Advertising and market research: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in advertising and market research earned a median £50,000 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £10,961 more than across all industries.
What the figures show
It ranks 15th of 84 divisions on this measure.
83% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £44,480, men £57,310.
The median rose 48.7% from £33,635 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 188,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, up 15% since 2019; 51% are in London.
There were 26,115 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (90%) with fewer than 10 staff (UK Business Counts).
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £26,966 | £544.70 | £14.22 | £12,570* | £240.90 | £12.82 |
| 20th percentile | £31,224 | £617.70 | £16.33 | £26,438 | £504.00 | £14.86 |
| 25th percentile | £33,337 | £670.80 | £17.84 | £28,864 | £555.70 | £15.81 |
| 30th percentile | £36,699 | £727.80 | £19.29 | £31,005 | £594.10 | £17.15 |
| 40th percentile | £44,579 | £862.40 | £22.98 | £37,005 | £714.40 | £20.24 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £50,000 | £965.40 | £26.14 | £45,525 | £862.40 | £23.56 |
| 60th percentile | £59,941 | £1,144.40 | £30.45 | £53,438 | £1,013.90 | £27.19 |
| 70th percentile | £73,004* | £1,379.90 | £37.80 | £66,510* | £1,243.00 | £33.22 |
| 75th percentile | £87,493* | £1,489.30* | £40.43* | £76,244* | £1,379.90 | £38.37* |
| 80th percentile | £99,764* | £1,781.80* | £47.98* | £93,111* | £1,533.20* | £42.61* |
| 90th percentile | – | £2,291.10* | £64.83* | – | £2,218.80* | £63.52* |
| Mean | £67,276 | £1,228.50 | £32.94 | £59,416 | £1,066.20 | £31.94 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £33,635 | £647.40 | £16.86 | £30,960 | £594.10 | 107 |
| 2022 revised | £33,466* | £689.90 | £18.66 | £30,997* | £649.10 | 108 |
| 2023 revised | £42,090 | £775.70 | £21.23 | £36,798 | £717.30 | 144 |
| 2024 revised | £43,000 | £833.60 | £22.26 | £37,919 | £748.10 | 126 |
| 2025 provisional | £50,000 | £965.40 | £26.14 | £45,525 | £862.40 | 141 |
Where the 188,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| London | 95,000 | 96,000 |
| South East | 26,000 | 27,000 |
| South West | 18,000 | 19,000 |
| North West | 13,000 | 13,000 |
| East of England | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| West Midlands | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| East Midlands | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Scotland | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| North East | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| Wales | 1,250 | 1,250 |
| Great Britain | 186,000 | 188,000 |
26,115 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 23,420 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 2,110 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 480 |
| Large (250 or more) | 105 |
| Total | 26,115 |
2021: 23,870; 2022: 24,025; 2023: 23,640; 2024: 24,120; 2025: 24,670; 2026: 26,115.
Related
Professional, scientific and technical activities · Scientific research and development · Other professional, scientific and technical activities · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026