Average Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salary in Durham, United Kingdom for 2026

In this article, we will look at the average Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary for 2026 in Durham and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does an Atmospheric and Space Scientist Make in Durham?

An Atmospheric and Space Scientist working in Durham will typically earn around 115,600 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 52,300 GBP to the highest average salary of 185,900 GBP.

Average Annual Salary115,600 GBP
Average Monthly Salary9,633 GBP
Average Lowest Salary52,300 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary4,358 GBP
Average Highest Salary185,900 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary15,491 GBP

These are average salaries for an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for an Atmospheric and Space Scientist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Atmospheric and Space Scientist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salaries in Durham

So we've looked at the average salaries an Atmospheric and Space Scientist will earn in Durham. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that an Atmospheric and Space Scientist can earn between 52,300 GBP and 185,900 GBP on average in Durham. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham is 128,200 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 128,200 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 128,200 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary in Durham, 25% of the population are earning less than 82,300 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 82,300 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 168,700 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 168,700 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salary by Experience Level in Durham

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. An Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 59,900 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary would increase to 83,700 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as an Atmospheric and Space Scientist, the average salary would be 121,800 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 146,900 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. An Atmospheric and Space Scientist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 160,600 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For an Atmospheric and Space Scientist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 172,200 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years-
59,900 GBP
2-5 Years+34%
83,700 GBP
5-10 Years+48%
121,800 GBP
10-15 Years+22%
146,900 GBP
15-20 Years+9%
160,600 GBP
20+ Years+8%
172,200 GBP

Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salary by Education Level in Durham

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. An Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 70,900 GBP.
  • Master's Degree. An Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 108,200 GBP.
  • PhD. An Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham with a phd education can earn an average salary of 183,600 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree-
70,900 GBP
Master's Degree+57%
108,200 GBP
PhD+68%
183,600 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Durham, a male atmospheric and space scientist will earn an average of 130,500 GBP, while a female atmospheric and space scientist will earn around 123,800 GBP.

This means that a male atmospheric and space scientist earns approximately 5% more than a female atmospheric and space scientist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Durham

Male-
130,500 GBP
Female-5%
123,800 GBP

Atmospheric and Space Scientist Average Pay Raise in Durham

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham is around 13% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 13 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 10%

What this means is that an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 10% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Durham for 2026

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking-
3%
Energy-
6%
Information Technology-
9%
Healthcare-
3%
Travel-
6%
Construction-
9%
Education-
3%

Atmospheric and Space Scientist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Durham

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

An Atmospheric and Space Scientist is a moderate bonus based job, with 63% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

37% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7%.

Received Bonus-
63%
No Bonus-
37%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector-
72,700 GBP
Private Sector-7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to an Atmospheric and Space Scientist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to an Atmospheric and Space Scientist in Durham.

