Toxicologist Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Explore the salary ranges you can expect to earn as a toxicologist, including how common factors such as years of experience, education level, and geographic location impact your earning potential. 

Average salary for a toxicologist 

According to various pay aggregation websites, toxicologists earn an average salary of £33,000 to £49,000 annually. Explore the average base salary a toxicologist in the UK earns according to four popular salary listing sites [1, 2, 3, 4]. 

• Glassdoor: £34,000

• Talent.com: £41,500

• Payscale: £33,129

• SalaryExpert: £49,467

*All salary data as of July 2025

The exact amount you can expect to earn depends on several factors, including your work experience, education level, geographic location, and the industry in which you work. Explore each factor in greater detail to give you a better idea of what you will earn. 

Toxicologist salaries by experience 

The amount you can expect to earn as a toxicologist varies by experience. According to Prospects, starting salaries for entry-level toxicologists typically range between £20,000 and £30,000 [5]. With experience, salaries can range from £32,000 to £50,000. For those with significant expertise, earnings can exceed £75,000 [5].

Payscale lists the following salaries by experience level [3]:

• 0-1 year: £22,725

• 5-9 years: £32,000

• 10-19 years: £47,500 

Toxicologist salary by education level

Education is extremely important in the field of toxicology, and the degree you possess can impact your earnings potential. 

Higher education will likely improve your chances of obtaining more senior roles in the field that pay even higher salaries. Sometimes, employers may only consider applicants with doctoral or master’s degrees for specific roles. 

Toxicologist salaries by location 

Another factor impacting the pay you will receive as a toxicologist is the location in which you work. While larger cities pay more due to the high cost of living and local market factors, smaller cities, and more rural areas pay a bit less due to their lower living costs. For example, in London, the median yearly salary for a toxicologist is £52,000, while the median yearly salary for toxicologists in Bristol is £42,000 [5, 6]. Wherever you live, though, you can expect to make a higher-than-average salary as a toxicologist. 

Top toxicologist industries 

A wide range of industries and organisations employ toxicologists. Potential employers encompass private companies across various industries, government agencies, contract research organisations (CROs), and consulting firms. Below are some areas of toxicology you may find work in: 

• Academic

• Analytical and clinical

• Ecotoxicology

• Forensic

• Industrial and pharmaceutical

• Occupational

If you work for the NHS, you can earn between £37,338 (Band 6) and £125,637 (Band 9), depending on your level of experience [5, 8].

Toxicologist job outlook 

The job data for toxicologist positions suggest a positive trajectory for the profession in the coming years. 

Getting started in toxicology with Coursera 

Toxicologists use their expertise in chemistry and biology to determine if chemicals are safe or toxic to human beings. If you’re a science-minded individual who wants to use your knowledge to ensure the safety of others, then you might consider preparing for a career in toxicology.

You may want to consider trying Johns Hopkins’ Evidence-based Toxicology, where you’ll explore emerging evidence-based efforts and address opportunities and challenges to expand the use of new toxicology tools. You can also learn about the technical uses of toxicology with Toxicology 21: Scientific Applications, which is also offered by Johns Hopkins.