Salaries & pay

The Highest Paying Entry Level STEM Jobs in the UK

Written by STEMLaunch Editorial Team

Last updated 15 June 2026 · 6 min read

Typical starting salaries for entry level UK STEM roles in software, data, engineering and life sciences, and what drives the differences.

Typical starting ranges

Salaries vary far more by sector and location than by job title. These are broad ranges for first roles outside London; add roughly 15 to 25 per cent inside London.

• Software engineering — £30,000 to £42,000
• Data analysis and data engineering — £28,000 to £38,000
• Electrical and controls engineering — £28,000 to £35,000
• Mechanical and manufacturing engineering — £26,000 to £33,000
• Laboratory and life sciences — £24,000 to £30,000
• Environmental consultancy — £24,000 to £29,000

What actually moves your number

Sector funding matters more than skill at the start. The same analytical ability pays differently in a bank, a hospital trust and a charity. Regulated and safety-critical work — nuclear, rail signalling, pharmaceutical manufacturing — pays a premium because the qualification burden is heavier.

The three-year view

Do not optimise a first role purely on salary. A slightly lower-paid job with chartership support, a real mentor or exposure to modern tooling routinely out-earns a higher starting offer within three years, because it makes your second job easier to get.