Job TitleCategorySalary
3D Lab TechnologistScience and Technical Services67,900 GBP
Algorithm DeveloperScience and Technical Services95,000 GBP
Analytical ChemistScience and Technical Services134,700 GBP
AnthropologistScience and Technical Services105,800 GBP
ArcheologistScience and Technical Services86,100 GBP
Assistant BreederScience and Technical Services45,000 GBP
AstronomerScience and Technical Services164,100 GBP
Behavior AnalystScience and Technical Services86,100 GBP
Behavior Intervention SpecialistScience and Technical Services100,300 GBP
Behavior SpecialistScience and Technical Services93,600 GBP
BiochemistScience and Technical Services146,700 GBP
Biofuels Processing TechnicianScience and Technical Services61,700 GBP
Biofuels Production ManagerScience and Technical Services102,700 GBP
BiologistScience and Technical Services153,800 GBP
Biomedical Laboratory OfficerScience and Technical Services57,800 GBP
Biomedical ScientistScience and Technical Services158,700 GBP
BiophysicistScience and Technical Services151,800 GBP
Chemical EngineerScience and Technical Services68,900 GBP
Chemical TechnologistScience and Technical Services65,800 GBP
ChemistScience and Technical Services148,300 GBP
Chief TechnologistScience and Technical Services127,700 GBP
Climate Change AnalystScience and Technical Services98,900 GBP
Clinical Laboratory ScientistScience and Technical Services156,200 GBP
Computer ScientistScience and Technical Services117,100 GBP
Conservation ScientistScience and Technical Services124,500 GBP
DNA AnalystScience and Technical Services148,300 GBP
Data Science SpecialistScience and Technical Services90,600 GBP
Data ScientistScience and Technical Services114,300 GBP
EcologistScience and Technical Services114,600 GBP
Economic Development SpecialistScience and Technical Services115,600 GBP
FlavouristScience and Technical Services48,000 GBP
Food ScientistScience and Technical Services98,000 GBP
Forensic ScientistScience and Technical Services118,900 GBP
Formulation TechnologistScience and Technical Services62,600 GBP
Fraud InvestigatorScience and Technical Services71,000 GBP
Genomics ScientistScience and Technical Services150,100 GBP
GeographerScience and Technical Services83,000 GBP
Geographic Information Systems TechnicianScience and Technical Services51,600 GBP
Geological Data TechnicianScience and Technical Services51,800 GBP
Geological TechnicianScience and Technical Services65,500 GBP
GeologistScience and Technical Services121,800 GBP
Geomatics ScientistScience and Technical Services117,100 GBP
Geophysical Data TechnicianScience and Technical Services47,100 GBP
Geospatial Information Scientist and TechnologistScience and Technical Services117,100 GBP
Global Technical LeadScience and Technical Services151,800 GBP
HydrologistScience and Technical Services95,600 GBP
Industrial EcologistScience and Technical Services105,200 GBP
Intelligence AnalystScience and Technical Services95,300 GBP
Knowledge Management SpecialistScience and Technical Services76,900 GBP
Lab AnalystScience and Technical Services64,900 GBP
Lab ManagerScience and Technical Services109,700 GBP
Lab TechnicianScience and Technical Services45,800 GBP
Laboratory ManagerScience and Technical Services107,300 GBP
Laboratory ResearcherScience and Technical Services68,200 GBP
Laboratory TechnicianScience and Technical Services45,600 GBP
Life Sciences AnalystScience and Technical Services100,700 GBP
Life ScientistScience and Technical Services119,700 GBP
Marine ArchitectScience and Technical Services92,600 GBP
Marine BiologistScience and Technical Services105,800 GBP
Marine SuperintendentScience and Technical Services61,400 GBP
Materials AnalystScience and Technical Services61,700 GBP
Materials ScientistScience and Technical Services115,600 GBP
MathematicianScience and Technical Services114,300 GBP
Medical ScientistScience and Technical Services158,900 GBP
MetallurgistScience and Technical Services111,700 GBP
MeteorologistScience and Technical Services102,700 GBP
MicrobiologistScience and Technical Services156,200 GBP
Natural Language Processing ResearcherScience and Technical Services97,400 GBP
Natural Resource SpecialistScience and Technical Services90,900 GBP
Natural Resources AnalystScience and Technical Services91,200 GBP
Natural Sciences ManagerScience and Technical Services146,700 GBP
Nuclear EngineerScience and Technical Services163,500 GBP
Physical ScientistScience and Technical Services123,000 GBP
PhysicistScience and Technical Services153,700 GBP
Political ScientistScience and Technical Services116,400 GBP
Polygraph ExaminerScience and Technical Services41,000 GBP
Polysomnographic TechnologistScience and Technical Services72,000 GBP
Product Development ScientistScience and Technical Services124,500 GBP
Quantitative Research AnalystScience and Technical Services98,000 GBP
Quantitative ResearcherScience and Technical Services100,700 GBP
Radiation Protection SpecialistScience and Technical Services81,900 GBP
Refrigeration TechnicianScience and Technical Services35,100 GBP
Research ScientistScience and Technical Services108,200 GBP
Risk Safety EngineerScience and Technical Services66,900 GBP
Scientific PhotographerScience and Technical Services65,900 GBP
Scientific ProgrammerScience and Technical Services95,900 GBP
ScientistScience and Technical Services108,200 GBP
Service EngineerScience and Technical Services65,400 GBP
Service TechnicianScience and Technical Services45,200 GBP
Social Science Research AssistantScience and Technical Services61,700 GBP
Social ScientistScience and Technical Services118,900 GBP
SociologistScience and Technical Services107,700 GBP
Soil ScientistScience and Technical Services93,100 GBP
Statistical AnalystScience and Technical Services65,900 GBP
Statistical AssistantScience and Technical Services49,800 GBP
StatisticianScience and Technical Services103,600 GBP
Survey AnalystScience and Technical Services64,900 GBP
Survey ResearcherScience and Technical Services61,700 GBP
Surveying and Mapping TechnicianScience and Technical Services38,000 GBP
Team LeaderScience and Technical Services90,900 GBP
Technical ManagerScience and Technical Services105,200 GBP
Technical OfficerScience and Technical Services45,000 GBP
Technical Service DirectorScience and Technical Services140,700 GBP
Technical Services Regulatory Affairs SpecialistScience and Technical Services66,200 GBP
Technical Services Research AssociateScience and Technical Services74,600 GBP
Technical Services Research CoordinatorScience and Technical Services75,000 GBP
Technical Services Research and Development ManagerScience and Technical Services151,800 GBP
TechnicianScience and Technical Services40,300 GBP
Water EcologistScience and Technical Services123,000 GBP
Wildlife BiologistScience and Technical Services103,600 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

CityAverage Salary
Aberdeen134,100 GBP
Abingdon116,400 GBP
Armagh127,600 GBP
Bangor117,100 GBP
Belfast138,700 GBP
Birmingham150,100 GBP
Bradford142,300 GBP
Brighton141,000 GBP
Bristol151,800 GBP
Cambridge128,400 GBP
Canterbury124,500 GBP
Cardiff147,900 GBP
Chester127,600 GBP
Coventry151,800 GBP
Derby132,000 GBP
Derry125,400 GBP
Dundee130,500 GBP
Edinburgh148,300 GBP
Exeter123,800 GBP
Glasgow153,800 GBP
Gloucester125,400 GBP
Hartlepool124,500 GBP
Inverness124,500 GBP
Kingston upon Hull142,100 GBP
Kirkwall118,900 GBP
Leeds151,800 GBP
Leicester147,900 GBP
Lincoln130,400 GBP
Lisburn121,800 GBP
Liverpool153,800 GBP
London157,600 GBP
Manchester152,900 GBP
Newcastle148,300 GBP
Newport134,100 GBP
Newry127,700 GBP
Norwich124,500 GBP
Nottingham138,700 GBP
Oxford130,500 GBP
Peterborough130,500 GBP
Plymouth137,100 GBP
Poole128,400 GBP
Portsmouth137,100 GBP
Ripon117,100 GBP
Salisbury124,500 GBP
Sheffield151,800 GBP
Somerset142,300 GBP
Southampton140,200 GBP
St Davids117,100 GBP
Stirling128,400 GBP
Stromness119,700 GBP
Strontian109,000 GBP
Swansea140,200 GBP
Truro125,400 GBP
Wakefield117,100 GBP
Wells111,700 GBP
Winchester115,600 GBP
Wolverhampton134,700 GBP
York130,400 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

StateAverage Salary
England246,200 GBP
Northern Ireland119,700 GBP
Scotland184,700 GBP
Wales123,000 GBP

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