Data Scientist Salary UK 2026 averages £55,600 a year, driven up by heavy company investment in AI, machine learning, and data automation projects.
Data scientist salary
Base pay £38K – £62K/yr
£49K/yr average base pay
The estimated total pay for a Data Scientist is £53,468 per year, with an average salary of £48,689 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is £4,779 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing.
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilises salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
What do Data scientist earn
How much does a Data scientist make in United Kingdom?
£51,385/yr
Data Scientist Salary UK by Experience
| Level | UK Average |
|---|---|
| Entry (0-3 yrs) | £30,000 – £58,000 |
| Mid (2-5 yrs) | £50,000 – £65,000 |
| Senior (5-10+ yrs) | £70,000 – £95,000 |
| Senior (8+ yrs) | £90,667 (avg) |
Highest paying cities for Data scientist near United Kingdom
- London £59,971 per year
962 salaries reported - Birmingham £50,802 per year
31 salaries reported - Manchester £47,847 per year
124 salaries reported - Cambridge £47,801 per year
21 salaries reported - Bristol £47,770 per year
61 salaries reported - Edinburgh £46,865 per year
33 salaries reported - Glasgow £46,512 per year
23 salaries reported - Leeds £41,720 per year
41 salaries reported - Cardiff £40,695 per year
31 salaries reported
How Data Scientist Salary UK Progresses
Most data scientists move up by deepening specialisation rather than just accumulating years — machine learning engineering, MLOps, and applied AI roles typically command a premium over general analytics work. A Master’s or PhD isn’t strictly required, but candidates with strong statistics or computer science backgrounds tend to progress to senior roles faster. London commands a 20-30% premium over the national average due to living costs and the concentration of tech employers, and companies investing heavily in AI (fintech, e-commerce, big tech) consistently pay above the averages shown here for data scientists with production ML experience.
See our Cyber Security Salary guide for a related tech-career comparison, or use the Paycheck Calculator.
Source: PayScale UK, Data Scientist Salary 2026
FAQs about Data Scientist Salary
What is the average data scientist salary in the UK?
£55,600 a year.
How much do senior data scientists earn?
£90,667 on average with 8+ years’ experience, up to £95,000 for deep specialists.
Does London pay more for data science roles?
Yes — typically 20-30% above the national average.
Do I need a PhD to become a data scientist?
No — a strong statistics or computer science background matters more than the specific degree level.
