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Average Animal Scientist Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An animal scientist in United Kingdom earns about 100,200 GBP a year. That's 44% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 51,800 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 151,800 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.


How much does an animal scientist make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
100,200 GBP
8,350 GBP per month
Lowest reported
51,800 GBP
4,316 GBP per month
Highest reported
151,800 GBP
12,650 GBP per month

A typical animal scientist working in United Kingdom brings home around 8,350 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 51,800 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 151,800 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior animal scientist working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the animal scientist salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.


How animal scientist pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all animal scientists in United Kingdom earn less than 93,100 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 65,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 117,100 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of animal scientists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 51,800 GBP. The highest stretch to 151,800 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

51,800
Low
93,100
Median
151,800
High
65,100
25th
117,100
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Animal scientist pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an animal scientist in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical animal scientist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    59,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +34% from previous
    78,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +31% from previous
    103,600 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +20% from previous
    124,500 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +8% from previous
    134,100 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    142,100 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 34%. That is the point at which a animal scientist typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.


Animal scientist pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving animal scientist pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average animal scientist salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    73,800 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +26% from previous
    92,900 GBP
  • PhD
    +62% from previous
    150,100 GBP

Animal scientist gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male animal scientists in United Kingdom earn an average of 100,700 GBP a year, while female animal scientists earn around 98,100 GBP. That works out to a 3% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Animal Scientist gender pay gap

3%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 100,700 GBP
Women 98,100 GBP

Pay raises for an animal scientist in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 13% every 18 months, which works out to roughly 9% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Animal scientist bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

56%

56% of animal scientists in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an animal scientist a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 5% of base salary. The remaining 44% of animal scientists reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Animal scientist: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Animal scientist salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Animal scientist pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • London
  • Birmingham
  • Liverpool
  • Bristol
  • Manchester
  • Leeds
  • Cardiff
  • Bradford
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion184,700 GBP177,100 GBP94,300-283,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion134,700 GBP130,400 GBP69,100-206,700 GBP
LondonCity116,400 GBP125,400 GBP54,300-184,700 GBP
BirminghamCity115,600 GBP127,700 GBP53,500-187,500 GBP
LiverpoolCity114,900 GBP121,800 GBP53,500-182,400 GBP
BristolCity111,700 GBP107,300 GBP58,700-169,700 GBP
ManchesterCity111,700 GBP103,600 GBP61,400-166,600 GBP
LeedsCity109,000 GBP109,000 GBP55,600-167,100 GBP
CardiffCity109,000 GBP114,900 GBP50,000-171,300 GBP
BradfordCity108,200 GBP100,700 GBP60,900-163,800 GBP
PlymouthCity107,700 GBP111,700 GBP49,700-167,100 GBP
SheffieldCity107,700 GBP102,700 GBP54,500-163,500 GBP
GlasgowCity107,300 GBP107,300 GBP51,100-163,500 GBP
BrightonCity105,800 GBP97,300 GBP54,500-160,700 GBP
NewcastleCity105,800 GBP97,300 GBP54,100-158,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity105,200 GBP103,600 GBP54,300-160,700 GBP
EdinburghCity105,200 GBP103,600 GBP54,600-160,600 GBP
CoventryCity103,600 GBP107,300 GBP48,500-160,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity103,600 GBP111,700 GBP47,600-164,100 GBP
WolverhamptonCity102,700 GBP112,700 GBP49,000-163,800 GBP
LeicesterCity102,700 GBP105,800 GBP51,300-160,600 GBP
NottinghamCity102,700 GBP100,700 GBP51,900-158,700 GBP
SomersetCity102,700 GBP108,200 GBP49,700-164,100 GBP
PooleCity101,400 GBP105,800 GBP48,200-156,200 GBP
BelfastCity100,700 GBP97,400 GBP53,300-152,700 GBP
AberdeenCity99,900 GBP91,700 GBP53,300-151,800 GBP
ExeterCity99,100 GBP91,700 GBP51,800-146,900 GBP
YorkCity98,900 GBP90,900 GBP54,100-151,800 GBP
NewryCity98,100 GBP97,300 GBP45,800-151,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity98,000 GBP98,100 GBP50,700-153,800 GBP
SwanseaCity98,000 GBP93,800 GBP53,600-151,800 GBP
ArmaghCity97,600 GBP92,300 GBP49,300-148,300 GBP
DerbyCity97,400 GBP105,200 GBP44,500-153,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity95,500 GBP96,400 GBP47,500-146,900 GBP
NewportCity95,400 GBP105,800 GBP44,500-152,700 GBP
DurhamCity95,300 GBP100,700 GBP44,800-150,100 GBP
OxfordCity95,100 GBP95,100 GBP49,000-146,900 GBP
WalesRegion94,800 GBP89,300 GBP49,200-140,200 GBP
NorwichCity94,500 GBP91,700 GBP49,300-146,700 GBP
DundeeCity94,200 GBP93,100 GBP50,500-146,700 GBP
GloucesterCity94,000 GBP91,700 GBP52,300-146,700 GBP
StirlingCity93,900 GBP97,900 GBP43,800-150,100 GBP
LisburnCity93,100 GBP93,100 GBP45,800-148,300 GBP
LincolnCity92,900 GBP95,400 GBP45,000-142,300 GBP
CambridgeCity92,600 GBP92,100 GBP47,400-146,700 GBP
InvernessCity92,100 GBP93,900 GBP45,700-142,300 GBP
HartlepoolCity91,600 GBP88,600 GBP48,600-140,200 GBP
WinchesterCity91,600 GBP95,900 GBP45,000-146,700 GBP
SalisburyCity90,000 GBP85,500 GBP45,800-137,100 GBP
CanterburyCity88,600 GBP88,600 GBP44,300-134,700 GBP
WellsCity88,600 GBP94,100 GBP44,300-140,700 GBP
DerryCity88,300 GBP86,800 GBP43,800-139,100 GBP
ChesterCity87,900 GBP91,900 GBP44,300-140,700 GBP
KirkwallCity87,600 GBP92,100 GBP41,500-139,100 GBP
BangorCity86,800 GBP92,300 GBP43,500-140,700 GBP
RiponCity86,600 GBP80,800 GBP45,300-130,400 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion86,600 GBP86,600 GBP45,100-134,100 GBP
WakefieldCity86,100 GBP90,000 GBP42,800-134,700 GBP
StrontianCity83,800 GBP76,800 GBP43,100-123,800 GBP
TruroCity83,800 GBP83,800 GBP40,300-128,400 GBP
AbingdonCity83,700 GBP88,000 GBP38,900-132,000 GBP
StromnessCity83,300 GBP92,300 GBP39,600-134,700 GBP
St DavidsCity83,200 GBP75,900 GBP46,400-127,700 GBP


Animal Scientist in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an animal scientist make per month in United Kingdom?

    An animal scientist in United Kingdom earns about 8,350 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 100,200 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an animal scientist in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level animal scientists in United Kingdom start near 51,800 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 151,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 65,100 and 117,100 GBP.

  • Is the median animal scientist salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 93,100 GBP, lower than the average of 100,200 GBP. Half of animal scientists in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for animal scientists in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an animal scientist in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (100,700 vs 98,100 GBP a year).

  • Do animal scientists in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 56% of animal scientists in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 5% of base salary.

  • Do animal scientists earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an animal scientist about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do animal scientists in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An animal scientist in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 18 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.