Research and development (r&d) managers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time research and development (r&d) managers in the UK earned a median £55,519 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 42% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 34th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £44,101 and £75,207.
The mean, £64,408, is 16% above the median, a sign of a few very high earners.
Median full-time pay: women £54,716 a year, men £57,292 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 92,000 employee jobs, 90% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 16.3%, from £47,755, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 86,200 people in this line of work, 21% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £36,943 | £725.00 | £19.13 | £33,154 | £664.60 | £18.77 |
| 20th percentile | £42,009 | £844.10 | £22.24 | £39,983 | £791.70 | £22.09 |
| 25th percentile | £44,101 | £879.50 | £23.70 | £42,237 | £850.50 | £23.40 |
| 30th percentile | £46,666 | £941.90 | £24.93 | £45,069 | £897.10 | £24.70 |
| 40th percentile | £52,047 | £1,043.90 | £28.08 | £49,999 | £1,006.60 | £27.89 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £55,519 | £1,101.50 | £29.80 | £54,857 | £1,088.80 | £29.77 |
| 60th percentile | £63,209 | £1,219.70 | £32.19 | £61,303 | £1,183.70 | £32.21 |
| 70th percentile | £70,407 | £1,362.90 | £36.04 | £68,843 | £1,325.00 | £36.05 |
| 75th percentile | £75,207 | £1,434.90 | £37.32 | £73,106 | £1,394.70 | £37.47 |
| 80th percentile | £78,752 | £1,491.40 | £39.65 | £77,333 | £1,468.20 | £39.66 |
| Mean | £64,408 | £1,197.50 | £31.96 | £61,929 | £1,159.40 | £31.88 |
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 | £47,755 | £933.90 | £24.57 | £46,149 | £901.20 | 69 |
| 2022 revised | £50,007 | £974.40 | £26.06 | £48,083 | £958.20 | 70 |
| 2023 revised | £49,866* | £1,004.10 | £26.86 | £48,351* | £961.40 | 78 |
| 2024 revised | £54,551 | £1,068.70 | £28.80 | £52,139 | £1,043.10 | 86 |
| 2025 provisional | £55,519 | £1,101.50 | £29.80 | £54,857 | £1,088.80 | 92 |
Research and development (r&d) managers by region
UK: 86,200 (± 11,400), April 2025 to March 2026. 9 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 18,300* | ± 7,000 |
| South East | 14,300* | ± 4,700 |
| North West | 10,900* | ± 4,000 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What research and development (r&d) managers do
Managers in this unit group plan, organise, co-ordinate and manage resources to undertake the systematic investigation necessary for the development of new, or to enhance the performance of existing, products and services. (ONS SOC 2020, 2161)
Also covers: clinical trials manager, consumer insights manager, creative manager (research and development), design manager, market research manager, research manager (broadcasting), creative manager, development manager, information manager, insight manager, laboratory manager, NPD manager, product manager, project manager, research manager, rm&g manager, technical manager and clinical study manager (43 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions
- Liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems
- Develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team
- Monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team
Entrants usually possess a relevant degree or equivalent qualification. Training is usually provided on-the-job, although support may be provided for postgraduate study. Professional qualifications are available.
Related
Research and development (r&d) and other research professionals (median £54,563) · Other researchers, unspecified discipline · Environment professionals · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Mean
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026