Financial services gender pay gap widens by more than 25%
Female financial services professionals earn on average nearly $40,000 (£29,494) less than their male counterparts, according to eFinancialCareers’ latest Compensation Report.
The report, which surveyed 2,600 financial services professionals, found the average base salary for men in UK financial services was $172,474 in the 2025 financial year. By contrast, women earned $133,047 over the same period, a gap of nearly 30% overall.
The results look even worse globally, when men beat their female counterparts by almost $43,000, a disparity of nearly 40% on a total basis.
On an hourly basis, the pay gap is equally stark. Male financial professionals earned almost £8 more per hour than women in the UK (roughly 25%), while globally, men were up almost $15.
The pay disparity also varied according to region. In Europe, men earned roughly 42.9% more than women, while in the US and Canada, men earned 55.2% extra by comparison.
See also: Europe’s gender pay gap is ‘concerning’ despite higher renumeration for female directors
Peter Healey, CEO of eFinancialCareers, said: “The latest figures highlight a clear and persistent gender pay gap in financial services, particularly in the UK, where men are earning significantly more than their female colleagues both overall and on an hourly basis.”
Healey attributed this to a lack of female representation in senior positions, with the disparity becoming even clearer at this level.
The report found respondents’ pay expectations did not match the reality. After a strong 2025, respondents expected their bonuses to rise 30% in 2025, instead they were up by about 5%.
Meanwhile, the average compensation package for people in financial services slid by around 2% (depending on role), as average salaries fell despite a strong year for the industry.
Healy concluded: “This combination of declining salaries, uneven bonus growth, and widening disparities makes it more important than ever for firms to focus on fairness, transparency, and long-term retention strategies.”
This article originally appeared on our sister-site Portfolio Adviser