PhD Job Trends in Wales

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil, EngD, Doctorate)
UK > Wales

The table below provides summary statistics for permanent job vacancies advertised in Wales with a requirement for PhD qualifications. It includes a benchmarking guide to the salaries offered over the 6 months leading up to 14 January 2026, comparing them to the same period in the previous two years.

6 months to
14 Jan 2026
Same period 2025 Same period 2024
Rank 35 73 91
Rank change year-on-year +38 +18 -32
Permanent jobs citing PhD 37 9 1
As % of all permanent jobs in Wales 3.54% 1.03% 0.10%
As % of the Qualifications category 14.40% 3.36% 0.31%
Number of salaries quoted 0 1 1
10th Percentile - - -
25th Percentile - - £62,500
Median annual salary (50th Percentile) - £42,000 £65,000
Median % change year-on-year - -35.38% +4.17%
75th Percentile - - £67,500
90th Percentile - - -
UK median annual salary £80,470 £60,000 £62,500
% change year-on-year +34.12% -4.00% -

All Academic and Professional Certifications
Wales

PhD falls under the Academic Qualifications and Professional Certifications category. For comparison with the information above, the following table provides summary statistics for all permanent job vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications in Wales.

Permanent vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications 257 268 325
As % of all permanent jobs advertised in Wales 24.59% 30.66% 33.85%
Number of salaries quoted 95 127 174
10th Percentile £29,750 £37,240 £32,620
25th Percentile £36,875 £43,600 £36,250
Median annual salary (50th Percentile) £52,500 £55,000 £46,131
Median % change year-on-year -4.55% +19.23% +2.57%
75th Percentile £75,900 £66,563 £61,000
90th Percentile £85,000 £74,144 £74,977
UK median annual salary £55,000 £59,518 £57,500
% change year-on-year -7.59% +3.51% -

PhD
Job Vacancy Trend in Wales

Historical trend showing the proportion of permanent IT job postings citing PhD relative to all permanent IT jobs advertised in Wales.

PhD job vacancy trend in Wales

PhD
Salary Trend in Wales

Salary distribution trend for jobs in Wales citing PhD.

Salary distribution trend for jobs in Wales citing PhD

PhD
Job Locations in Wales

The table below looks at the demand and provides a guide to the median salaries quoted in IT jobs citing PhD within the Wales region over the 6 months to 14 January 2026. The 'Rank Change' column provides an indication of the change in demand within each location based on the same 6 month period last year.

Location Rank Change
on Same Period
Last Year
Matching
Permanent
IT Job Ads
Median Salary
Past 6 Months
Median Salary
% Change
on Same Period
Last Year
Live
Jobs
South Wales +25 31 - - 18
Dyfed - 6 - -
PhD
UK

PhD
Co-Occurring Skills & Capabilities in Wales by Category

The following tables expand on the one above by listing co-occurrences grouped by category. They cover the same employment type, locality and period, with up to 20 co-occurrences shown in each category:

Applications
1 4 (10.81%) Chatbot
Cloud Services
1 33 (89.19%) Cloud Computing
Communications & Networking
1 33 (89.19%) Internet
General
1 33 (89.19%) Banking
1 33 (89.19%) Inclusion and Diversity
1 33 (89.19%) Social Skills
2 2 (5.41%) Analytical Skills
Job Titles
1 28 (75.68%) Lecturer
2 4 (10.81%) Trainer
3 1 (2.70%) Research Scientist
Miscellaneous
1 33 (89.19%) IoT
2 2 (5.41%) Molecular Biology
Processes & Methodologies
1 37 (100.00%) AI
2 33 (89.19%) Cybersecurity
2 33 (89.19%) Machine Learning
2 33 (89.19%) User Experience
2 33 (89.19%) Web Development
3 4 (10.81%) Conversational UI
4 2 (5.41%) Biochemistry
4 2 (5.41%) Biology
4 2 (5.41%) Biotechnology
4 2 (5.41%) Chemistry
4 2 (5.41%) Data Interpretation
4 2 (5.41%) Experimental Design
Qualifications
1 37 (100.00%) Degree
1 37 (100.00%) Master's Degree
2 33 (89.19%) Postgraduate
Vendors
1 4 (10.81%) PayPal