Scientific research and development: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in scientific research and development earned a median £50,117 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £11,078 more than across all industries.
What the figures show
It ranks 14th of 84 divisions on this measure.
92% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £45,265, men £53,415.
The median rose 25.4% from £39,970 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 171,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, up 13% since 2019; 22% are in South East.
There were 6,725 business sites in March 2026, 130 of them employing 250 or more (UK Business Counts).
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £29,923 | £592.00 | £16.10 | £26,464 | £537.80 | £15.86 |
| 20th percentile | £35,654 | £702.50 | £18.52 | £33,123 | £667.00 | £18.24 |
| 25th percentile | £37,973 | £745.10 | £19.68 | £36,084 | £706.10 | £19.31 |
| 30th percentile | £39,817 | £785.20 | £21.05 | £38,249 | £760.60 | £20.63 |
| 40th percentile | £45,283 | £865.70 | £22.94 | £43,526 | £834.20 | £22.57 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £50,117 | £967.10 | £26.06 | £48,112 | £925.90 | £25.18 |
| 60th percentile | £55,613 | £1,078.40 | £28.63 | £54,208 | £1,052.60 | £28.37 |
| 70th percentile | £61,934 | £1,184.60 | £31.83 | £60,235 | £1,161.90 | £31.66 |
| 75th percentile | £65,890 | £1,268.00 | £34.25 | £64,712 | £1,245.70 | £34.21 |
| 80th percentile | £70,545 | £1,370.10 | £36.80 | £69,433 | £1,346.90 | £36.72 |
| 90th percentile | – | £1,681.60* | £44.65* | – | £1,657.90* | £44.71* |
| Mean | £57,450 | £1,096.70 | £29.28 | £55,248 | £1,054.80 | £29.17 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £39,970 | £766.60 | £20.47 | £38,270 | £736.30 | 180 |
| 2022 revised | £45,869 | £879.50 | £23.84 | £44,091 | £860.10 | 179 |
| 2023 revised | £47,255 | £918.40 | £25.10 | £45,257 | £883.10 | 210 |
| 2024 revised | £48,630 | £921.70 | £24.90 | £45,948 | £873.90 | 176 |
| 2025 provisional | £50,117 | £967.10 | £26.06 | £48,112 | £925.90 | 187 |
Where the 171,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 38,000 | 38,000 |
| East of England | 32,000 | 32,000 |
| London | 27,000 | 27,000 |
| South West | 17,000 | 17,000 |
| Scotland | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| North West | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| East Midlands | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| North East | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| West Midlands | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Wales | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Great Britain | 171,000 | 171,000 |
6,725 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 4,980 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 1,200 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 420 |
| Large (250 or more) | 130 |
| Total | 6,725 |
2021: 6,480; 2022: 6,570; 2023: 6,470; 2024: 6,605; 2025: 6,630; 2026: 6,725.
Related
Professional, scientific and technical activities · Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis · Advertising and market research · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026