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Average Media Operations Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A media operations manager in United Kingdom earns about 89,300 GBP a year. That's 28% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 45,000 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 138,700 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a media operations manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
89,300 GBP
7,441 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,000 GBP
3,750 GBP per month
Highest reported
138,700 GBP
11,558 GBP per month

A typical media operations manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 7,441 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,000 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 138,700 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior media operations manager working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the media operations manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How media operations manager pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all media operations managers in United Kingdom earn less than 89,200 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 61,400 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 114,300 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of media operations managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 45,000 GBP. The highest stretch to 138,700 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

45,000
Low
89,200
Median
138,700
High
61,400
25th
114,300
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Media operations manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a media operations manager in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical media operations manager salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    49,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +34% from previous
    65,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +40% from previous
    92,000 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    112,700 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +6% from previous
    119,700 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    127,600 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 40%. That is the point at which a media operations manager typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Media operations manager pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving media operations manager pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average media operations manager salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    64,500 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +16% from previous
    74,500 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +31% from previous
    97,600 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +28% from previous
    125,400 GBP

Media operations manager gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male media operations managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 91,700 GBP a year, while female media operations managers earn around 87,500 GBP. That works out to a 5% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Media Operations Manager gender pay gap

5%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 91,700 GBP
Women 87,500 GBP

Pay raises for a media operations manager in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 13% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 10% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Media operations manager bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

84%

84% of media operations managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a media operations manager a high-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary. The remaining 16% of media operations managers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Media operations manager: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Media operations manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Media operations manager pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Liverpool
  • Bristol
  • Manchester
  • Leicester
  • London
  • Bradford
  • Leeds
  • Edinburgh
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion175,200 GBP177,200 GBP84,300-272,900 GBP
ScotlandRegion124,500 GBP130,500 GBP57,400-193,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity105,800 GBP109,700 GBP51,600-163,800 GBP
BristolCity105,200 GBP107,300 GBP50,000-161,300 GBP
ManchesterCity105,200 GBP99,600 GBP54,700-158,700 GBP
LeicesterCity103,600 GBP99,600 GBP53,300-157,600 GBP
LondonCity103,600 GBP108,200 GBP46,200-161,300 GBP
BradfordCity100,900 GBP95,000 GBP51,100-153,800 GBP
LeedsCity100,700 GBP93,800 GBP52,800-153,800 GBP
EdinburghCity100,700 GBP107,700 GBP45,800-158,700 GBP
SomersetCity100,700 GBP107,300 GBP46,900-158,700 GBP
BirminghamCity99,700 GBP109,000 GBP44,500-158,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity99,700 GBP107,300 GBP47,600-158,900 GBP
CoventryCity99,700 GBP99,700 GBP50,700-157,600 GBP
SheffieldCity99,700 GBP102,700 GBP49,300-156,200 GBP
SouthamptonCity99,600 GBP105,200 GBP46,700-153,700 GBP
BelfastCity99,100 GBP101,100 GBP47,100-153,800 GBP
GlasgowCity98,700 GBP90,900 GBP53,300-146,900 GBP
PlymouthCity98,000 GBP98,000 GBP49,300-152,900 GBP
PortsmouthCity97,400 GBP105,800 GBP45,000-152,700 GBP
CardiffCity96,600 GBP100,900 GBP46,700-151,800 GBP
SwanseaCity95,500 GBP95,300 GBP48,000-148,300 GBP
NewcastleCity95,500 GBP92,900 GBP50,000-147,900 GBP
NottinghamCity95,200 GBP103,600 GBP45,700-153,800 GBP
OxfordCity95,100 GBP85,700 GBP51,100-142,300 GBP
WolverhamptonCity93,600 GBP103,600 GBP44,300-151,800 GBP
BrightonCity93,100 GBP92,300 GBP47,600-140,200 GBP
DerbyCity92,500 GBP96,000 GBP44,500-147,900 GBP
NewportCity92,300 GBP100,100 GBP41,500-147,900 GBP
NorwichCity92,200 GBP93,300 GBP43,100-142,300 GBP
AberdeenCity91,700 GBP93,100 GBP48,600-142,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity91,200 GBP88,300 GBP45,800-140,700 GBP
GloucesterCity91,000 GBP88,400 GBP45,600-139,100 GBP
PooleCity90,000 GBP92,100 GBP42,800-140,700 GBP
DundeeCity87,500 GBP86,100 GBP42,700-134,100 GBP
StirlingCity87,000 GBP91,700 GBP41,000-137,100 GBP
LincolnCity86,800 GBP86,800 GBP45,200-137,100 GBP
ArmaghCity86,800 GBP85,500 GBP45,600-134,700 GBP
YorkCity86,800 GBP83,300 GBP46,000-132,000 GBP
CambridgeCity86,400 GBP91,700 GBP39,300-134,100 GBP
DurhamCity85,500 GBP91,500 GBP40,000-138,700 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion85,100 GBP78,100 GBP43,800-128,200 GBP
SalisburyCity84,800 GBP83,700 GBP43,800-132,000 GBP
NewryCity84,500 GBP79,800 GBP44,900-127,600 GBP
WalesRegion84,500 GBP83,700 GBP44,300-130,500 GBP
ExeterCity84,300 GBP79,500 GBP45,400-130,500 GBP
InvernessCity84,200 GBP81,200 GBP43,400-127,700 GBP
LisburnCity83,300 GBP79,700 GBP44,500-130,500 GBP
ChesterCity83,300 GBP79,600 GBP43,500-127,700 GBP
HartlepoolCity83,000 GBP87,300 GBP39,800-130,500 GBP
CanterburyCity83,000 GBP75,800 GBP45,700-127,700 GBP
DerryCity83,000 GBP90,000 GBP38,000-130,400 GBP
BangorCity82,200 GBP82,200 GBP41,900-128,200 GBP
TruroCity81,300 GBP73,800 GBP43,500-123,000 GBP
WellsCity81,200 GBP81,200 GBP38,700-124,500 GBP
WakefieldCity80,800 GBP76,900 GBP41,400-124,500 GBP
WinchesterCity80,200 GBP83,700 GBP36,700-125,400 GBP
StrontianCity79,800 GBP71,900 GBP40,300-118,900 GBP
RiponCity79,000 GBP76,000 GBP42,700-121,800 GBP
AbingdonCity77,300 GBP77,300 GBP39,600-121,800 GBP
StromnessCity77,000 GBP80,300 GBP33,600-119,700 GBP
St DavidsCity76,600 GBP72,800 GBP39,000-114,300 GBP
KirkwallCity74,700 GBP74,700 GBP36,900-117,100 GBP

Media Operations Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a media operations manager make per month in United Kingdom?

    A media operations manager in United Kingdom earns about 7,441 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 89,300 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a media operations manager in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level media operations managers in United Kingdom start near 45,000 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 138,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 61,400 and 114,300 GBP.

  • Is the median media operations manager salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 89,200 GBP, lower than the average of 89,300 GBP. Half of media operations managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for media operations managers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a media operations manager in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (91,700 vs 87,500 GBP a year).

  • Do media operations managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 84% of media operations managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary.

  • Do media operations managers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a media operations manager about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do media operations managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A media operations manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 10% a year.