Communication operators: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time communication operators in the UK earned a median £36,415 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £2,624 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 178th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £30,236 and £40,942.
Median full-time pay: women £35,925 a year, men £37,044 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 18,000 employee jobs, 83% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 35.1% (from £26,953), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 37,200 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, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £23,433* | £517.00 | £13.88 | – | £311.50* | £12.96 |
| 20th percentile | £29,071 | £583.40 | £15.67 | £21,938* | £481.10 | £14.32 |
| 25th percentile | £30,236 | £618.90 | £16.34 | £24,379* | £520.00 | £15.41 |
| 30th percentile | £32,214 | £651.60 | £17.18 | £27,703 | £556.20 | £16.22 |
| 40th percentile | £34,902 | £685.60 | £18.53 | £31,676 | £631.10 | £17.95 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £36,415 | £712.60 | £19.46 | £34,934 | £683.90 | £19.23 |
| 60th percentile | £38,316 | £748.60 | £20.08 | £36,875 | £713.50 | £19.93 |
| 70th percentile | £39,513 | £787.90 | £21.11 | £38,776 | £757.30 | £20.83 |
| 75th percentile | £40,942 | £819.80 | £21.73 | £39,476 | £783.70 | £21.45 |
| 80th percentile | £43,143* | £853.10 | £22.14 | £41,032* | £820.30 | £22.07 |
| Mean | £36,370 | £725.90 | £19.38 | £32,956 | £647.30 | £19.14 |
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 | £26,953 | £538.50 | £13.81 | £23,585* | £464.90 | 9* |
| 2022 revised | £27,485 | £533.50 | £14.09 | £26,483* | £515.60 | 12* |
| 2023 revised | £29,381 | £598.70 | £15.90 | £27,404* | £563.70 | 14 |
| 2024 revised | £33,595 | £652.80 | £16.91 | £30,978 | £611.80 | 17 |
| 2025 provisional | £36,415 | £712.60 | £19.46 | £34,934 | £683.90 | 18 |
Communication operators by region
UK: 37,200 (± 7,500), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What communication operators do
Communication operators operate telecoms equipment to transmit and receive signals and messages. (ONS SOC 2020, 7213)
Also covers: call handler (emergency services), communications officer, control room operator (emergency services), controller (taxi service), emergency medical despatcher, radio operator, ambulance controller, bureau operator, cab controller, call assessor, call handler, civilian signalman, communications controller, communications operator, control assistant, control officer, controller (radio) and deployment officer (64 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Receives messages, weather reports and other material to transmit
- Tunes transmitter to required channel or wavelength and relays or receives message to/ from person or vehicle
- Uses a teleprinter or telex keyboard to transmit messages to other teleprinters or telexes
- Keeps record of messages sent and received
- Performs routine tests and maintenance on equipment and reports faults
- Receives and handles incoming calls for emergency services, transmitting to the appropriate services
Academic qualifications may not be required. On-the-job training is provided.
Related
Customer service occupations (median £28,036) · Telephonists · Market research interviewers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026