Journalist Salary After Tax (UK, 2026/27)
The median UK journalist salary is £44,534 a year (ONS, 2025 provisional) — that's £35,584 after tax for 2026/27, about £2,965 a month.
Journalist take-home pay
Where the £44,534 median goes
Breakdown of £44,534 gross: Take-home pay £35,584, 79.9%; Income Tax £6,393, 14.4%; National Insurance £2,557, 5.7%.
- Take-home pay£35,584 · 79.9%
- Income Tax£6,393 · 14.4%
- National Insurance£2,557 · 5.7%
Full breakdown
| Gross salary (ONS median) | £44,534 |
| Taxable income | £44,534 |
| Personal allowance used | £12,570 |
| Income Tax | £6,393 |
| National Insurance | £2,557 |
| Total deductions | £8,950 |
| Take-home pay | £35,584 |
Median pay from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2025 provisional results (published 2025-10-23), full-time UK employee jobs. Take-home figures are this calculator's own estimate for 2026/27, assuming a standard tax code, no pension contribution and no student loan.
Tax on the £44,534 journalist median, band by band
Total tax on a £44,534 salary is £8,950 for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland — £6,393 of Income Tax plus £2,557 of National Insurance. That's an effective rate of 20.1%.
| Band | Income in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £0 – £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Basic rate | £12,570 – £44,534 | 20% | £6,392.80 |
National Insurance on £44,534
| Band | Earnings in band | Rate | NI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the primary threshold | £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Main rate | £31,964 | 8% | £2,557.12 |
Live in Scotland, have a pension or student loan? Use the full calculator to model your own figures — Scottish Income Tax bands differ from the rest of the UK.
How the journalist salary compares
ONS classes this occupation as Newspaper and periodical journalists and reporters (SOC code 2492), covering around 14,000 full-time journalist jobs in the UK. Its £44,534 median is above the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039 by £5,495 (14.1%).
See every profession ranked by take-home pay for the full comparison.
Journalist salary: frequently asked questions
What is the average journalist salary in the UK?
The median gross annual pay for a full-time journalist (ONS occupation code 2492, "Newspaper and periodical journalists and reporters") is £44,534, based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional results.
How much does a journalist take home after tax?
On the median journalist salary of £44,534, take-home pay is £35,584 a year (£2,965 a month) for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after £6,393 of Income Tax and £2,557 of National Insurance.
Is a journalist salary above the UK average?
Yes. The median journalist salary of £44,534 is £5,495 (14.1%) above the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039.