SOC 4217 Secretarial and related occupations

Typists and related keyboard occupations Salary

Salary data from ONS ASHE. Some figures may be unavailable due to small sample sizes.

For typists and related keyboard occupations, £27,170 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -30% versus the national average.

About this role

Typists and related keyboard occupations produce typed documents, transcripts and correspondence from handwritten notes, audio recordings and digital sources. They work across legal, medical, academic and general business settings requiring accurate document production.

Key responsibilities

Typing documents, reports and correspondence from various sources
Transcribing audio recordings into written text
Formatting documents to required standards and templates
Proofreading typed material for accuracy
Managing workflows and meeting document production deadlines

Qualifications and entry routes

Fast and accurate typing skills are essential (typically 60+ wpm). RSA/OCR typing qualifications, audio typing skills and IT proficiency are standard requirements.

Career outlook

Speech recognition and AI transcription are reducing demand for general typing, but specialist transcription (legal, medical, verbatim) retains demand for accuracy.

Key skills

Typing speed and accuracy Audio transcription Proofreading IT proficiency Concentration

Common industries

Legal services
Healthcare
Government
Courts (verbatim reporters)
Transcription services

Data coverage

SOC code 4217

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Median Salary

N/A

Mean Salary

£21,483

Jobs (000s)

N/A

Data Years

11 years

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +43.4%Real growth: +9.0%

Typists and related keyboard occupations salary: common questions

How much do typists and related keyboard occupations earn in the UK?

Typists and related keyboard occupations earn a median of £27,170 a year (ONS ASHE 2025).

Is £27,170 a good salary in the UK?

For typists and related keyboard occupations, £27,170 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -30% versus the national average.

Have typists and related keyboard occupations salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median typists and related keyboard occupations pay has risen from £18,951 to £27,170 — +43% in cash terms, or +4.0% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).