Pay for UK journalists has grown since 2018 after period of stagnation

NCTJ Journalists at Work survey results show those who use AI are paid more.

Media industry salaries: Prompted this strike by Reach journalists — Reach journalists on strike over pay, joined by NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet, at Canary Wharf on 31 August 2022. Picture: NUJ

Average pay for UK journalists has kept pace with the wider economy with those using AI paid more, according to a new survey.

The average salary for a journalist in the UK is now £34,500, according to the NCTJ’s Journalists at Work report. The average salary goes up to £45,547 for those working in London.

The NCTJ-commissioned Journalists at Work research, authored by consultant Mark Spilsbury, is the fourth of its kind, following previous studies in 2018, 2012 and 2002. It is based largely on an online survey filled in by 1,025 journalists between January and March. Some UK government data is also included.