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Average Quality Control Chemist Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A quality control chemist in United Kingdom earns about 83,200 GBP a year. That's 19% 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 39,700 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 128,400 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 quality control chemist make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
83,200 GBP
6,933 GBP per month
Lowest reported
39,700 GBP
3,308 GBP per month
Highest reported
128,400 GBP
10,700 GBP per month

A typical quality control chemist working in United Kingdom brings home around 6,933 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 39,700 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 128,400 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 quality control chemist 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 quality control chemist salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How quality control chemist 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 quality control chemists in United Kingdom earn less than 83,300 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 58,600 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 108,200 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of quality control chemists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 39,700 GBP. The highest stretch to 128,400 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.

39,700
Low
83,300
Median
128,400
High
58,600
25th
108,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Quality control chemist pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    50,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +26% from previous
    63,000 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +39% from previous
    87,500 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    107,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    114,900 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    123,000 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 39%. That is the point at which a quality control chemist 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.

Quality control chemist pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    60,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +63% from previous
    98,800 GBP

Quality control chemist 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 quality control chemists in United Kingdom earn an average of 84,800 GBP a year, while female quality control chemists earn around 82,200 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.

Quality Control Chemist gender pay gap

3%

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

Men 84,800 GBP
Women 82,200 GBP

Pay raises for a quality control chemist 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 17 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

Quality control chemist 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.

59%

59% of quality control chemists in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a quality control chemist 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 6% of base salary. The remaining 41% of quality control chemists 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

Quality control chemist: 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

Quality control chemist salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Quality control chemist 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
  • Glasgow
  • Sheffield
  • Coventry
  • Liverpool
  • Bristol
  • Bradford
  • Leicester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion150,100 GBP151,800 GBP71,200-231,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion114,600 GBP114,600 GBP58,600-175,200 GBP
LondonCity95,400 GBP102,700 GBP45,000-153,800 GBP
GlasgowCity94,200 GBP91,700 GBP50,000-147,900 GBP
SheffieldCity93,600 GBP96,000 GBP47,500-146,900 GBP
CoventryCity92,900 GBP87,400 GBP46,900-141,000 GBP
LiverpoolCity92,300 GBP83,200 GBP48,500-138,700 GBP
BristolCity92,200 GBP93,300 GBP43,100-142,300 GBP
BradfordCity91,700 GBP97,600 GBP41,500-142,300 GBP
LeicesterCity91,700 GBP88,600 GBP45,800-140,700 GBP
BirminghamCity91,500 GBP99,700 GBP44,300-148,300 GBP
LeedsCity91,200 GBP87,400 GBP46,000-141,000 GBP
EdinburghCity88,300 GBP88,300 GBP45,600-140,700 GBP
SomersetCity87,400 GBP78,500 GBP45,900-128,400 GBP
PortsmouthCity86,100 GBP92,200 GBP38,000-139,100 GBP
ManchesterCity86,100 GBP94,100 GBP39,700-139,100 GBP
BelfastCity86,100 GBP84,300 GBP42,400-130,400 GBP
NottinghamCity85,100 GBP85,100 GBP42,700-130,500 GBP
AberdeenCity84,600 GBP87,800 GBP39,800-134,100 GBP
PeterboroughCity84,600 GBP81,400 GBP45,000-130,500 GBP
NewcastleCity84,300 GBP91,000 GBP42,400-134,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity84,200 GBP84,200 GBP40,700-127,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity83,800 GBP83,800 GBP40,300-130,500 GBP
PlymouthCity83,800 GBP78,200 GBP43,500-123,800 GBP
ArmaghCity83,300 GBP90,000 GBP41,900-134,100 GBP
CardiffCity83,100 GBP78,200 GBP45,400-127,600 GBP
DerbyCity83,000 GBP75,800 GBP45,700-127,700 GBP
BrightonCity82,200 GBP84,300 GBP39,300-128,400 GBP
ExeterCity81,300 GBP88,400 GBP39,800-130,500 GBP
WalesRegion81,200 GBP81,700 GBP36,900-125,400 GBP
StirlingCity80,800 GBP74,500 GBP43,400-119,700 GBP
SwanseaCity80,800 GBP83,000 GBP38,000-127,700 GBP
OxfordCity80,500 GBP80,900 GBP42,500-127,700 GBP
YorkCity80,500 GBP87,700 GBP37,800-130,500 GBP
NorwichCity80,500 GBP83,200 GBP41,100-127,600 GBP
PooleCity80,400 GBP72,400 GBP44,900-123,000 GBP
CambridgeCity80,300 GBP80,300 GBP38,900-127,700 GBP
LisburnCity80,200 GBP75,800 GBP41,100-121,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity79,800 GBP88,600 GBP38,700-130,500 GBP
DerryCity79,000 GBP79,000 GBP40,900-123,000 GBP
NewportCity79,000 GBP84,300 GBP37,100-128,200 GBP
HartlepoolCity78,900 GBP79,000 GBP39,100-123,000 GBP
SalisburyCity77,000 GBP79,700 GBP34,900-117,100 GBP
DundeeCity76,800 GBP81,200 GBP39,400-121,800 GBP
DurhamCity76,600 GBP80,500 GBP34,400-121,800 GBP
ChesterCity76,000 GBP73,300 GBP39,300-115,600 GBP
AbingdonCity76,000 GBP71,700 GBP38,700-114,900 GBP
LincolnCity75,900 GBP70,600 GBP42,000-114,300 GBP
GloucesterCity75,800 GBP78,700 GBP35,400-121,800 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion74,900 GBP73,300 GBP40,500-115,600 GBP
WinchesterCity74,700 GBP70,900 GBP39,800-116,400 GBP
NewryCity74,300 GBP71,400 GBP38,700-115,600 GBP
TruroCity73,500 GBP72,400 GBP39,500-114,900 GBP
St DavidsCity73,100 GBP74,300 GBP34,000-114,900 GBP
CanterburyCity72,800 GBP71,100 GBP35,000-108,200 GBP
WellsCity71,700 GBP65,800 GBP36,700-107,700 GBP
KirkwallCity71,600 GBP65,800 GBP36,700-109,000 GBP
BangorCity71,400 GBP69,400 GBP39,100-111,700 GBP
WakefieldCity70,500 GBP68,800 GBP36,400-111,700 GBP
RiponCity70,000 GBP74,100 GBP32,900-111,700 GBP
InvernessCity69,200 GBP69,700 GBP35,400-109,700 GBP
StromnessCity68,900 GBP73,100 GBP32,200-109,700 GBP
StrontianCity68,300 GBP72,300 GBP32,200-111,700 GBP

Quality Control Chemist in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a quality control chemist make per month in United Kingdom?

    A quality control chemist in United Kingdom earns about 6,933 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 83,200 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a quality control chemist in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level quality control chemists in United Kingdom start near 39,700 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 128,400 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 58,600 and 108,200 GBP.

  • Is the median quality control chemist salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 83,300 GBP, higher than the average of 83,200 GBP. Half of quality control chemists in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for quality control chemists in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a quality control chemist in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (84,800 vs 82,200 GBP a year).

  • Do quality control chemists in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 59% of quality control chemists in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do quality control chemists earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do quality control chemists in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A quality control chemist in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.