Psychiatrist salary UK 2026: the average is around £89,000 a year, ranging from roughly £73,000 for entry-level to £110,000+ for senior consultant psychiatrists.
The role of a Psychiatrist in the UK is both impactful and deeply rewarding. As the demand for mental health services increases, the need for skilled psychiatrists remains strong. From renowned hospitals in London to mental health clinics in Manchester and Edinburgh, employers are actively seeking experienced professionals, offering competitive salaries and excellent opportunities for career advancement in this crucial and evolving field.
Psychiatrist salary
Base pay £73K – £110K/yr
£89K/yr average base pay
The estimated salary for a Psychiatrist is £89,427 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The “Most Likely Range” represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilises salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
Psychiatrist Salary UK by Experience Level
| Experience | Salary |
| Entry | £73,000–£89,000 |
| Mid | £89,000–£99,000 |
| Senior | £110,000+ |
Psychiatrist pay in the UK depends heavily on setting: NHS consultant psychiatrists follow a fixed national pay scale, while those who also take on private practice can earn considerably more. Years of experience, sub-specialisation, and the number of NHS sessions worked all affect where someone lands in this range.
Highest paying cities for Psychiatrist near United Kingdom
- Leeds £118,060 per year
147 salaries reported - Bury St. Edmunds £117,577 per year
60 salaries reported - Norwich £116,174 per year
134 salaries reported - Manchester £115,871 per year
136 salaries reported - Liverpool £114,693 per year
101 salaries reported - King’s Lynn £113,827 per year
110 salaries reported - Bristol £113,682 per year
114 salaries reported - Chelmsford £111,484 per year
58 salaries reported - London £111,017 per year
505 salaries reported
How To Become A Psychiatrist In The UK
Becoming a psychiatrist starts with a medical degree (5–6 years), followed by the 2-year Foundation Programme that all UK doctors complete. From there, you’ll apply for Core Psychiatry Training (CT1–CT3) — a single national application based on your MSRA exam score, with no interviews required.
During these 3 years, you’ll rotate through different psychiatric sub-specialties to build broad experience. By the end of CT3, you need to have passed the MRCPsych exam (Paper A, Paper B, and the CASC clinical assessment) to progress.
The final stage is Higher/Specialty Training (ST4–ST6) — another 3 years, this time focused on a chosen sub-specialty such as General Adult, Child and Adolescent, Old Age, or Forensic Psychiatry. After completing this, you’ll gain GMC Specialist Registration and can apply for consultant psychiatrist posts, which is where salaries move toward the £110,000+ range shown above.
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatry is one of many medical specialties with strong UK earning potential — compare it with our Psychologist Salary guide, or use Debut’s Paycheck Calculator to see this salary after tax.
