Research Scientist Salary in London
Official ONS earnings for London.
Median salary — London
£48,721
gross, per year, all employees
Mean
£46,056
What a typical research scientist takes home
On the median of £48,721, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£3,217
Take-home a year
£38,599
Income Tax
£7,230
National Insurance
£2,892
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Other researchers, unspecified discipline
- SOC 2020 code
- 2162
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “research scientist” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Other researchers, unspecified discipline”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures a residual group - researchers whose discipline ONS does not record.
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.
Research Scientist salary FAQs
What is the average Research Scientist salary in London?
The median is £48,721 a year and the mean is £46,056, 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 research scientist earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £23.54 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for London.
Do research scientists in London earn more than the UK average?
The median in London is £48,721 against £42,463 across the UK, 14.7% higher.
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.
Similar roles
Official figures show the market. Your salary shows what employers actually pay.
Add your salary anonymously