SOC 7113 Sales occupations

Telephone salespersons Salary

Median salary £26,944 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £27,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For telephone salespersons, £30,495 is the typical (median) pay. That is below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -22% versus the national average. Experienced telephone salespersons (top 25%) earn over £33,390.

About this role

Telephone salespersons sell products and services by telephone, making outbound calls or handling inbound enquiries. They identify customer needs, present product benefits, handle objections and close sales to achieve revenue targets.

Key responsibilities

Making outbound sales calls to prospects and existing customers
Handling inbound sales enquiries and converting to orders
Presenting product benefits and overcoming objections
Meeting individual and team sales targets
Maintaining CRM records and call logs

Qualifications and entry routes

No formal qualifications required. On-the-job training and product knowledge training provided. ISM qualifications are valued for career progression.

Career outlook

Automation and AI are changing telesales. Complex B2B sales and relationship-based telephone selling retain demand. Compliance with FCA and Ofcom regulations is essential.

Key skills

Telephone manner Persuasion Resilience Product knowledge Target focus

Common industries

Telecommunications
Financial services
Insurance
Energy suppliers
B2B services

Data coverage

SOC code 7113

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 9,000

Median Salary

£26,944

Mean Salary

£27,906

Jobs (000s)

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £20,856Median: £26,944P75: £33,390

P10: --P25: £21kMedian: £27kP75: £33kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£20,856

0-2 years

Mid Level

£20,856

3-7 years

Senior

£33,390

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +60% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +50.1%Real growth: +8.7%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 22.9%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£26,944

Full-time Only

£30,495

Full-time premium: +£3,551

Telephone salespersons salary: common questions

How much do telephone salespersons earn in the UK?

Telephone salespersons earn a median of £30,495 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £20,856 and £33,390.

Is £30,495 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for telephone salespersons?

Entry-level telephone salespersons typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £20,856, though this varies by employer and region.

Have telephone salespersons salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median telephone salespersons pay has risen from £19,882 to £30,495 — +53% in cash terms, or +11% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for telephone salespersons?

Male telephone salespersons earn a median £31,991 and female telephone salespersons £24,665 — a gap of +23% in 2025.

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