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Average Environmental Protection Officer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An environmental protection officer in United Kingdom earns about 34,400 GBP a year. That's 51% below 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 15,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 54,900 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 environmental protection officer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
34,400 GBP
2,866 GBP per month
Lowest reported
15,500 GBP
1,291 GBP per month
Highest reported
54,900 GBP
4,575 GBP per month

A typical environmental protection officer working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,866 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 15,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 54,900 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 environmental protection officer 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 environmental protection officer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How environmental protection officer 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 environmental protection officers in United Kingdom earn less than 36,700 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 26,200 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 51,600 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of environmental protection officers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 15,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 54,900 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.

15,500
Low
36,700
Median
54,900
High
26,200
25th
51,600
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Environmental protection officer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an environmental protection officer 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 environmental protection officer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    19,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +27% from previous
    24,200 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +44% from previous
    34,900 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +30% from previous
    45,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    47,100 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +9% from previous
    51,300 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 44%. That is the point at which a environmental protection officer 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.

Environmental protection officer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving environmental protection officer 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 environmental protection officer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Certificate or Diploma
    20,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +60% from previous
    32,300 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +74% from previous
    56,100 GBP

Environmental protection officer 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 environmental protection officers in United Kingdom earn an average of 35,300 GBP a year, while female environmental protection officers earn around 36,500 GBP. That works out to a 3% gap in favour of women, 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.

Environmental Protection Officer gender pay gap

3%

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

Women 36,500 GBP
Men 35,300 GBP

Pay raises for an environmental protection officer 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 10% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 8% 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

Environmental protection officer 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.

35%

35% of environmental protection officers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an environmental protection officer a low-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 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 65% of environmental protection officers 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

Environmental protection officer: 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

Environmental protection officer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Environmental protection officer 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
  • Bristol
  • Manchester
  • Liverpool
  • Cardiff
  • Brighton
  • Coventry
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion66,700 GBP70,700 GBP29,600-105,800 GBP
ScotlandRegion47,200 GBP50,500 GBP22,000-77,300 GBP
LondonCity44,300 GBP44,500 GBP19,100-67,300 GBP
BirminghamCity43,400 GBP46,000 GBP20,500-69,700 GBP
BristolCity41,000 GBP44,700 GBP20,900-65,800 GBP
ManchesterCity40,700 GBP40,300 GBP22,000-63,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity40,300 GBP40,300 GBP20,700-64,600 GBP
CardiffCity40,300 GBP39,100 GBP21,400-60,600 GBP
BrightonCity39,600 GBP36,400 GBP21,100-59,100 GBP
CoventryCity39,600 GBP38,000 GBP18,900-62,600 GBP
NottinghamCity39,600 GBP38,000 GBP18,900-62,600 GBP
SomersetCity39,500 GBP35,600 GBP19,100-58,700 GBP
BradfordCity39,500 GBP40,700 GBP20,500-64,300 GBP
GlasgowCity38,900 GBP39,600 GBP23,000-63,000 GBP
AberdeenCity38,700 GBP35,300 GBP19,400-57,100 GBP
SwanseaCity38,100 GBP35,000 GBP19,400-56,400 GBP
SheffieldCity38,000 GBP42,500 GBP19,300-63,200 GBP
EdinburghCity38,000 GBP38,900 GBP19,400-61,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity38,000 GBP42,500 GBP19,300-63,200 GBP
LeedsCity38,000 GBP36,400 GBP21,100-59,100 GBP
NewcastleCity38,000 GBP36,400 GBP21,100-61,400 GBP
CambridgeCity37,200 GBP34,900 GBP16,000-56,100 GBP
BelfastCity36,800 GBP40,000 GBP15,300-59,000 GBP
DerbyCity36,700 GBP36,400 GBP19,100-56,900 GBP
LeicesterCity36,400 GBP42,000 GBP16,000-58,700 GBP
NorwichCity36,000 GBP38,000 GBP17,500-58,100 GBP
NewryCity36,000 GBP36,800 GBP17,500-58,600 GBP
SouthamptonCity36,000 GBP34,800 GBP19,100-54,900 GBP
PlymouthCity35,600 GBP39,400 GBP19,000-58,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity35,600 GBP39,400 GBP19,000-59,000 GBP
YorkCity35,600 GBP36,900 GBP19,000-59,000 GBP
PortsmouthCity35,600 GBP39,600 GBP18,300-57,800 GBP
LincolnCity35,500 GBP34,000 GBP16,100-50,600 GBP
WinchesterCity35,400 GBP32,300 GBP19,400-52,000 GBP
ArmaghCity35,300 GBP34,000 GBP16,300-54,600 GBP
WalesRegion35,100 GBP31,400 GBP16,000-51,800 GBP
ExeterCity35,100 GBP33,300 GBP18,400-53,500 GBP
PeterboroughCity35,000 GBP39,800 GBP15,300-57,400 GBP
NewportCity35,000 GBP39,800 GBP15,300-57,400 GBP
DundeeCity34,900 GBP39,800 GBP15,700-58,600 GBP
OxfordCity34,800 GBP33,800 GBP19,200-54,900 GBP
PooleCity34,400 GBP35,500 GBP17,100-54,100 GBP
GloucesterCity33,000 GBP32,900 GBP19,400-51,300 GBP
LisburnCity33,000 GBP32,600 GBP16,300-53,300 GBP
ChesterCity33,000 GBP36,800 GBP17,100-55,200 GBP
CanterburyCity32,900 GBP30,200 GBP18,800-51,600 GBP
DerryCity32,900 GBP32,600 GBP16,800-51,800 GBP
RiponCity32,900 GBP30,200 GBP17,100-50,000 GBP
HartlepoolCity32,900 GBP36,000 GBP17,100-53,300 GBP
StirlingCity32,600 GBP33,200 GBP16,000-51,100 GBP
InvernessCity32,600 GBP33,800 GBP13,300-52,600 GBP
WellsCity32,300 GBP34,000 GBP16,800-49,300 GBP
WakefieldCity32,200 GBP33,000 GBP14,000-51,300 GBP
DurhamCity32,200 GBP35,500 GBP17,100-50,600 GBP
BangorCity32,200 GBP31,700 GBP15,500-51,800 GBP
St DavidsCity31,800 GBP30,300 GBP14,200-49,300 GBP
SalisburyCity31,400 GBP29,100 GBP15,700-48,500 GBP
StrontianCity31,200 GBP29,600 GBP14,000-47,500 GBP
StromnessCity30,800 GBP33,600 GBP12,400-46,700 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion30,200 GBP30,700 GBP16,800-49,400 GBP
AbingdonCity30,000 GBP32,200 GBP14,500-47,400 GBP
KirkwallCity29,400 GBP30,200 GBP17,100-47,200 GBP
TruroCity29,100 GBP30,800 GBP16,300-46,200 GBP

Environmental Protection Officer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an environmental protection officer make per month in United Kingdom?

    An environmental protection officer in United Kingdom earns about 2,866 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 34,400 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an environmental protection officer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level environmental protection officers in United Kingdom start near 15,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 54,900 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 26,200 and 51,600 GBP.

  • Is the median environmental protection officer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 36,700 GBP, higher than the average of 34,400 GBP. Half of environmental protection officers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for environmental protection officers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an environmental protection officer in United Kingdom earn around 3% less than women on average (35,300 vs 36,500 GBP a year).

  • Do environmental protection officers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 35% of environmental protection officers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do environmental protection officers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do environmental protection officers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An environmental protection officer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 10% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.