The new pay award for 2023/24 is subject to a statutory consultation period and your school can choose how to implement it.
If you’re a primary or secondary teacher in England, your salary will depend on the type of school you work in, where the school is, and the pay range you’re on.
The pay ranges below apply to maintained schools (schools funded by local authorities).
Non-maintained schools (for example, academies, independent schools and private schools) can set their own pay, but often follow these pay ranges.
Figures apply from 1 September 2023.
Primary and secondary teacher salary
You’ll start on at least £30,000 (or more in London) as a primary or secondary school teacher in England.
Your salary will be reviewed every year, with most teachers moving up the pay range annually. This will depend on your school’s performance management arrangements.
A typical teacher with 5 years’ experience will earn at least £41,333, or more in London.
Qualified teacher salary
| Area | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| England (excluding London) | £30,000 | £46,525 |
| London fringe | £31,350 | £47,839 |
| Outer London | £34,514 | £51,179 |
| Inner London | £36,745 | £56,959 |
Additional payments
You may also receive additional payments on top of your regular salary for taking on extra responsibilities.
This could be a one-off payment for a specific project, for example, creating a timetable.
Or it might be an extra responsibility attached to your job role, for example, being the head of department.
Depending on your responsibilities, you could earn up to an extra £15,690. Your school will determine how much you receive.
Career progression
Leading practitioner salary
Some schools also have a leading practitioner pay range for teachers with exemplary teaching skills who lead the improvement of teaching in their school.
What this will involve will depend on your school, but could include:
- coaching and mentoring other teachers, including trainees and early career teachers
- undertaking a national professional qualification (NPQ)
- supporting your school with plans to reduce workload
| Area | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| England (excluding London) | £47,417 | £72,085 |
| London fringe | £48,723 | £73,393 |
| Outer London | £51,179 | £75,850 |
| Inner London | £56,377 | £81,051 |
Headteacher salary
You could also go into a leadership position, such as a headteacher.
A headteacher is the most senior person in a school. They are ultimately responsible for all teachers and pupils.
Their role is wide ranging, but includes leading and motivating teachers, and ensuring all pupils get a good education.
| Area | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| England (excluding London) | £53,380 | £131,056 |
| London fringe | £54,685 | £132,352 |
| Outer London | £57,124 | £134,765 |
| Inner London | £62,304 | £139,891 |
If you do not have qualified teacher status (QTS)
You need qualified teacher status (QTS) to work in maintained primary, secondary and special schools in England.
If you do not have QTS, you can work in some schools as an unqualified teacher.
If you’re already working as an unqualified teacher and have the right experience, you could be eligible for the assessment only route to qualified teacher status (QTS).
Or find out how you can earn an unqualified teacher salary while training to teach on a salaried teacher training course.
Unqualified teacher salary
| Area | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| England (excluding London) | £20,598 | £32,134 |
| London fringe | £21,933 | £33,464 |
| Outer London | £24,415 | £35,954 |
| Inner London | £25,831 | £37,362 |
Holidays
You’ll get more days holiday than people in many other professions. In school, full-time teachers work 195 days per year.
For comparison, you’d work 227 days per year (on average) if you worked full time in an office.
Teachers’ pension scheme
The teachers’ pension scheme is one of the most generous in the country and includes an employer contribution of 23.6%.
It is a ‘defined benefit’ pension and is:
- based on your teaching salary rather than the amount of money you pay in
- registered with HM Revenue and Customs - so your contributions are tax-free
- flexible and allows you to take some of it as a tax-free lump sum
You also get other insurance benefits too. Find out more about the teachers’ pension scheme.