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Average Scientific Photographer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A scientific photographer in United Kingdom earns about 65,900 GBP a year. That's 5% 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 32,300 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 105,200 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 scientific photographer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
65,900 GBP
5,491 GBP per month
Lowest reported
32,300 GBP
2,691 GBP per month
Highest reported
105,200 GBP
8,766 GBP per month

A typical scientific photographer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,491 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 32,300 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 105,200 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 scientific photographer 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 scientific photographer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How scientific photographer 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 scientific photographers in United Kingdom earn less than 67,800 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 46,300 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 86,100 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of scientific photographers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 32,300 GBP. The highest stretch to 105,200 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.

32,300
Low
67,800
Median
105,200
High
46,300
25th
86,100
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Scientific photographer pay by experience in United Kingdom

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

  • 0-2 Years
    39,100 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +24% from previous
    48,300 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +44% from previous
    69,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +22% from previous
    84,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +10% from previous
    93,100 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +3% from previous
    95,900 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 scientific photographer 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.

Scientific photographer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • Bachelor's Degree
    47,200 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +65% from previous
    78,100 GBP

Scientific photographer 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 scientific photographers in United Kingdom earn an average of 70,100 GBP a year, while female scientific photographers earn around 67,000 GBP. That works out to a 5% 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.

Scientific Photographer gender pay gap

4%

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

Men 70,100 GBP
Women 67,000 GBP

Pay raises for a scientific photographer 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

Scientific photographer 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.

58%

58% of scientific photographers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a scientific photographer 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 42% of scientific photographers 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

Scientific photographer: 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

Scientific photographer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Scientific photographer 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
  • Cardiff
  • Somerset
  • Manchester
  • Liverpool
  • Birmingham
  • Wolverhampton
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion123,000 GBP125,400 GBP58,800-191,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion94,200 GBP88,300 GBP49,200-146,700 GBP
LeedsCity78,900 GBP80,300 GBP38,100-124,500 GBP
GlasgowCity78,500 GBP81,000 GBP36,700-123,000 GBP
CardiffCity77,300 GBP73,500 GBP36,800-114,300 GBP
SomersetCity76,900 GBP77,400 GBP39,800-118,900 GBP
ManchesterCity76,800 GBP76,800 GBP36,500-117,100 GBP
LiverpoolCity75,400 GBP72,300 GBP38,000-115,600 GBP
BirminghamCity75,100 GBP81,300 GBP34,300-123,000 GBP
WolverhamptonCity73,700 GBP78,500 GBP32,900-114,900 GBP
LondonCity73,500 GBP79,000 GBP35,400-117,100 GBP
BrightonCity73,200 GBP66,900 GBP40,500-109,700 GBP
BelfastCity73,100 GBP74,600 GBP34,900-116,400 GBP
CoventryCity73,100 GBP77,300 GBP33,000-115,600 GBP
BristolCity73,100 GBP74,600 GBP34,900-116,400 GBP
AberdeenCity73,100 GBP65,800 GBP37,900-109,000 GBP
SouthamptonCity72,800 GBP67,900 GBP36,200-109,700 GBP
LeicesterCity72,700 GBP68,200 GBP36,400-111,700 GBP
SheffieldCity72,700 GBP73,500 GBP35,500-114,600 GBP
EdinburghCity71,800 GBP67,200 GBP39,500-109,000 GBP
NewcastleCity71,100 GBP64,600 GBP36,700-107,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity70,800 GBP67,400 GBP35,000-107,300 GBP
NottinghamCity70,600 GBP66,200 GBP36,500-109,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity69,700 GBP73,100 GBP32,200-109,700 GBP
DerbyCity69,400 GBP65,700 GBP34,700-107,300 GBP
CambridgeCity68,900 GBP64,300 GBP35,500-103,600 GBP
PooleCity68,900 GBP65,800 GBP33,800-105,800 GBP
PlymouthCity68,900 GBP72,400 GBP31,700-109,000 GBP
LincolnCity68,400 GBP71,400 GBP30,700-109,700 GBP
SwanseaCity68,200 GBP66,000 GBP39,500-105,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity68,200 GBP65,100 GBP35,400-107,300 GBP
BradfordCity68,200 GBP68,200 GBP33,800-109,000 GBP
NewportCity67,600 GBP69,200 GBP30,800-105,800 GBP
DundeeCity67,200 GBP70,100 GBP33,600-105,200 GBP
NorwichCity66,100 GBP68,800 GBP32,600-107,300 GBP
ArmaghCity65,900 GBP60,100 GBP36,600-99,900 GBP
YorkCity65,800 GBP65,800 GBP31,700-105,200 GBP
DurhamCity65,200 GBP70,800 GBP29,300-103,600 GBP
HartlepoolCity65,200 GBP67,000 GBP30,200-98,300 GBP
NewryCity64,900 GBP61,700 GBP35,500-97,300 GBP
DerryCity64,300 GBP58,700 GBP33,500-96,500 GBP
StirlingCity64,100 GBP61,700 GBP30,300-95,900 GBP
WalesRegion63,900 GBP58,200 GBP35,300-95,500 GBP
OxfordCity63,700 GBP67,900 GBP29,400-100,700 GBP
ExeterCity63,400 GBP63,400 GBP30,700-99,700 GBP
KirkwallCity62,600 GBP63,700 GBP29,900-94,800 GBP
SalisburyCity61,700 GBP55,300 GBP35,500-95,300 GBP
GloucesterCity61,600 GBP57,200 GBP35,100-94,300 GBP
St DavidsCity61,300 GBP61,300 GBP29,600-92,600 GBP
CanterburyCity60,700 GBP61,400 GBP27,400-95,500 GBP
WellsCity59,500 GBP63,900 GBP26,500-93,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion59,200 GBP60,800 GBP29,600-91,700 GBP
WinchesterCity59,200 GBP56,600 GBP30,800-93,100 GBP
ChesterCity59,100 GBP58,600 GBP29,600-91,600 GBP
WakefieldCity58,600 GBP57,200 GBP30,300-91,200 GBP
InvernessCity58,600 GBP57,200 GBP30,300-91,200 GBP
LisburnCity58,500 GBP63,200 GBP26,900-91,500 GBP
AbingdonCity58,500 GBP61,700 GBP26,500-95,100 GBP
StrontianCity58,200 GBP58,200 GBP27,300-89,400 GBP
TruroCity58,000 GBP60,600 GBP29,600-95,100 GBP
BangorCity57,800 GBP62,600 GBP26,900-91,700 GBP
RiponCity57,200 GBP57,200 GBP26,900-88,600 GBP
StromnessCity54,100 GBP61,400 GBP24,400-88,000 GBP

Scientific Photographer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a scientific photographer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A scientific photographer in United Kingdom earns about 5,491 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 65,900 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a scientific photographer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level scientific photographers in United Kingdom start near 32,300 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 105,200 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 46,300 and 86,100 GBP.

  • Is the median scientific photographer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 67,800 GBP, higher than the average of 65,900 GBP. Half of scientific photographers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for scientific photographers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a scientific photographer in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (70,100 vs 67,000 GBP a year).

  • Do scientific photographers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 58% of scientific photographers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do scientific photographers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do scientific photographers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

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