Salary prospects for teachers

Early career teachers (ECTs) in state-maintained, local authority (LA) schools in England usually start their careers on the minimum rate of the main pay range. Progression within the scale will be determined by schools.

Academies and free schools can set their own salaries, but they tend to be similar to pay in LA schools.

What is the pay scale for teachers in England?

The main pay range for teachers in England (including early career teachers) in the 2024/25 academic year is:

• England (excluding London): £31,650 to £43,607
• London fringe: £33,075 to £45,037
• Outer London: £36,413 to £48,532
• Inner London: £38,766 to £50,288

These figures are revised annually. More information on teaching pay awards and pay negotiations is available on the NASUWT website.

Your starting salary should be stated in your written confirmation of appointment.

At all schools, there is flexibility to reward teachers based on their performance. Progression to the upper pay scale is available to all teachers.

Salary scales recommended by the Association of Colleges for those working in the FE sector in England for 2023/4 were £22,387 to £27,014 for unqualified FE teachers and £27,786 to £41,905 for qualified FE teachers. For more information, see the UCU salary scales .

Pay and conditions for early years teachers (working with children aged 0-5 years) are set by employers. Starting salaries for early years teachers range from around £18,000 to £20,000 depending on the amount of responsibility you have. With experience, you can progress to salaries in the region of £22,000 to £38,000. 

Can you negotiate your starting pay?

Salary negotiation is sometimes possible depending on your previous experience, subject, age range and the location of the school. However, most new teachers will start their teaching careers on the minimum for a qualified teacher.

To find out more about teacher training bursaries, scholarships and student finance available - read our article funding for teacher training.

Additional payments and benefits

As your career progresses and you move up the pay scale, you can also earn more through additional payments. These payments include:

• Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments - awarded to classroom teachers who take on additional leadership and management responsibilities.
• Special Educational Needs (SEN) allowances - for those working in a special school or a post requiring an SEN qualification, and for classroom teachers teaching pupils with SEN.

Teachers' pensions

Teachers in LA schools and academies also receive a teachers’ pension. This is a guaranteed pension and is based on your career average earnings. For more information, see Teachers’ Pensions .

Pay scales for teachers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Salary scales in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different from those in England. Early career teachers (probationers in Scotland) usually start at the bottom of the pay scale.

The main pay ranges are:

• Scotland - £32,217 to £48,516 (from January 2024)
• Wales - £30,742 to £42,466 (from September 2023)
• Northern Ireland - £30,000 to £39,946 (from September 2023)

For more information on the latest salaries, pay awards and pay negotiations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, see the NASUWT website.

For salary scales in FE, see UCU Salary Scales.

See more information on teaching in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Teaching unions

It’s a good idea to join a teaching union. They provide a range of advice and legal support on key issues such as: pay, conditions and terms of employment, staff safety, welfare and mental health, and workloads and working time. You can get discounted or free membership with the main unions as an early careers teacher.

Written by Kate Robertson, University of Aberdeen, July 2024

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