Creative, arts and entertainment activities: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in creative, arts and entertainment activities earned a median £37,791 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £1,248 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is 50th of 84 divisions.
Part-time work is common: only 59% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £36,604, men £40,237.
The median rose 15.3% from £32,786 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 107,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 9% since 2019; 41% are in London.
There were 34,840 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (95%) 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 | £24,481* | £508.50 | £13.33 | £6,606* | £98.60* | £12.50 |
| 20th percentile | £27,851 | £551.90 | £14.62 | £12,195* | £209.10* | £13.52 |
| 25th percentile | £28,916 | £572.40 | £15.18 | £13,289* | £242.10* | £13.73 |
| 30th percentile | £30,626 | £595.30 | £15.79 | £18,611* | £310.50* | £14.00 |
| 40th percentile | £34,966 | £671.20 | £17.03 | £25,757 | £473.30 | £15.22 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £37,791 | £733.10 | £18.67 | £28,910 | £552.20 | £16.81 |
| 60th percentile | £45,684 | £865.70 | £21.87 | £34,712 | £625.30 | £19.11 |
| 70th percentile | £51,039* | £961.80* | £24.38* | £39,287* | £734.30 | £22.79 |
| 75th percentile | £54,250* | £1,064.40* | £27.34* | £45,611* | £804.90 | £24.47 |
| 80th percentile | – | £1,195.70* | £29.28* | £50,254* | £946.10* | £27.12* |
| Mean | £51,113 | £909.60 | £23.57 | £37,392 | £636.10 | £22.38 |
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 | £32,786 | £642.60 | £16.81 | £25,497 | £504.00 | 49 |
| 2022 revised | £36,305 | £689.90 | £17.14 | £26,765 | £494.50 | 64 |
| 2023 revised | £37,175 | £718.10 | £18.20 | £28,978 | £523.10 | 64 |
| 2024 revised | £34,357 | £709.50 | £18.25 | £27,397 | £538.50 | 68 |
| 2025 provisional | £37,791 | £733.10 | £18.67 | £28,910 | £552.20 | 78 |
Where the 107,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| London | 37,000 | 44,000 |
| South East | 13,000 | 14,000 |
| East of England | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| South West | 6,000 | 7,000 |
| Scotland | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| North West | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| West Midlands | 4,000 | 4,500 |
| East Midlands | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Wales | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| North East | 1,750 | 1,750 |
| Great Britain | 96,000 | 107,000 |
34,840 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 33,240 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 1,270 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 305 |
| Large (250 or more) | 25 |
| Total | 34,840 |
2021: 30,345; 2022: 30,595; 2023: 31,630; 2024: 32,735; 2025: 33,680; 2026: 34,840.
Related
Arts, entertainment and recreation · Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities · Gambling and betting activities · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026