Average salary in publishing rises but entry level pay gap widens, survey finds

The average salary in publishing has increased by 6% since 2017 but the gap between that and entry level pay has widened to 49%, amid a growing reluctance to recommend the industry to others, according to the bookcareers.com 2021 salary survey.

Last conducted in 2017 the online survey is run by bookcareers.com founder Suzanne Collier, and this year is based on results from 912 respondents working in UK book and journal publishing, surveyed between June and July 2021. As well as pay, it revealed dissatisfaction with companies' diversity and inclusion policies and a culture of long hours.

Although the average starting salary has increased by 11%, not accounting for inflation, since 2017, the difference between early career earnings and an average salary shot up to 49% from 36.5%, the survey found. The average starting salary was calculated to be £22,788 this year, compared with £20,470 in 2017. It is based on data from those who are 19 to 23 years old, who have been in the industry and their current job for less than a year.

The average overall salary came in at £34,049, up 6% on 2017's £32,228 and based on the average of all full-time respondents earning between £18,000 and £90,000 annually. Almost 75% of respondents believe they are underpaid, compared to 69.6% in 2017.

“If we want to improve inclusivity, entry level staff who have responsibilities need to be paid a minimum of £28,000 and those who are still here after four years and moving up in their career should not be paid less than £35,000,” Collier said.

Collier's report also suggests very little has changed in terms of gender pay equality, as men are still being paid more than women, with the current gender pay gap coming in at a 15% difference, a figure commensurate with 2017’s 15.7%.

The data shows the majority of men still tend to be employed in management or senior roles, while women are employed in less senior positions. However, where men and women are performing equal roles, the discrepancy is negligible, and in some cases women are getting paid more than their male counterparts.

This year's report also breaks out average salaries for certain roles in the industry. Editorial assistants came in at £23,385, while literary agents assistants averaged £27,431. Rights assistants wages were calculated at £23,967 per year, and marketing assistants were on £22,722.

“Overall the low salaries for assistants are concerning to me, as I don't think I could do the amount of work I currently do for less money,” one respondent said. “I think if publishers are serious about diversifying their workforces, and including older employees and people changing careers and retaining employees, an urgent revision of entry level salaries is needed across the board.”

The survey also suggests overworking is rife within the industry, with 84% of respondents saying they work more than their contracted hours, and 33% estimating they clock up an extra six hours or more on a weekly basis.

Inclusion and representation has also not seen much improvement on 2017, the report suggests, with almost 89.5% of all respondents classing themselves as white, compared to just over 90% of all respondents four years ago. Just under 75% of respondents said their employers have a diversity and inclusion policy in place, but only 35% believe the policy is fit for purpose.

The report also suggests a growing disillusionment with the industry’s career prospects. Of those who took part, just 40% would recommend a career in publishing to a friend. This compares to 59% in 2017 and is the lowest since the question was first introduced in 2004. Of those polled, 25.5% who would not recommend a career in publishing are aged 24 to 35 with the 27 to 30-year-olds being the most disillusioned at 11.8% .

“I deliberated a long time on the question about whether or not I'd recommend a job in publishing to someone not in the industry,” a respondent said. “While I enjoy working in publishing and love my current role, the salary in our industry is low compared to the skills required, amount of work we put in and money our businesses make”.

“Publishers have learned nothing in the 25 years I have been publishing this data,” said Collier, whose full report runs to 150 tables of data and analysis. “Respondents are overworked, underpaid, stressed and disillusioned.”

The Publishers Association declined to comment on the survey.