Higher National Certificate (HNC)
UK > Scotland
The table below provides summary statistics for permanent job vacancies advertised in Scotland with a requirement for HNC qualifications. It includes a benchmarking guide to the salaries offered over the 6 months leading up to 2 January 2026, comparing them to the same period in the previous two years.
| 6 months to 2 Jan 2026 |
Same period 2025 | Same period 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 123 | 116 | 172 |
| Rank change year-on-year | -7 | +56 | +26 |
| Permanent jobs citing HNC | 18 | 25 | 13 |
| As % of all permanent jobs in Scotland | 0.66% | 0.93% | 0.43% |
| As % of the Qualifications category | 3.27% | 3.58% | 2.13% |
| Number of salaries quoted | 6 | 21 | 3 |
| 10th Percentile | - | - | £26,039 |
| 25th Percentile | £26,500 | £55,801 | £26,041 |
| Median annual salary (50th Percentile) | £27,000 | £58,033 | £26,949 |
| Median % change year-on-year | -53.47% | +115.35% | -8.00% |
| 75th Percentile | £43,625 | £60,265 | £35,802 |
| 90th Percentile | £49,217 | - | £40,571 |
| UK median annual salary | £45,998 | £50,055 | £47,500 |
| % change year-on-year | -8.10% | +5.38% | +13.10% |
All Academic and Professional Certifications
Scotland
HNC falls under the Academic Qualifications and Professional Certifications category. For comparison with the information above, the following table provides summary statistics for all permanent job vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications in Scotland.
| Permanent vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications | 550 | 698 | 610 |
| As % of all permanent jobs advertised in Scotland | 20.20% | 26.06% | 20.41% |
| Number of salaries quoted | 231 | 247 | 358 |
| 10th Percentile | £26,500 | £31,423 | £27,500 |
| 25th Percentile | £28,250 | £43,875 | £37,558 |
| Median annual salary (50th Percentile) | £33,500 | £55,000 | £52,500 |
| Median % change year-on-year | -39.09% | +4.76% | -4.55% |
| 75th Percentile | £63,500 | £67,799 | £65,000 |
| 90th Percentile | £85,000 | £80,000 | £75,814 |
| UK median annual salary | £55,000 | £59,430 | £57,500 |
| % change year-on-year | -7.45% | +3.36% | - |
HNC
Job Vacancy Trend in Scotland
Historical trend showing the proportion of permanent IT job postings citing HNC relative to all permanent IT jobs advertised in Scotland.
HNC
Salary Trend in Scotland
Salary distribution trend for jobs in Scotland citing HNC.
HNC
Salary Histogram in Scotland
Salary distribution for jobs citing HNC in Scotland over the 6 months to 2 January 2026.
HNC
Job Locations in Scotland
The table below looks at the demand and provides a guide to the median salaries quoted in IT jobs citing HNC within the Scotland region over the 6 months to 2 January 2026. The 'Rank Change' column provides an indication of the change in demand within each location based on the same 6 month period last year.
| Location | Rank Change on Same Period Last Year |
Matching Permanent IT Job Ads |
Median Salary Past 6 Months |
Median Salary % Change on Same Period Last Year |
Live Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | +21 | 6 | - | - | 2 |
| Edinburgh | - | 4 | £27,000 | - | 1 |
| Inverclyde | - | 3 | £49,000 | - | 4 |
| Highlands | - | 3 | - | - | |
| Renfrewshire | - | 2 | £49,433 | - | 8 |
| HNC UK |
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HNC
Co-Occurring Skills & Capabilities in Scotland by Category
The following tables expand on the one above by listing co-occurrences grouped by category. They cover the same employment type, locality and period, with up to 20 co-occurrences shown in each category: