• Question: how much do you get paid for being a scientist

    Asked by chrisandumar to Claire, Greg, Jane, Jo, Nuruz, Vicki, Claire on 14 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by madsci3ntist, lea3.
    • Photo: Vicki Onions

      Vicki Onions answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      Hi,
      I am only just starting out in my scientific career and at the moment am whats called a “research fellow” – as you get more of these posts “under your belt” and gain experience you get paid more. Starting wages for post-doctoral researchers like me, are around £25k and could go up to in excess of £55k for professors (I think) – but this will vary between universities and also who funds the research. Researchers working in industry are likely to get paid more than this, but having never worked in this field I wouldn’t be able to say for sure!

    • Photo: Claire O'Donnell

      Claire O'Donnell answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      I work part time but the equivalen full time salary for what I do ranges from £50,000- £60,000

    • Photo: Greg FitzHarris

      Greg FitzHarris answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      actually, if you go looking on the internet most scientist salary scales are out there… I’m a lecturer – so you can see approx in what range I get paid…

      Some scientists complain about being paid poorly. Doctors, Lawyers, accountants probably get paid more. Its true that scientists are rarely ‘rich’.

      My opinion is that my pay is fair – I have enough to live off in london, pay a mortgage on a flat, go on holiday in the summer etc etc, and I get to do the job i love.

    • Photo: Jane Cleal

      Jane Cleal answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Working in a University research department and having completed a PhD a starting wage would be around £27,000. This increases with time and experience. Other professions probably get paid more, but those jobs are not as interesting or as enjoyable as science!

    • Photo: Jo Broadbent

      Jo Broadbent answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Hi Chris and Umar

      Like Jane and Vicki say, and like in any job, the wage gets higher the more ‘senior’ you get.

      I am a scientist in the NHS. I am a Public Health Consultant, so I get paid the same as Consultant doctors do. If you work full time that’s about £70 thousand a year and above.

      Public Health Trainees get paid about £25-40 thousand a year.

      When I did my PhD I was paid about £12 thousand a year.

      Jo

    • Photo: Nuruz Jaman

      Nuruz Jaman answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      The pay scales can vary depending on the area of science you work in (E.g. Biology, Chemistry or Physics related) and whether you work in the public or private sector.

      Generally the pay is lower in the public sector and higher in the industries (Private).

      In the NHS, were I work a trainee graduate scientist usually starts as a Band 5 on around £25,000 per year and once they have completed their specialist training then they can apply for Band 6. The highest Band is 9 which is for Consultant Clinical Scientist earning around £98,000 per year.

      You can find the NHS payscales by searching on the internet for ‘Agenda for Change payscale 2010’.

      I am only a Band 6 🙁

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