SOC 9211 Elementary administration and service occupations

Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers Salary

Median salary £29,761 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £30,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For postal workers, mail sorters and messengers, £31,677 is the typical (median) pay. That is below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -19% versus the national average. Experienced postal workers, mail sorters and messengers (top 25%) earn over £34,771.

About this role

Security guards and related occupations protect premises, assets and people by maintaining security presence, monitoring CCTV, controlling access and responding to incidents. They work across commercial, retail, event and residential settings.

Key responsibilities

Patrolling and monitoring premises for security threats
Operating CCTV and access control systems
Controlling entry and checking identification
Responding to alarms and security incidents
Writing incident reports and maintaining logs

Qualifications and entry routes

SIA (Security Industry Authority) licence is legally required for most security roles. Requires completion of an SIA-approved training course. Door supervisors, CCTV operators and close protection officers need specific SIA licences. Enhanced DBS check.

Career outlook

Steady demand. Increasing use of technology (AI-CCTV, drone surveillance) is changing the security officer role towards monitoring and technology management.

Key skills

Vigilance and observation Conflict resolution CCTV monitoring Report writing Physical presence

Common industries

Security companies
Retail
Corporate offices
Events and venues
Construction site security

Data coverage

SOC code 9211

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 116,000

Median Salary

£29,761

Mean Salary

£29,381

Jobs (000s)

116k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £17kP25: £25kMedian: £30kP75: £35kP90: £40k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£17,256

0-2 years

Mid Level

£24,601

3-7 years

Senior

£34,771

8-15 years

Leadership

£40,203

15+ years

Potential career growth: +133% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +30.0%Real growth: -5.8%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 8.4%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£29,761

Full-time Only

£31,677

Full-time premium: +£1,916

Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers salary: common questions

How much do postal workers, mail sorters and messengers earn in the UK?

Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers earn a median of £31,677 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £24,601 and £34,771.

Is £31,677 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for postal workers, mail sorters and messengers?

Entry-level postal workers, mail sorters and messengers typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £24,601, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £17,256.

How much do the highest-paid postal workers, mail sorters and messengers earn?

The best-paid 10% of postal workers, mail sorters and messengers earn over £40,203 a year, and the top 25% over £34,771 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have postal workers, mail sorters and messengers salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median postal workers, mail sorters and messengers pay has risen from £24,646 to £31,677 — +29% in cash terms, or -7.0% after CPIH inflation. That is behind inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for postal workers, mail sorters and messengers?

Male postal workers, mail sorters and messengers earn a median £30,236 and female postal workers, mail sorters and messengers £27,696 — a gap of +8.0% in 2025.

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