Annual Salary
£27,000 to £55,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
Pharmacologists study the effects of drugs and chemicals on living things, and develop new products to help tackle disease.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; flexibly
There will be
2.4% more Pharmacologist jobs in 2027.
As a pharmacologist, you would:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a laboratory.
You can get into this job through:
The most direct way to become a pharmacologist is by studying for a pharmacology degree.
You could also complete a postgraduate course in pharmacology, if you've done a degree in a related subject, like:
Some courses include a year working in industry, which will give you an advantage when you start applying for work. You can also get experience by working as a lab assistant or through work shadowing.
You'll usually need:
You could apply to do a Clinical Pharmacology Scientist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship takes around two and half years and is a mix of work-based training and study.
To apply, you'll need:to be working in a clinical research role; a degree in medicine, biomedical science or pharmacy
It's useful to look for work experience opportunities and internships while you are studying. This will give you the chance to gain laboratory skills like:sterilising equipment; setting up analytical instruments; working as part of a research team; following safety standards and procedures
You can join the British Pharmacological Society for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about a career in pharmacology and working in pharmaceuticals through the British Pharmacological Society and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.
With experience, you could become a research and development supervisor or manager, for example, with a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company.
You could also move into:drug licensing and patent work; science publishing; university teaching; medical sales and marketing
You'll need: