Telephone salespersons: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time telephone salespersons in the UK earned a median £30,495 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 22% 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 (114th from the bottom).
Median full-time pay: women £27,575 a year, men £32,620 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 10,000 employee jobs, 80% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 42.3% (from £21,431), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 17,700 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 | – | – | – | – | – | £12.49 |
| 20th percentile | £24,400 | £486.10 | £12.67 | £19,147* | £363.70* | £12.67 |
| 25th percentile | £24,589 | £503.60 | £12.78 | £20,856* | £414.50* | £12.79 |
| 30th percentile | £25,410 | £506.80 | £12.82 | £23,753* | £473.70 | £12.85 |
| 40th percentile | £26,978 | £515.70 | £13.40 | £25,152* | £499.20 | £13.41 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £30,495 | £537.80 | £13.72 | £26,944 | £511.70 | £13.73 |
| 60th percentile | £31,771 | £574.90 | £14.44 | £30,517 | £536.70 | £14.10 |
| 70th percentile | £33,461* | £594.10 | £15.82* | £32,625* | £576.00 | £15.35 |
| 75th percentile | – | – | – | £33,390* | £585.10* | £16.08* |
| Mean | £30,842 | £607.70 | £15.99 | £27,906 | £528.80 | £15.79 |
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 | £21,431* | £395.70 | £10.00 | £18,861* | £356.70 | 8* |
| 2022 revised | £22,835 | £435.80 | £10.97 | £22,060 | £416.10 | 7* |
| 2023 revised | £23,090* | £473.30 | £11.77 | £22,527* | £447.30 | 7* |
| 2024 revised | £26,608 | £518.80 | £13.50 | £25,975 | £503.80 | 9* |
| 2025 provisional | £30,495 | £537.80 | £13.72 | £26,944 | £511.70 | 10* |
Telephone salespersons by region
UK: 17,700 (± 5,200), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What telephone salespersons do
Telephone salespersons obtain, receive, process and record telephone orders for goods and services. (ONS SOC 2020, 7113)
Also covers: inbound sales adviser, sales adviser (telephone sales), telesales executive, telesales operative, lead generator, marketing telephonist, sales correspondent, sales telephonist, tele-ad canvasser, tele-ad clerk, tele-ad girl, tele-ad representative, telemarketing adviser, telemarketing agent, telemarketing assistant, telemarketing executive, telemarketing operator and telemarketing representative (46 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Learns about the product(s)/service(s) to be sold
- Telephones potential customers, explains purpose of call, discusses their requirements and advises on the goods/services being offered
- Quotes prices, credit terms and delivery conditions and records details of orders agreed
- Receives orders for goods/services by telephone and records relevant details
- Arranges despatch of goods and services, information and/or brochures to customers
- Maintains record of sales statistics, customers contacted and changes to customer details
Academic qualifications may be required. Training is typically received on-the-job, supplemented by short courses in practical skills. NVQs/SVQs in Sales at levels 2 and 3 and apprenticeships are available.
Related
Sales assistants and retail cashiers (median £25,055) · Retail cashiers and check-out operators · Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026