2021: How Much Are Teachers
Paid In The UK?

2021: How Much Are Teachers Paid In The UK?

2021 NASUWT pay scale ranges for the UK are presented below showing min-max ranges for different levels of employment. Min and Max ranges are determined by location, experience and competence.

Comparison tables for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (including fringe, outer London and inner London pay scales).

2021 Pay Scale Ranges for Classroom Teachers UK

LOCATION	MINIMUM (M1)	MAXIMUM (U3)
England	£25,714	£41,604
Northern Ireland	£24,137	£41,094
Wales	£27,018	£41,604
Scotland	£27,498	£41,412
Fringe	£26,948	£42,780
Outer London	£29,915	£45,766
Inner London	£32,157	£50,935

2021 Pay Scale Ranges for School Leadership UK

LOCATION	MINIMUM (L1)	MAXIMUM (L43)
England	£25,714	£41,604
Northern Ireland	£24,137	£41,094
Wales	£27,018	£41,604
Scotland	£27,498	£41,412
Fringe	£26,948	£42,780
Outer London	£29,915	£45,766
Inner London	£32,157	£50,935

2021 Pay Scale Ranges for Head Teachers UK

LOCATION	MINIMUM (1)	MAXIMUM (8)
England	£25,714	£41,604
Northern Ireland	£24,137	£41,094
Wales	£27,018	£41,604
Scotland	£27,498	£41,412
Fringe	£26,948	£42,780
Outer London	£29,915	£45,766
Inner London	£32,157	£50,935

Full NASUWT Pay Scales for 2021 are provided below.

2020 Data: Average Salaries for Teachers in 2019/2020

How much are teachers paid in the UK? Well, he’s a summary of employment data published by the Department for Education in December 2020.

The average salary of all teachers working in the UK in 2020 was £40,537.
The average salary for classroom teachers working in the UK in 2020 was £37,192.
The average salary for teachers in leadership roles in the UK in 2020 was £54,911.
The average salary for head teachers in the UL in 2020 was £71,655.

2020 Data: Differences In Teacher Pay Between: Males and Females; Primary and Secondary; Local Authority and Academy Schools

Based on average salaries, males earn more than females.
Based on average salaries, secondary school teachers earn more then primary school and special education teachers.
Based on average salaries, teachers working in local authority schools earn more than teachers working in academy schools (with the exception of head teachers who earn more on average in academy schools compared to local authority schools).

So, in summary, to earn the most as a teacher in the UK you need to be male, work in a secondary school, work in inner London, work in a local authority school, but if you become a head teacher, leave and work in an academy school.

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NASUWT Pay Scale: England

The pay scale below applies in England as well as to any schools and academy trusts which follow the NASUWT’s pay policy. However the pay scale excludes London and the Fringe.

Main Pay Range: England

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£25,714
M2	£27,600
M3	£29,664
M4	£31,778
M5	£34,100
M6 (Max)	£36,961

Upper Pay Range: England

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£38,690
U2	£40,124
U3 (Max)	£41,604

NASUWT Pay Scale: London and Fringe

The pay scales below apply in Inner and Outer London and Fringe.

Main Pay Range: Fringe

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£26,948
M2	£28,828
M3	£30,883
M4	£32,999
M5	£35,307
M6 (Max)	£38,174

Upper Pay Range: Fringe

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£39,864
U2	£41,295
U3 (Max)	£42,780

Main Pay Range: Outer London

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£29.915
M2	£31,604
M3	£33,383
M4	£35,264
M5	£38,052
M6 (Max)	£41,136

Upper Pay Range: Outer London

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£42,559
U2	£44,133
U3 (Max)	£45,766

Main Pay Range: Inner London

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£32,157
M2	£33,658
M3	£35,226
M4	£36,866
M5	£39,492
M6 (Max)	£42,624

Upper Pay Range: Inner London

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£46,971
U2	£49,279
U3 (Max)	£50,935

NASUWT Pay Scale: Wales

Main Pay Range: Wales

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£27,018
M2	£27,018
M3	£29,188
M4	£31,436
M5	£33,912
M6 (Max)	£37,320

Upper Pay Range: Wales

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£38,690
U2	£40,124
U3 (Max)	£41,604

NASUWT Pay Scale: Northern Ireland

Main Pay Range: Northern Ireland

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
M1 (Min)	£24,137
M2	£26,045
M3	£28,139
M4	£30,305
M5	£32, 693
M6 (Max)	£35,277

Upper Pay Range: Northern Ireland

SPINE POINT	1 SEPT 2020 TO 31 AUG 2021
U1 (Min)	£38,216
U2	£39,630
U3 (Max)	£41,094

NASUWT Pay Scale: Scotland

NB: Scotland follows a different pay scale structure to the rest of the UK (they do not follow spine points M1-M6 and U1-U3).

Main Grade Scale: Scotland

POINT	FROM 1 APRIL 2020
	£27,498
1	£32,994
2	£34,863
3	£36,891
4	£39,231
5	£41,412

Chartered Teacher Spine: Scotland

POINT	FROM 1 APRIL 2020
1	£42,696
2	£44,133
3	£45,150
4	£47,013
5	£48,897
6	£50,772

Principal Teacher Spine: Scotland

POINT	FROM 1 APRIL 2020
1	£45,150
2	£47,013
3	£48,897
4	£50,772
5	£52,653
6	£54,522
7	£56,400
8	£58,269

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Author: Jonathan Sandling

Jonathan Sandling

I have an interest in humour and how it can enhance teaching, learning and leadership. I am a senior leader within the higher education sector in the UK and an EdD candidate at the University of Cambridge.