Musicians: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time musicians in the UK earned a median £46,591 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 19% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 79th of 382 occupations on this measure.
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Since 2021 the median has risen 37.5% (from £662.10), faster than the 25.7% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 54,300 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | – | – | – | £16.30* |
| 30th percentile | – | – | – | £17.13* |
| 40th percentile | – | – | – | £22.04* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £46,591 | £910.30 | £22.81 | £25.89* |
| Mean | £49,384* | £919.20* | £24.77* | £23.95 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | – | £662.10 | – |
| 2023 revised | £40,548 | £915.10 | £23.81 |
| 2024 revised | – | £690.20 | – |
| 2025 provisional | £46,591 | £910.30 | £22.81 |
Musicians by region
UK: 54,300 (± 9,000), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What musicians do
Musicians write, arrange, orchestrate, conduct and perform musical compositions. (ONS SOC 2020, 3415)
Also covers: composer, musician, organist, pianist, song writer, violinist, band leader, band master, bell ringer, church organist, classical musician, conductor (entertainment), drummer (entertainment), music arranger, music conductor, music copyist, music organiser and music transcriber (41 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Conceives and writes original music
- Tunes instrument and studies and rehearses score
- Plays instrument as a soloist or as a member of a group or orchestra
- Scores music for different combinations of voices and instruments to produce desired effect
- Auditions and selects performers and rehearses and conducts them in the performance of the composition
There are no formal academic entry requirements although many possess a degree and/or diploma. Entry to a degree or graduate diploma course requires A levels/H grades. Entrants to the performers’ diploma course generally possess GCSEs/S grades and associated board graded examination passes in their chosen instrument(s) and will be required to audition.
Related
Artistic, literary and media occupations (median £39,135) · Dancers and choreographers · Arts officers, producers and directors · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026