Actors, entertainers and presenters: average salary and pay in the UK
Counting full-time and part-time jobs together, median weekly pay for actors, entertainers and presenters was £508.70 in April 2025 (ONS ASHE).
What the figures show
The Annual Population Survey counts 58,500 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | – | £13.10 |
| 30th percentile | – | £13.33 |
| 40th percentile | – | £14.34 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £508.70* | £15.14* |
Pay since 2024
| ASHE year | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 revised | £612.60 | £16.48 | – | – |
| 2025 provisional | – | – | £508.70* | 9* |
Actors, entertainers and presenters by region
UK: 58,500 (± 9,400), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What actors, entertainers and presenters do
Actors, entertainers, presenters, and perfomance artists sing, portray roles in dramatic productions, perform comedy routines, gymnastic feats and tricks of illusion, train animals to perform and perform with them, and introduce and present radio and television programmes. (ONS SOC 2020, 3413)
Also covers: actor, commentator (broadcasting), costumed interpreter, disc jockey, entertainer, presenter (broadcasting), singer, announcer (entertainment), artist (entertainment), children's entertainer, chorus girl, circus performer, entertainments officer, extra (entertainment), fashion model, film artist, hypnotist (entertainment) and ice skater (71 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Studies script; play or book and prepares and rehearses interpretation
- Assumes character created by a playwright or author and communicates this to an audience
- Performs singing, comedy, acrobatic, illusion and conjuring routines
- Trains animals to perform entertaining routines and may perform with them
- Introduces and presents radio and television programmes, reads news bulletins and makes announcements
- Conducts interviews and prepares reports for news broadcasts, current affairs programmes and documentaries
Entry does not depend on academic qualifications although some drama schools require candidates to have GCSEs/S grades or A levels/H grades or a degree. Entry can be based upon an audition. Membership of the appropriate trade union is usually required. Vocational qualifications in performing arts are available.
Related
Artistic, literary and media occupations (median £39,135) · Authors, writers and translators · Dancers and choreographers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026