Typists and related keyboard occupations: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time typists and related keyboard occupations in the UK earned a median £27,170 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 30% 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 (48th from the bottom).
Median full-time pay: women £13.62 an hour, men £13.86 an hour.
Since 2021 the median has risen 31.1% (from £20,720), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | – | – | – | £12.36 |
| 30th percentile | – | – | – | £358.20* | £12.90 |
| 40th percentile | – | £498.90 | £13.54 | £395.50* | £13.19 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £27,170* | £512.20 | £13.63 | £452.90 | £13.62 |
| 60th percentile | – | £574.70* | £14.05* | £489.70* | £13.76 |
| 70th percentile | – | – | – | £510.90* | £14.05* |
| Mean | £27,657 | £571.40 | £15.29 | £453.30 | £14.63 |
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 | £20,720 | £409.20 | £10.78 | – | £279.00* | – |
| 2023 revised | £23,818 | £474.20* | £12.81* | £20,224* | £397.10* | 4* |
| 2024 revised | £25,453 | £475.60 | £13.04 | £23,200* | £402.30* | 4* |
| 2025 provisional | £27,170* | £512.20 | £13.63 | – | £452.90 | 5* |
What typists and related keyboard occupations do
Typists and related keyboard occupations type letters, memos, reports and other documents from draft, handwritten or dictated matter, using appropriate software packages. (ONS SOC 2020, 4217)
Also covers: audio typist, transcriber, typist, typist-clerk, copy typist, dictaphone operator, price reporter, secretarial clerk, shorthand typist, shorthand writer, superintendent typist, text processor, typing superintendent, typing supervisor, typist's superintendent, verbatim reporter, word processor and wp operator (21 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Types letters, memos, reports, presentations and other documents using the appropriate software
- Inserts logos and other special features and formats as specified
- Proof reads, edits and corrects errors to produce clean copy to specified layout
- Adjusts settings of printer as necessary and monitors quality of printed document
Entry is most common with GCSEs/S grades. Entrants are normally expected to have obtained minimum typing speeds and hold vocational certificates. Units in keyboarding skills and producing documents are included in NVQs/SVQs in Administration at levels 1 to 4.
Related
Secretarial and related occupations (median £28,388) · Receptionists · Personal assistants and other secretaries · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026