While there isn’t a simple answer to how much teachers get paid, it’s important to be aware of the pay scales and benefits schools and education providers offer across the country. To help you navigate this, here is a helpful guide to the average teacher salary in the UK.
Average teaching salary ranges
The varying teaching positions within schools, such as supply teacher, teaching assistant and headteacher, all receive different salary and benefits packages depending on the role and external factors, such as length of service, location, and qualifications. Teachers in state schools receive the same salary whatever subject they teach or type of school they work in. This means that a PE teacher salary is the same as a maths teacher salary, while primary school teacher salaries and secondary school teacher salaries are also identical.
The average annual salary range for some teaching roles across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are:
Unqualified teachers:
England and Wales - £18,419 to £28,735
Scotland - £27,498 to £32,994
Northern Ireland - £24,137 - £28,139
Qualified teachers:
England and Wales - £25,714 - £41,604
Scotland - £34,863 - £41,412
Northern Ireland - £30,305 - £35,277
The average teacher salary in London
Teachers working in London receive higher salaries due to the higher living costs in and around the capital. Schools are organised into three areas based on their location – inner London, outer London and the ‘fringe’, with salaries different in each area:
Unqualified teacher salaries in London:
Inner London - £23,099 - £33,410
Outer London - £21,832 - £32,151
Fringe - £19,613 - £29,924
Qualified teacher salaries in London:
Inner London - £32,157 - £50,935
Outer London - £29,915 - £45,766
Fringe - £26,948 - £42,780
Teaching assistant:
The average salary range for a teaching assistant in the UK is between £19,048 to £21,792.
Supply teachers:
The average salary range for a supply teacher in the UK is between £33,290 to £41,387.
Annual leave entitlement
Teachers in the UK receive more holiday days than people in other professions. Employees in the UK must legally receive 5.6 weeks of annual leave if they are employed full time, and this is no different for teachers. They receive 10 weeks of leave for Christmas, Easter, and summer break, which includes three, one-week half-term breaks. However, many teachers choose to continue to work during these periods to prepare for the upcoming term.
For comparison: a full-time office worker typically works 227 days a year, while full-time teachers work 196 days annually.
Teachers’ pension scheme
A teacher’s pension is a defined benefit scheme, registered with HM Revenue and Customs. Some key highlights of the pension are:
The sum is based on the teaching salary rather than the amount paid in
It will be a regular source of income when you retire, but you can also take some as a tax-free lump sum
The government provides tax relief, meaning teaching staff don’t have to pay tax on contributions
To find out more visit the teachers’ pension scheme website.
Learning and development
All teaching professionals in the early stages of their career are entitled to benefit from the government organised ‘early career framework’. This is a professional development programme spanning teachers’ first two years in the profession to provide them with:
A mentor to offer guidance and extra support
Paid time away from their role to access further learning opportunities
A range of training sessions from accredited DfE institutions
While this programme is not compulsory for teachers, it is a statutory requirement for any school inducting early career teachers to offer this package.
Career progression
Teaching professionals can progress their careers and increase their salary by taking on additional responsibilities, adding to their years of service, or moving into a leadership role. We outline the responsibilities and annual salary range for these roles.
Senior teachers
To be classified as a senior teacher and therefore qualify for higher pay, you must have either accumulated a long length of service or taken on extra responsibilities, such as being a head of a department.
The annual pay scale for senior teachers across the UK is:
England and Wales - £39,368 - £42,333
Scotland - £42,696 - £50,772
Northern Ireland - £38,216 - £41,094
Leading practitioners
Progressing to a leading practitioner requires being an established teacher who practices to a high standard. Often leading practitioners will coach and mentor their colleagues, as well as induct early career teachers (ECTs) and be vital in the induction process for trainee educators.
The annual pay scale for leading practitioners across the UK is:
England and Wales - £43,145 - £65,590
Scotland - £42,696 - £50,772
Northern Ireland - £41,884 - £49,781
Headteachers
In a school environment, a headteacher is considered the most senior position, as they are accountable for all students and teachers. The role varies depending on the needs of the institution, but ultimately includes ensuring all the students are given a high standard of education and managing and motivating teachers. Given this responsibility, headteachers’ salaries are the highest available within a school.
The annual pay scale for headteachers across the UK is:
England and Wales - £51,029 - £119,248
Scotland - £51,207 - £98,808
Northern Ireland - £51,022 - £117,497
Additional payments
On top of a teacher’s basic salary, some can also benefit from the following additional payments:
Teaching and learning responsibilities (TLR) – taking on extra tasks that enhance teaching practices for others or progress non-assigned students, pay increases range from £2,800 to £14,000 annually
Special education needs and disabilities (SEND) – this involves working as a qualified teacher for SEND students, pay increases range from £2,200 to £4,400 annually
Independent and private school teacher salaries in the UK
Independent schools are not bound by the same pay scales as state schools. This means that salaries in the sector can vary.
To attract teachers from state schools or other independent schools, private education settings will often offer higher salaries than those stipulated in state school salary bands. However, this may not always be the case, so use the bands above to calculate how pay for a role in an independent school would compare to an equivalent role in a state school.
To find out more about salaries for roles across a variety of sectors, download our salary guides now.