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Average Genetic Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A genetic engineer in United Kingdom earns about 67,500 GBP a year. That's 3% roughly in line with 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 34,400 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 102,700 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 a genetic engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
67,500 GBP
5,625 GBP per month
Lowest reported
34,400 GBP
2,866 GBP per month
Highest reported
102,700 GBP
8,558 GBP per month

A typical genetic engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,625 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 34,400 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 102,700 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 genetic engineer 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 genetic engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How genetic engineer 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 genetic engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 63,700 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 44,700 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 80,800 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of genetic engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 34,400 GBP. The highest stretch to 102,700 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.

34,400
Low
63,700
Median
102,700
High
44,700
25th
80,800
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Genetic engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a genetic engineer 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 genetic engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    40,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +30% from previous
    52,300 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +32% from previous
    69,200 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    85,500 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    91,600 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    97,600 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 32%. That is the point at which a genetic engineer 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.

Genetic engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    55,500 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +38% from previous
    76,800 GBP

Genetic engineer 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 genetic engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 69,400 GBP a year, while female genetic engineers earn around 64,400 GBP. That works out to a 8% 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.

Genetic Engineer gender pay gap

7%

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

Men 69,400 GBP
Women 64,400 GBP

Pay raises for a genetic engineer 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 12% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 10% 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

Genetic engineer 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.

55%

55% of genetic engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a genetic engineer 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 45% of genetic engineers 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

Genetic engineer: 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

Genetic engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Genetic engineer 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
  • Leeds
  • Glasgow
  • Bristol
  • Edinburgh
  • Sheffield
  • Manchester
  • Nottingham
  • London
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion130,500 GBP125,400 GBP67,900-197,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion94,800 GBP87,900 GBP51,400-146,700 GBP
LeedsCity84,900 GBP88,000 GBP38,000-130,400 GBP
GlasgowCity83,800 GBP87,600 GBP39,800-130,500 GBP
BristolCity81,300 GBP78,100 GBP40,300-125,400 GBP
EdinburghCity80,700 GBP72,700 GBP44,800-121,800 GBP
SheffieldCity80,700 GBP75,100 GBP40,300-123,000 GBP
ManchesterCity79,700 GBP82,300 GBP36,400-124,500 GBP
NottinghamCity79,600 GBP73,700 GBP40,300-117,100 GBP
LondonCity79,600 GBP85,500 GBP36,800-127,700 GBP
BirminghamCity79,000 GBP87,700 GBP37,100-128,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity78,900 GBP73,700 GBP42,700-117,100 GBP
NewcastleCity77,400 GBP77,400 GBP36,700-115,600 GBP
LiverpoolCity76,900 GBP72,700 GBP39,800-115,600 GBP
BradfordCity76,800 GBP78,500 GBP37,100-119,700 GBP
SomersetCity76,600 GBP72,800 GBP39,000-114,300 GBP
CardiffCity76,000 GBP68,500 GBP40,300-114,900 GBP
BelfastCity74,300 GBP71,400 GBP38,700-115,600 GBP
SouthamptonCity73,800 GBP68,400 GBP39,500-114,600 GBP
BrightonCity73,800 GBP73,800 GBP38,100-114,300 GBP
AberdeenCity73,500 GBP73,500 GBP36,400-114,600 GBP
LeicesterCity73,300 GBP75,500 GBP35,000-116,400 GBP
CoventryCity73,100 GBP70,500 GBP36,400-114,900 GBP
DerbyCity72,700 GBP70,100 GBP36,800-108,200 GBP
WolverhamptonCity72,400 GBP79,700 GBP32,600-116,400 GBP
PlymouthCity72,400 GBP68,200 GBP35,600-109,700 GBP
OxfordCity71,900 GBP77,300 GBP33,000-115,600 GBP
YorkCity71,800 GBP73,500 GBP35,300-112,700 GBP
ArmaghCity71,800 GBP71,800 GBP35,500-108,200 GBP
CambridgeCity71,700 GBP63,700 GBP36,200-107,300 GBP
DundeeCity71,600 GBP70,000 GBP36,800-109,700 GBP
SwanseaCity71,400 GBP71,400 GBP36,800-114,900 GBP
NewportCity69,800 GBP73,800 GBP30,200-109,700 GBP
NewryCity69,700 GBP70,600 GBP33,600-108,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity69,200 GBP75,100 GBP32,300-114,600 GBP
DerryCity68,500 GBP64,300 GBP35,600-105,200 GBP
NorwichCity68,300 GBP67,900 GBP34,800-107,700 GBP
GloucesterCity68,100 GBP68,100 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
ExeterCity68,100 GBP71,600 GBP32,200-109,000 GBP
PeterboroughCity67,800 GBP68,200 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
LincolnCity67,200 GBP65,100 GBP35,300-102,700 GBP
PooleCity66,400 GBP64,300 GBP36,500-102,700 GBP
LisburnCity66,200 GBP73,700 GBP32,200-107,700 GBP
CanterburyCity66,100 GBP69,700 GBP30,200-105,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity66,100 GBP67,000 GBP34,300-105,200 GBP
InvernessCity65,800 GBP68,900 GBP33,600-105,800 GBP
WalesRegion65,500 GBP65,500 GBP31,400-97,300 GBP
TruroCity65,100 GBP67,800 GBP30,300-105,200 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion64,900 GBP68,900 GBP31,200-99,700 GBP
WakefieldCity63,900 GBP65,500 GBP29,100-98,000 GBP
SalisburyCity63,500 GBP63,500 GBP34,100-100,700 GBP
StirlingCity63,400 GBP59,800 GBP34,000-97,300 GBP
DurhamCity63,200 GBP68,200 GBP31,300-103,600 GBP
AbingdonCity62,600 GBP58,700 GBP32,900-95,000 GBP
RiponCity61,800 GBP64,900 GBP31,200-96,800 GBP
StromnessCity61,400 GBP63,400 GBP26,100-94,400 GBP
ChesterCity61,400 GBP63,800 GBP30,000-99,600 GBP
WinchesterCity61,200 GBP58,500 GBP32,600-94,400 GBP
KirkwallCity59,200 GBP56,600 GBP28,900-93,100 GBP
StrontianCity59,100 GBP63,000 GBP28,900-92,600 GBP
BangorCity59,100 GBP58,400 GBP31,400-94,100 GBP
St DavidsCity58,800 GBP63,500 GBP27,300-94,200 GBP
WellsCity58,000 GBP59,000 GBP30,800-90,900 GBP

Genetic Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a genetic engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A genetic engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,625 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 67,500 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a genetic engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level genetic engineers in United Kingdom start near 34,400 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 102,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 44,700 and 80,800 GBP.

  • Is the median genetic engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 63,700 GBP, lower than the average of 67,500 GBP. Half of genetic engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for genetic engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a genetic engineer in United Kingdom earn around 8% more than women on average (69,400 vs 64,400 GBP a year).

  • Do genetic engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 55% of genetic engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 5% of base salary.

  • Do genetic engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do genetic engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A genetic engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 10% a year.