Specialty doctor salary 2026/27
Pay for SAS doctors on the 2021 contracts in England from April 2026: the specialty doctor and specialist grades.
Specialty doctor and specialist pay
| Grade | Years | Basic (10 PAs) | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty doctor | 0 to 2 | £63,696 | £3,618 |
| Specialty doctor | 3 to 5 | £73,383 | £3,968 |
| Specialty doctor | 6 to 8 | £81,804 | £4,322 |
| Specialty doctor | 9 to 11 | £90,548 | £4,690 |
| Specialty doctor | 12 onwards | £102,689 | £5,201 |
| Specialist | 0 to 2 | £104,401 | £5,273 |
| Specialist | 3 to 5 | £108,484 | £5,445 |
| Specialist | 6 onwards | £115,341 | £5,718 |
England, NHS Pension member, tax code 1257L. Specialty doctors pass a pay threshold before moving from the years 6 to 8 point to the years 9 to 11 point.
Who SAS doctors are
Specialty, specialist and associate specialist (SAS) doctors are experienced senior doctors who are not in a training programme and not consultants. Many choose the role for a better work-life balance or to focus on clinical work, and they cover a huge range of specialties.
The two open grades
- Specialty doctor: needs at least four years of full-time postgraduate training, two of them in a relevant specialty.
- Specialist: a senior grade for doctors working autonomously at a high level. It needs at least 12 years since qualifying, including six in the relevant specialty.
The older associate specialist grade closed to new entrants in 2008.
Job plans and progression
Like consultants, SAS doctors work to a job plan of programmed activities, with extra PAs and on-call paid on top. Some move on to consultant posts through the Portfolio Pathway to the specialist register.
Common questions
How much does a specialty doctor earn?
£63,696 to £102,689 basic in England from April 2026, rising with years in the grade.
How much does a specialist grade doctor earn?
£104,401 to £115,341 basic in England from April 2026.