difference in take-home pay is £8,700 per year, which works out to £725.00 per month.