Sports coaches, instructors and officials: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time sports coaches, instructors and officials in the UK earned a median £30,108 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 23% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (109th from the bottom).
The mean, £36,985, is 23% above the median, a sign of a few very high earners.
Median full-time pay: women £31,240 a year, men £29,968 a year.
Most jobs here are part-time: 23,000 of about 78,000 are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 34.1% (from £22,452), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 124,900 people in this line of work, 14% 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 | – | £460.00 | £12.56 | £1,595* | £31.50* | £12.21 |
| 20th percentile | £24,128* | £479.10 | £13.25 | £2,903* | £63.70* | £13.28 |
| 25th percentile | £24,855 | £513.60 | £13.70 | £3,720* | £81.30* | £13.69 |
| 30th percentile | £25,990 | £536.60 | £14.04 | – | £96.80* | £14.00 |
| 40th percentile | £28,838 | £565.10 | £14.83 | £8,367* | £149.90* | £14.92 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £30,108 | £592.80 | £15.60 | £12,570* | £214.60* | £15.60 |
| 60th percentile | £31,368 | £619.10 | £16.65 | £16,984* | £329.70* | £16.95 |
| 70th percentile | – | £677.90 | £18.51 | £22,716* | £446.70* | £18.44 |
| 75th percentile | – | £706.80* | £19.04* | £25,017* | £496.30 | £19.09 |
| 80th percentile | – | – | – | £28,362* | £547.90 | £20.14 |
| Mean | £36,985* | £705.40 | £18.88 | £17,234 | £324.10 | £17.99 |
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 | £22,452 | £427.20 | £11.37 | £9,334* | £185.00* | 58 |
| 2022 revised | £25,970 | £498.00 | £13.34 | – | £231.80* | 54 |
| 2023 revised | £24,272 | £504.70 | £13.13 | – | – | 65 |
| 2024 revised | £26,690 | £539.50 | £14.35 | – | £211.10* | 81 |
| 2025 provisional | £30,108 | £592.80 | £15.60 | £12,570* | £214.60* | 78 |
Sports coaches, instructors and officials by region
UK: 124,900 (± 13,700), April 2025 to March 2026. 6 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 17,500* | ± 5,200 |
| North West | 15,600* | ± 4,800 |
| South West | 13,600* | ± 4,200 |
| West Midlands | 12,700* | ± 4,700 |
| Scotland | 9,300* | ± 3,500 |
| Wales | 7,100* | ± 2,400 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What sports coaches, instructors and officials do
Sports coaches, instructors and officials work with amateur and professional sportsmen and women to enhance performance, encourage greater participation in sport, supervise recreational activities such as canoeing and mountaineering, and organise and officiate at sporting events according to established rules. (ONS SOC 2020, 3432)
Also covers: referee, riding instructor, sports coach, sports development officer, swimming teacher, balloon pilot, basketball coach, climbing instructor, coach (sports), cricket coach, cricket scorer, equestrian coach, esports coach, esports referee, football coach, football referee, football scout and gliding instructor (70 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Coaches teams or individuals by demonstrating techniques and directing training and exercise sessions
- Controls team selection and discipline and recruits ancillary staff such as coaches or physiotherapists
- Monitors and analyses technique and performance, and determines how future improvements can be made
- Deals with administrative aspects such as arranging matches, contests or appearances for athlete or team, and organising required transport and accommodation
- Provides information and develops facilities to encourage greater participation in sport, and to enhance the standards of participants
- Understands health and safety aspects of various activities and ensures any statutory requirements are met
There are no formal academic requirements although individuals must have experience in their sport and the relevant coaching and refereeing qualifications. Applicants to coaching courses must normally be over 18 years old and hold a first-aid certificate. Some courses encompass coaching awards within broader programmes of study. Vocational qualifications in coaching are available in the context of certain sports. Background checks including a DBS check are required for those working with children.
Related
Sports and fitness occupations (median £30,948) · Sports players · Fitness and wellbeing instructors · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Mean
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026