Social Media Manager Salary in South East
Official ONS earnings for South East, covering 22,000 jobs.
Median salary — South East
£30,363
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 1.3% change on the previous year
Mean
£33,132
Jobs measured
22,000
What a typical social media manager takes home
On the median of £30,363, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,115
Take-home a year
£25,381
Income Tax
£3,559
National Insurance
£1,423
What most social media managers actually earn
Half of social media managers in South East earn between £29,887 and £67,099. Earning above £67,099 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals” group in South East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of social media managers earn less than this.
How South East ranks for social media manager pay
2nd
of 4 GB regions with a published figure
London tops the table on £35,000 and North West sits at the bottom on £28,013. South East is £4,637 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Marketing associate professionals
- SOC 2020 code
- 3554
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “social media manager” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Marketing associate professionals”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures marketing associate professionals as one group; digital specialisms are not separated.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Social Media Manager salary FAQs
What is the average Social Media Manager salary in South East?
The median is £30,363 a year and the mean is £33,132, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a social media manager earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £16.61 excluding overtime, or £16.99 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for South East.
What is a good Social Media Manager salary?
Half of social media managers earn between £29,887 and £67,099. Anything above £67,099 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a social media manager?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of social media managers earn under £20,633 and the lowest quarter under £29,887 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do social media managers in South East earn more than the UK average?
The median in South East is £30,363 against £30,479 across the UK, 0.4% lower, which places it 2nd highest of the 4 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has social media manager pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +1.3% for this occupation in South East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many social media managers are there in South East?
ASHE counts around 22,000 employee jobs in “Marketing associate professionals” (SOC 3554) in South East. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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