How Much Do Research Scientist Jobs Pay in the UK? (November 2026)
As of November 2026, the median Research Scientist salary in the UK is $194,310 a year. Most roles pay between $60,558 and $285,150 (the 10th–90th percentile), drawn from 19 live salaried listings across 13 companies. All figures are converted to annual US dollars so different sources compare like-for-like.
How pay has moved
Median base salary by month, from our monthly salary snapshots.
Highest-paying employers
- All Graham Capital Management, L.P roles →
- All Hudson River Trading roles →
- All Novartis roles →
- Senior Research Scientist, AI Foundations Recipes2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Machine Learning, Simulation Realism2027 Summer Intern, MS/PhD, Machine Learning, Simulation RealismAll Waymo roles →
Employers ranked by median advertised base among those with at least two salaried listings in the UK; each one’s best-paying open roles are listed beneath it.
Methodology: Research Scientist listings in the UK with a published salary, updated daily. Figures come from roles that are open right now. Ranges and single figures are converted to an annual US-dollar midpoint; hourly rates are annualised and out-of-band values dropped. Salary data is self-reported by employers and covers the roles that disclose pay — treat it as a directional guide, not a guarantee.