The Tech Scene is the first in a series of articles examining tech around the world. 

The US and the UK have a lot of differences. We may both speak English, but we can’t even agree on how to spell the word colo(u)r. 

Alongside our colo(u)rful linguistic disagreements, the US and UK approach the tech industry in very different ways—impacting job opportunities, salaries, and even work-life balance. If you’re thinking about working abroad or just curious about tech career paths globally, these insights will help you navigate your next move.

Occupations & Sectors

One major difference between the US and the UK is simply the sheer size of their tech workforce. According to CompTIA, the US tech industry employed an estimated 6.4 million people in 2023, compared to around 2.1 million in the UK. This data excludes tech employees at non-tech companies.

Despite the gap in the total workforce, the types of jobs available in each country are strikingly similar. In both regions, software-related roles dominate—aligning with trends we see among RTC members, where over 50% of early-career women globally work in software development.

In the US, the top-performing job categories were:

• Software, Programmers, Web, and QA – 2.2 million employees
• IT Support Specialists and Technicians – 809,967 employees
• Cybersecurity and Systems Engineers – 699,534 employees
• Network Engineers, Architects, and Support – 675,992 employees
• Emerging Tech, IT Project Management, and Other – 452,715 employees
• Database, Data Science, Analytics, and CS – 352,963 employees

The UK’s most in-demand roles followed a similar pattern:

• IT and Cybersecurity Analysts, Architects, and Systems Designers – 352,397 employees
• IT Support, Installers, and Operations Technicians – 293,560 employees
• Network and Telecommunications Engineers – 87,551 employees

While the US’s tech population is larger, the actual breakdown of job roles is remarkably similar.

What about the money?

Although the job types may appear similar, their wages vary significantly. According to CompTIA data from 2022:

• The median tech wage in the US was $104,556 (£85,872.89) – 130% higher than the median national wage.
• The median tech wage in the UK was £44,949 ($54,726.09) – 52% higher than the median national wage.

While it is hard to accurately state why this is, there are a few things to keep in mind:

The Power of Silicon Valley & US Tech Hubs

California is home to some of the largest tech hubs in the world in San Francisco and Silicon Valley with some of the largest companies in the world based there. California alone had around 1,533,554 tech workers in 2023. That number is far closer to the amount of employees that the UK has compared to the whole of the US. 

The Headquarters Effect

These larger tech companies also have most of their employees centered in the US and do most of their technological advancements at their headquarters. 

Take a closer look at one of the biggest tech companies in the world: Apple. As of September 2024, they employ more than 164,000 in just the US. Apple employs just over 8,000 in the UK. According to Glassdoor, the average software engineer at Apple in the US makes between $148K – $208K (£119k – £167.6k) in base pay per year (this does not include bonuses and stocks, which average out to be $25k [£20k]and $55k [£44k], respectively). In the UK, the base pay is just £50K – £86K ($62k – $106.8k) per year. Apple Park, the name for Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, California, is where all of the innovations, major decisions, and advancements are made. 

This therefore pushes salaries at the company higher. People want to be a part of the next big thing in tech. This also forces the competition to raise their salaries to compete so they can get the top employees. 

This is the same across all tech companies. 

The Global Dominance of US-Based Tech Companies

8 of the 10 largest tech companies in the world are headquartered in the US (with the other two being located in South Korea and China). There is just an insane amount of competition to get into these massive tech companies within the United States – and these giant companies can afford the giant salaries. 

While many global tech firms have UK offices, their core decision-making and highest salaries are usually concentrated in the US.

For many in the tech industry, salary is more than just a number—it directly impacts career choices and long-term financial security. The data from our community showcases this. 

Our 2024 Internship Experience report showed that as hourly compensation increases, we see more students likely to accept a return offer. Similarly, our 2024 Recruiting Experience report puts salary and financial compensation pages as the top reason for reneges and salary as one of the top two reasons for accepting an internship or job. 

A Difference in Culture

The cultural differences in the workplace are also vastly different in the US versus the UK. 

According to the Global Life-Work Balance Index 2024 from Remote.com, London is ranked the 15th best city for work-life balance. With averages of 30 days of paid leave, 39 weeks of maternity leave, and 35.85 hours of work per week, as well as a universal healthcare system, the UK’s work-life balance is one of the best. Conversely, the US first comes onto the board at 55 with Washington, DC. While some US companies offer unlimited paid leave, there is no requirement for paid leave across the board for companies, and how the companies handle paid leave is wildly different, even within the same industry. 

Other members echo Blessing’s sentiments, with one member who worked at a US-based trading company as a software engineer saying, “I would say having a work-life balance was very imbalanced since I was working long hours as trading is a very demanding and fast-paced environment to be in. I would easily work 40+ hours a week, and when it came to product releases, we were expected to work OT on the weekends.”

A Final Note

In essence, there are some similarities between tech in the UK and the US, but there are also a lot of differences, particularly around pay.

If you’re a student or early-career woman in tech looking to make the jump from the US to the UK (or vice versa), become an RTC member and gain access to a curated job board filled with roles from our trusted partners.

Already a member? Join the conversation in Slack! Ask members who’ve made the move about their experiences or share your insights.