50 programs covered in UK
Highest-Paying MS Computer Science / Data Science Programs in UK (2026)
Ranked by broad market salary band for the role and city - not by QS rank or brand name, and not a per-university placement figure. These are tiered estimates from our UK coverage list, not independently verified per school. For fully sourced, per-profile matches (with admit odds and visa risk flags), run the free assessment.
Highest average salary in UK
Broad market salary band for the role and city - not a per-university placement figure.
| # | University | QS rank | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial College London- London | QS #2 | Rs 66.0L/yr |
| 2 | University of Oxford- Oxford | QS #4 | Rs 63.5L/yr |
| 3 | University of Cambridge- Cambridge | QS #6 | Rs 63.5L/yr |
| 4 | UCL (University College London)- London | QS #9 | Rs 61.0L/yr |
| 5 | London School of Economics (LSE)- London | QS #56 | Rs 61.0L/yr |
| 6 | King's College London- London | QS #31 | Rs 55.9L/yr |
| 7 | The University of Edinburgh- Edinburgh | QS #34 | Rs 53.3L/yr |
| 8 | University of Manchester- Manchester | QS #35 | Rs 50.8L/yr |
| 9 | University of Bristol- Bristol | QS #51 | Rs 50.8L/yr |
| 10 | University of Warwick- Coventry | QS #74 | Rs 50.8L/yr |
Highest salary isn't the same as best value - see the same UK list ranked by fastest payback instead, which weighs salary against what it costs to get there.
For comparison: fastest payback in UK
The highest-paying program isn't always the one that pays for itself quickest - this cross-checks against cost.
| # | University | QS rank | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen's University Belfast- Belfast | QS #=199 | 1 yrs |
| 2 | University of Aberdeen- Aberdeen | QS #=262 | 1 yrs |
| 3 | Heriot-Watt University- Edinburgh | QS #=287 | 1 yrs |
| 4 | City St George's, University of London- London | QS #=310 | 1 yrs |
| 5 | University of Leicester- Leicester | QS #326 | 1 yrs |
Want this ranked against your own profile?
GPA, budget, and visa-risk-adjusted - not just a salary list. Free, no phone number.
Get My Honest Scorecard