UK Quantity Surveyor Salary & Market Report 2025 | 2026

The UK construction recruitment landscape for 2025/2026 continues to be defined by a candidate driven market, characterized by a persistent skills gap and sector-specific demand. 93% of employers report difficulties in recruiting qualified staff as the competition for experienced Quantity Surveyors (QS) remains fierce, driving remuneration packages upward to combat retention challenges.

While inflation in the wider economy has stabilized, salary growth in the construction sector continues to outpace national averages. This is particularly evident in "hot" sectors such as infrastructure (driven by AMP8 water cycles and energy projects), which are pulling talent away from the more subdued private residential and commercial new-build markets.

This report analyzes the "Total Average Pay" for permanent (PAYE) professionals. The findings indicate that while basic salaries have risen, the composition of the package has shifted, with car allowances becoming a critical, guaranteed component of the total compensation for mid-to-senior level roles. The "London Premium" remains a significant factor, reflecting not just the cost of living, but the higher complexity and value of capital projects in the region.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data Sources

To ensure accuracy and neutrality, this report does not rely on a single proprietary data set. Instead, it utilizes a "meta-analysis" approach, aggregating and synthesizing 2025 and 2026 market intelligence from the public domain. 

Note on Currency: All data used in this synthesis is strictly from the 2024–2026 period to reflect the current post-inflationary market environment. Older datasets (pre-2024) have been excluded to prevent skewing the averages.

The Total Average Pay Standard

Industry feedback highlights that for Quantity Surveyors, the "basic salary" alone is an incomplete metric. To provide a realistic benchmark of guaranteed income, this report utilizes Total Average Pay.

• Formula | Annual Basic Salary + Guaranteed Car/Travel Allowance = Total Average Pay
• Exclusions | These figures strictly exclude variable performance bonuses (which can range from 0% to 20% depending on project success), pension contributions, and private healthcare benefits

Market Analysis | The 2025 Landscape

The Skills Gap and Wage Inflation

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) projects a need for nearly 48,000 new workers annually through 2029. This structural shortage is the primary driver of wage inflation. Employers are increasingly forced to offer premiums to attract "job-ready" Senior Quantity Surveyors who can immediately manage commercial risks without significant oversight.

Sector Polarization

Demand is not uniform across the industry.

• High Demand | Infrastructure, Utilities (Water/AMP8), and Renewable Energy. Professionals with NEC contract experience in these sectors command the highest premiums due to the complexity of the work.
• Stable/Recovering |  Private commercial fit-out and refurbishment.
• Challenging | New-build private residential housing remains impacted by interest rates, leading to flatter salary growth in this specific vertical compared to infrastructure.

UK Quantity Surveyor Salary Data (2025/2026)

The following tables detail the Total Average Pay (Basic + Car Allowance) for permanent employees.

Total Average Pay (Permanent/PAYE)

Total Guaranteed Remuneration (Basic Salary + Car Allowance)

Ranges represent the 25th to 75th percentiles of market data. Figures are rounded to the nearest £500.

Car Allowance Component

To assist in structuring offers, this table isolates the typical car allowance values that are already included in the figures above. These are standard for roles requiring site mobility.

Typical Car/Travel Allowance Benchmarks

Role Definitions and Expectations

To ensure accurate benchmarking, it is vital to align salary bands with the functional responsibilities of the role rather than just years of experience.

Graduate Quantity Surveyor

• Experience | 0–2 Years
• Focus | Learning core measurement (NRM/SMM7), assisting with sub-contractor payments, and working towards RICS APC
• Market Note |  London starting salaries have seen a sharp increase to £30k+ to combat the high cost of living for entry-level talent

Assistant Quantity Surveyor

• Experience | 2–4 Years
• Focus | Managing small packages independently, valuing variations, and assisting with CVRs (Cost Value Reconciliations). Usually in the final stages of APC
• Market Note | This is a high-churn level. Assistants with 3 years of experience are prime targets for poaching, driving the salary band up significantly from the Graduate level

Quantity Surveyor

• Experience | 3–6 Years (Typically Chartered/MRICS)
• Focus | Full commercial autonomy on projects or significant sections of major schemes. Responsible for procurement, contract administration (JCT/NEC), and final account negotiation.
• Market Note | The achievement of MRICS status is the primary trigger for moving into the upper end of this salary bracket (£50k+)

Senior Quantity Surveyor

• Experience |  5–10+ Years
• Focus | Leading commercial strategy for complex projects, managing junior teams, and mitigating high-level contractual risk
• Market Note | This role faces the most acute skills shortage. The jump in salary reflects the "risk premium"—employers pay significantly more for a Senior QS who can prevent costly disputes and protect margins

Associate Quantity Surveyor

• Experience | 10+ Years
• Focus (Consultancy/PQS) |  In the Professional Quantity Surveying (PQS) environment, the "Associate" title marks a definitive transition from project delivery to business management. Responsibilities shift toward client account management, winning new business (fee bidding), and operational team leadership
• Focus (Contractor) |  While the title "Associate" is less common in main contracting, the equivalent seniority level is typically the Managing Quantity Surveyor (MQS) or Commercial Manager. These roles focus on the profitability of a division or a cluster of projects
• Remuneration Driver |  At this level, pay is no longer dictated solely by technical competence but by commercial contribution, specifically the ability to generate fees (Consultancy) or protect the bottom line across multiple projects (Contracting).

Conclusion

The 2025/2026 market data indicates that the UK Quantity Surveying sector remains highly competitive. For employers, "Total Average Pay" is the only relevant metric for attraction; offering a strong basic salary without a competitive car allowance will likely result in failed recruitment campaigns. For professionals, the data confirms that specialisation (particularly in infrastructure/utilities) and Chartership (MRICS) remain the two most reliable levers for maximizing earnings.

References

1.    Salary Guides and Hiring Trends - Hays, accessed November 13, 2025 
2.    UK Construction Monitor | RICS, accessed November 13, 2025 
3.    Quantity Surveyor Salary UK 2025: Complete Pay Guide | Gildmere, accessed November 13, 2025 
4.    AQS, QS, SQS & MQS - Roles & Responsibilities Explained - Metroun, accessed November 13, 2025

Steve Thomas
Construction Recruitment Director, UK & Canada
Maxim Recruitment
LinkedIn

Steve is responsible for Maxim Recruitment in the UK and Canada. He is based in the Maxim head office in Leicester, UK and the Toronto office in Canada. He regularly travels to meet employers and job seekers and attend construction industry networking events in the UK, Canada and worldwide. Steve has over 25 years of experience in construction and property recruitment and enjoys working with many repeat clients. He manages dedicated search and headhunting assignments for a range of premium UK, Canadian and international clients.