Annual Salary
£18,000 to £60,000
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Swap to Leisure or Tourism or go back to all job sectors
Sports scientists use knowledge of how the body works to help people improve their health or sporting ability.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; attending events or appointments
There will be
3% more Sports scientist jobs in 2026.
In your local area
You'll typically:
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, on a sports field, at a research facility, in an office, at a client's business or at a fitness centre.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
You can get into this job through:
You'll need a degree in sport science, or a degree in a related subject followed by a postgraduate qualification in sports science.
Related degree subjects include:
It's becoming more common for sports scientists to have or be working towards a postgraduate qualification.
You'll usually need:
Experience as fitness instructor, lifeguard, coach or through volunteering, for example with a sports club, may improve your career prospects.
You could join the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and work towards accreditation. You could also apply for Chartered Scientist status.
You'll find more advice on careers in sports science from The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
You could find work with universities, schools and colleges, large sporting organisations, public and private enterprises and local authorities. It's also possible to become self-employed or to work as a consultant.
You could also move into a related career area, like sports development or performance testing and research.
You'll find more advice on careers in sports science from The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
You'll need: