Publishing activities: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in publishing activities earned a median £44,235 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £5,196 more than across all industries.
What the figures show
It ranks 27th of 84 divisions on this measure.
84% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £39,566, men £49,778.
The median rose 26.2% from £35,043 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 122,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, unchanged since 2019; 55% are in London.
There were 12,920 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (88%) 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 | £27,228 | £528.30 | £14.33 | £21,160* | £444.00 | £14.01 |
| 20th percentile | £31,170 | £598.40 | £16.54 | £27,209 | £528.00 | £16.07 |
| 25th percentile | £32,713 | £632.60 | £17.51 | £29,586 | £574.60 | £16.77 |
| 30th percentile | £35,402 | £671.50 | £18.37 | £31,304 | £599.20 | £17.68 |
| 40th percentile | £40,255 | £756.10 | £20.32 | £36,015 | £690.70 | £19.95 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £44,235 | £849.50 | £22.93 | £41,041 | £785.60 | £22.41 |
| 60th percentile | £50,266 | £958.00 | £25.95 | £46,927 | £887.80 | £25.63 |
| 70th percentile | £56,468 | £1,096.30 | £29.85 | £53,907 | £1,009.10 | £28.77 |
| 75th percentile | £61,989 | £1,173.30 | £31.77 | £57,929 | £1,112.20 | £31.34 |
| 80th percentile | £66,578* | £1,279.10 | £34.82 | £64,465* | £1,221.40 | £33.71 |
| Mean | £51,792 | £996.30 | £26.96 | £47,127 | £905.50 | £26.64 |
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 | £35,043 | £680.60 | £18.24 | £32,360 | £632.40 | 79 |
| 2022 revised | £36,246 | £670.80 | £18.48 | £34,330 | £648.50 | 76 |
| 2023 revised | £39,217 | £743.30 | £20.15 | £36,592 | £708.10 | 111 |
| 2024 revised | £42,611 | £804.90 | £20.95 | £38,497 | £734.00 | 102 |
| 2025 provisional | £44,235 | £849.50 | £22.93 | £41,041 | £785.60 | 108 |
Where the 122,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| London | 67,000 | 67,000 |
| South East | 13,000 | 13,000 |
| East of England | 11,000 | 11,000 |
| North West | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| South West | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| East Midlands | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Scotland | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| West Midlands | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Wales | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| North East | 400 | 500 |
| Great Britain | 122,000 | 122,000 |
12,920 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 11,345 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 1,245 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 270 |
| Large (250 or more) | 60 |
| Total | 12,920 |
2021: 12,585; 2022: 12,700; 2023: 12,710; 2024: 12,810; 2025: 12,855; 2026: 12,920.
Related
Information and communication · Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities · Programming and broadcasting activities · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026