Artists: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time artists in the UK earned a median £47,763 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 22% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 70th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The mean (£43,613) is below the median.
Median full-time pay: women £18.83 an hour, men £20.22 an hour.
Since 2021 the median has risen 31.6% (from £635.50), faster than the 25.7% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 64,500 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | – | – | £14.06 |
| 25th percentile | – | – | – | £14.19 |
| 30th percentile | – | – | – | £14.36 |
| 40th percentile | – | £751.80* | £16.21* | £14.94* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £47,763* | £836.20* | £20.39* | £16.85* |
| 60th percentile | – | £897.50* | £23.13* | £20.14* |
| 70th percentile | – | – | – | £23.40* |
| Mean | £43,613 | £813.60 | £20.77 | £19.96 |
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 | – | £635.50* | £16.80* | – | – | – |
| 2022 revised | – | – | £14.47* | – | £480.60* | 9* |
| 2023 revised | £30,756* | £615.50* | £14.94* | – | £521.30* | 10* |
| 2024 revised | £38,204* | £744.60* | £20.52* | £36,054* | £697.40* | 8* |
| 2025 provisional | £47,763* | £836.20* | £20.39* | – | – | 9* |
Artists by region
UK: 64,500 (± 9,900), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What artists do
Artists create artistic works using appropriate techniques, materials and media; design artwork and illustrations; and restore damaged pieces of art. (ONS SOC 2020, 3411)
Also covers: animator (hand drawn), artist, illustrator, portrait painter, sculptor, architectural illustrator, art restorer, artist (tattoo), artistic modeller, artistic painter, book illustrator, chief illustrator, copy colourist, fashion artist, fashion illustrator, fine artist, graphic illustrator and henna artist (40 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Conceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks
No specific academic qualifications are required although a variety of vocational qualifications, degrees and postgraduate courses are available. Entry can be based upon portfolio work.
Related
Artistic, literary and media occupations (median £39,135) · Authors, writers and translators · Actors, entertainers and presenters · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026