Data Scientist hourly rate in United Kingdom
The market median wage for a Data Scientist in the United Kingdom is £32.20 an hour. A senior part-time contractor typically receives £45 an hour on Deftridge.
Data Scientist wage percentiles in United Kingdom
Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median.
| Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | £21.75 | £470 | £45,200 |
| 25th | £25.93 | £560 | £53,900 |
| Median | £32.20 | £700 | £67,000 |
| 75th | £39.80 | £860 | £82,800 |
| 90th | £54.26 | £1,180 | £112,900 |
Source: Office for National Statistics, 2026p; aged to October 2026; about 91,000 people employed in the role. How rates are built.
United Kingdom in numbers
What sets the United Kingdom apart for a Data Scientist, from the same sources as the table above.
- £39.37
- highest median wage, London
- £29.08
- lowest median wage, Northern Ireland
- 91,000
- people employed in the role
- £23
- country floor: no United Kingdom rate is published below it
- For tax year 2026 to 2027, self-employed Class 4 National Insurance is 6% on profits over £12,570 up to £50,270 and 2% on profits over £50,270. Source
- Class 2 National Insurance does not have to be paid: with profits of £7,105 or more it is treated as paid; below that, voluntary Class 2 is £3.65 a week for 2026 to 2027. Source
What contractors receive
The Deftridge rate for a Data Scientist in the United Kingdom by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown.
| Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week |
|---|---|---|
| Senior | £45 | £980 |
| Manager | £55 | £1,190 |
| Director | £70 | £1,520 |
Data Scientist pay by region in United Kingdom
Typical contractor rate for a senior Data Scientist, highest first; 9 of 12 places shown.
| Place | Median wage | Contractor rate |
|---|---|---|
| London | £39.37 | £55 |
| Scotland | £33.60 | £50 |
| South West | £32.02 | £45 |
| South East | £31.90 | £45 |
| East Midlands | £31.70 | £45 |
| East of England | £31.70 | £45 |
| West Midlands | £31.32 | £45 |
| North West | £31.19 | £45 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £30.16 | £45 |
Questions about pay, fees and privacy
The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: Pricing explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; How it works covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job.
Data Scientist rates in every country · Data Scientist jobs in United Kingdom · Methodology