Teacher pay and pension

Everything for teachers in state schools in England: what you take home on every pay range and in every London area, what your Teachers’ Pension will pay, and guides to TLRs, part time and leadership pay.

Updated for the 2026/27 tax year

Teacher pay calculator

Take-home on the main, upper, unqualified and leadership ranges, with London areas, TLR and SEN payments, part time and student loans.

New teacher on M1, outside London£2,169.37 a month
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Teachers’ Pension calculator

Your pension and lump sum at retirement in today’s money, with career average and final salary service and the McCloud choice.

From 30 to 68 on M6 pay£42,613 a year
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Teacher pay guides

Early career teacher salaryM1 and M2 in every areaUpper pay rangeU1 to U3 and how to get thereHeadteacher salaryGroups 1 to 8Deputy and assistant headLeadership spine payTLR and SEN paymentsWhat each adds after taxPart-time teacher payPro rata pay and pensionLondon teacher salaryInner, outer and fringeUnqualified teacher salaryPoints 1 to 6

Teacher pay in 2026/27 at a glance

  • 3.5% on all pay ranges and allowances from 1 September 2026, and 3% more from September 2027.
  • New teachers start on £34,069 outside London and £41,729 in inner London.
  • The main pay range tops out at £46,940 (M6) and the upper pay range at £52,835 (U3), outside London.
  • Teachers’ Pension contributions are 7.4% to 12% of pay. Schools pay 28.68% on top.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a teacher take home a month?

Outside London from September 2026, a new teacher on M1 takes home about £2,169 a month after tax, NI and the Teachers’ Pension. At M6 it is about £2,831, and at the top of the upper pay range (U3) about £3,128.

Do teachers get paid in the summer holidays?

Yes. Your yearly salary is paid in 12 equal monthly instalments, so you get the same pay in August as in term time. Supply teachers paid by the day are the exception.

What is a teacher’s daily rate?

For teachers paid on the national scales, the daily rate is the yearly salary divided by 195. That is £174.71 a day on M1 and £240.72 on M6 outside London. Agencies often pay supply teachers less.

How much do teachers pay into their pension?

Between 7.4% and 12% of pensionable pay, set by what you actually earn. A new teacher on M1 pays 7.4%, or £210.09 a month, but after tax relief it only reduces take-home by about £168.07.

Is the Teachers’ Pension worth it?

For most teachers, yes. A year on M6 adds about £824 a year to your pension for life, increased by CPI plus 1.6% each year while you teach. It costs about £3,342 a year after tax relief, and your school pays 28.68% of your salary on top. This is general information, not advice.

How much student loan comes out of a teacher’s pay?

On Plan 2, about £35.08 a month on M1 and £131.58 on M6, outside London. You repay 9% of what you earn above the threshold.

Do teachers pay 40% tax?

Not on classroom pay outside London. Pension contributions come off before tax, which keeps even U3 below the higher rate threshold. In inner London, teachers at the top of the upper pay range and most leaders do pay some 40% tax.

How long does it take to reach the top of the main pay range?

Usually five years, moving one point a year from M1 to M6. Schools set their own pay progression rules, so check your school’s pay policy. After M6 you can apply to move to the upper pay range.