Coffee shop workers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time coffee shop workers in the UK earned a median £21,598 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 45% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
Just 2 of 382 occupations with a published full-time median are lower.
The mean (£20,617) is below the median.
Median full-time pay: women £20,926 a year, men £23,782 a year.
Most jobs here are part-time: 9,000 of about 32,000 are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 39.6% (from £15,466), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 79,300 people in this line of work, 15% of them in South East.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | – | £12.21 | – | – | £10.00 |
| 20th percentile | – | £410.60 | £12.28 | – | £121.40* | £10.94 |
| 25th percentile | – | £413.90 | £12.33 | – | £151.30* | £11.98 |
| 30th percentile | – | £426.30 | £12.49 | £8,829* | £172.80* | £12.21 |
| 40th percentile | £20,496* | £437.10 | £12.51 | £10,100* | £214.20* | £12.22 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £21,598* | £462.50 | £12.60 | £12,170* | £263.40 | £12.30 |
| 60th percentile | £23,782 | £481.80 | £12.86 | £15,162* | £308.10 | £12.50 |
| 70th percentile | – | £502.80 | £12.96 | £17,208* | £353.50* | £12.71 |
| 75th percentile | – | £527.50 | £13.00 | £18,832* | £391.80* | £12.93 |
| 80th percentile | – | – | – | – | £420.20* | £13.21 |
| Mean | £20,617 | £478.40 | £12.89 | £13,476 | £275.70 | £12.55 |
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 | £15,466 | £331.10 | £8.98 | – | £186.00* | 22 |
| 2022 revised | – | £378.90 | £10.00 | – | £199.40* | 22 |
| 2023 revised | £19,192* | £413.80 | £10.92 | £13,443* | £239.90 | 25 |
| 2024 revised | £20,568* | £444.90 | £11.70 | – | £219.10* | 25 |
| 2025 provisional | £21,598* | £462.50 | £12.60 | £12,170* | £263.40 | 32 |
Coffee shop workers by region
UK: 79,300 (± 10,900), April 2025 to March 2026. 8 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 11,600* | ± 4,300 |
| South West | 10,800* | ± 3,700 |
| North West | 10,100* | ± 3,800 |
| Wales | 5,100* | ± 2,000 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What coffee shop workers do
Coffee shop workers make and serve coffee, food and other beverages in coffee shops and cafés, and perform various cleaning, fetching and carrying tasks. (ONS SOC 2020, 9266)
Also covers: barista, coffee shop assistant, barista maestro, coffee barmaid, coffee barman, coffee maid, coffee room maid and coffee stall attendant.
- Takes customer orders, makes and serves coffee and other refreshments
- Receives payment for drinks and gives change
- Cleans and tidies service area, kitchen surfaces, crockery, cutlery, glassware, kitchen utensils and disposes of rubbish
- Keeps service area well stocked
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically received on-the-job. Qualifications to become a barista are available.
Related
Other elementary services occupations (median £23,628) · Bar staff · Leisure and theme park attendants · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026