Cambridge tech salaries ‘highest in the UK’
With plenty of vacancies and strong investment, the city is becoming one of the country’s most up and coming tech hubs


Cambridge is hoping to attract some of the best tech workers with median annual salaries for vacant digital roles more than £10,000 higher on average than across the wider UK.
The English city has one of the highest proportions of tech sector vacancies compared to wider job openings, with 26% of vacant roles involving a digital element, according to data from job search engine Adzuna and Tech Nation.
The remuneration is also particularly high when compared against those across the wider UK, with the median salary for digital tech roles in Cambridge being £51,225 versus £39,000 in tech roles across the nation.
The data, compiled by these two organisations, will be fed back to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Cambridge is becoming a more attractive place to work thanks to the fact it houses some of the biggest tech companies, which is pushing demand for talent, according to the head of insights with Tech Nation, Dr George Windsor.
“As the UK looks to recover from the pandemic, the work of the world-class companies and talent in Cambridge will be crucial,” said digital secretary Caroline Dineage. "The city has already produced five billion dollar 'unicorn' firms and it continues to punch well above its weight - creating new jobs and opportunities for people.
“I am delighted some of the country’s leading tech talent are coming together to discuss the growing demand for jobs and skills in the area and how we can help further strengthen the UK’s reputation as Europe’s leading tech player."
According to the analysis, there are a string of vacancies for data scientists at some of the biggest companies including Amazon and Microsoft. These positions are also among the most highly-paid, with an average salary of £58,759 per year, which has risen 32.7% from the average salary offered in 2019.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
The city also plays host to 86 startups and scaleups, with venture capital investment surging from $466.2 million (£358.9 million) in 2018 to $612.9 million (£471.8 million) last year.
This chimes with previous figures that emerged earlier this year, suggesting the university city is attracting four times as much tech investment as London. Cambridge secured more than £3,300 of investment per head to support its burgeoning tech hubs, compared to the capital city which attracted just £800.
Most of this investment, according to research by Pareto Law, is being ploughed into so-called ‘deep tech’ such as engineering and scientific research.
Also sure to raise Cambridge's stock yet further is the fact Nvidia recently unveiled plans to build the UK's most powerful supercomputer in the university city. The Cambridge-1 AI supercomputer would will cost £40 million to build, and would hypothetically rank as the 29th most powerful in the world would it be built today.

Keumars Afifi-Sabet is a writer and editor that specialises in public sector, cyber security, and cloud computing. He first joined ITPro as a staff writer in April 2018 and eventually became its Features Editor. Although a regular contributor to other tech sites in the past, these days you will find Keumars on LiveScience, where he runs its Technology section.
-
Asus ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH review
Reviews A stunning foldable 17.3in OLED display – but it's too expensive to be anything more than a thrilling tech demo
By Sasha Muller
-
How the UK MoJ achieved secure networks for prisons and offices with Palo Alto Networks
Case study Adopting zero trust is a necessity when your own users are trying to launch cyber attacks
By Rory Bathgate
-
Women show more team spirit when it comes to cybersecurity, yet they're still missing out on opportunities
News While they're more likely to believe that responsibility should be shared, women are less likely to get the necessary training
By Emma Woollacott
-
Employees want purpose, and they’re willing to quit to find it – upskilling, career growth, and work-life balance have shifted priorities for workers
News Employees want purpose and meaning at work — and if they don't get it, two thirds would quit to find it.
By Nicole Kobie
-
DEI rollbacks could exacerbate tech talent shortages – nearly half of recruitment leaders worry diversity cuts will impact their company’s appeal and employee retention
News Finding talent with AI skills has already become a major challenge for enterprises, but with some enterprises shelving DEI hiring practices, research suggests the situation could get worse.
By Emma Woollacott
-
Tech firms eye temps to plug talent gaps
News The tech industry could be set for a spike in temporary hiring, according to a new study from recruitment firm Robert Walters.
By George Fitzmaurice
-
IDC InfoBrief: Sustainability doesn’t need to be all stick and no carrot
whitepaper CIOs are facing two conflicting strategic imperatives
By ITPro
-
Five ways to drive innovation at the edge
Whitepaper How an effective edge strategy can generate new value for your organization
By ITPro
-
Google launches AI training scheme to “supercharge” SMB productivity
News The ‘easy-to-follow’ course aims to bolster SMB leaders’ understanding of machine learning and AI
By Ross Kelly
-
What is quiet hiring?
In-depth Far from being the latest industry buzzword, quiet hiring could be the perfect antidote to the widening skills shortage
By Ross Kelly