Salary prospects for teachers

Teaching is a richly rewarding career in terms of job satisfaction and offers good prospects for advancement, although salaries are not amongst the highest on offer to graduates. As of September 2011, the minimum starting salary for NQTs is £21,588 – or £27,000 if you’re based in inner London.

Salary scales for teachers

There are two main salary scales for teachers: the main and upper pay scales (MPS and UPS). Newly qualified teachers usually start on point one of the MPS and progress annually up to point six in their fifth year of teaching. It’s possible to start higher up the MPS if you are a mature entrant; in recent years younger NQTs have also been able to negotiate themselves a higher starting point, especially in shortage subjects and challenging schools.

Once you’ve reached point six on the MPS and produced evidence to show that you meet certain professional standards, you can apply to ‘cross the threshold’ to the UPS. Once on the UPS, salaries are performance related and teachers can progress on that scale every two years.

More responsibility at school, more money in your pocket

There are further allowances for teachers who take on additional responsibilities: for example up to £3,865 for special educational needs and teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payments for classroom teachers that range from £2,535 to £12,393. Advanced skills teachers (ASTs) can earn between £37,461 and £64,036 and ‘excellent teachers’ – those providing mentoring to colleagues – can earn between £39,697and £60,993, dependent on location. The leadership group pay scale (for head teachers and other school leaders) ranges from £42,379 to £105,097 (£49,466 to £112,181 in inner London).

Pay scales for teachers in London

Higher pay scales exist for teachers in inner and outer London and the surrounding fringe areas. This amounts to roughly £5,400, £3,400 and £1,000 extra per year respectively (at UPS1 level).

Pay for unqualified teachers

A six-point pay scale operates for unqualified teachers; those on a work-based route may be paid on this scale. It ranges from £15,817 to £25,016 (£19,893 to £29,088 in inner London).

Pay in the further, higher and independent education sectors

NQTs can also work in independent schools, sixth-form colleges or further education. Independent schools have their own pay scales and conditions of service (for example, sick pay) and you should check the salary and benefits as well as investigate the scope for career progression before accepting a job. In sixth-form colleges the MPS and UPS are slightly lower than those in other state schools. Starting salaries are usually typically lower for teachers and lecturers in further education and generally they cannot expect the same salary levels as school teachers.

Facts and figures

* Mature entrants and younger NQTs can sometimes negotiate themselves higher starting salaries. Teaching benefits also include more days’ holiday than in most other professions, a final salary teacher’s pension and housing help.

* Primary and secondary school teachers are paid equally.

* The minimum starting salary for NQTs from September 2011 will be £21,588.

* Teaching benefits also include more days' holiday than in most other professions, a final salary teachers' pension and housing help.

We would like to thank Simon Stokes, the policy adviser on pay, conditions and pensions at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers for his help with this article.

Main pay scale (MPS) in England and Wales (Figures in brackets are for inner London)

MPS1 £21,588 (£27,000)

MPS2 £23,295 (£28,408)

MPS3 £25,168 (£29,889)

MPS4 £27,104 (£31,446)

MPS5 £29,240 (£33,865)

MPS6 £31,552 (£36,387)

Upper pay scale (UPS)

UPS1 £34,181 (£41,497)

UPS2 £35,447 (£43,536)

UPS3 £36,756 (£45,000)