Teachers Pay Scale Calculator 2026/27

Teacher take-home pay is calculated as gross salary − Teachers’ Pension − income tax − employee National Insurance. Part-time pay uses the FTE fraction: contracted hours divided by 32.5 (the standard directed-time week in most schools). A 0.6 FTE teacher on M6 outside London earns £28,164 gross. TPS contributions are tiered: 8.6% at M1 rising to 10.2% at UPS3. Use the [take-home pay calculator](/take-home-pay-calculator/) for a full gross-to-net breakdown, or the [national insurance calculator](/national-insurance-calculator/) to see NI in isolation.

The Main Pay Range covers newly qualified teachers through to experienced classroom teachers who have not yet moved to the Upper Pay Range. The 2026/27 figures below apply from 1 September 2026, following the confirmed 5.5% pay award. For a detailed breakdown of each pay point, see the [Main Pay Range page](/teachers-main-pay-scale/).

Progression from M1 to M6 is not automatic. Schools make annual pay decisions based on performance, and teachers normally need a successful appraisal to move up. Academy and free schools can set their own pay structures outside the STPCD.

Teachers who meet the Upper Pay Range threshold standards can apply to move from M6 to UPS1. The application process requires evidence of sustained high performance and substantial contribution to the school. Read the full [Upper Pay Range guide](/teachers-upper-pay-scale/) for application details.

Movement from UPS1 to UPS3 is subject to the same performance-based assessment. The gap between M6 and UPS1 outside London is £2,194 a year.

The Unqualified Teacher Scale applies to teachers without Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), including graduates working towards QTS through School Direct or assessment-only routes, and specialist instructors. Outside London, the scale runs from £23,732 at UQ1 to £36,494 at UQ6.

Once QTS is obtained, the teacher moves onto the Main Pay Range at a point that reflects their experience, typically at the school’s discretion. The pension contribution rate at UQ1 (£23,732) is 7.4%.

Leadership Group pay covers head teachers, deputy heads and assistant heads. The STPCD defines an overall range of £53,586 to £148,829 outside London, with eight head teacher group bands based on pupil numbers and age range. Governing bodies set the individual school range (ISR) within the relevant band. See the full [Leadership Pay Scale page](/teachers-leadership-pay-scale/) for band details.

Leading Practitioners are outstanding classroom teachers who develop teaching practice across the school without taking on management. The range is £53,847 to £81,861 outside London. Schools place teachers within the range based on the scope and complexity of the role.

TPS member contributions use a tiered structure based on actual annual pensionable earnings, not the full-time equivalent rate. A part-time teacher’s tier is determined by their actual part-time salary, not the full-time equivalent. The 2026/27 tiers are:

At M1 outside London (£34,069), the annual pension contribution is approximately £2,930. At UPS3 (£52,835), it rises to approximately £5,389. The employer contribution is 28.68% on top, which does not come out of the teacher’s pay.

Part-time pay is calculated as full-time salary × FTE. The standard directed-time week in most maintained schools is 32.5 hours, so FTE = contracted hours ÷ 32.5.

Remember that the pension contribution tier is based on the actual part-time salary, not the full-time equivalent. A 0.6 FTE teacher on M6 earns £28,164, which falls into the 7.4% pension tier rather than the 9.6% tier that applies to the full-time M6 salary.

Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments are additional amounts for significant sustained responsibility. TLR1 ranges from £9,956 to £16,919; TLR2 from £3,391 to £8,279; TLR3 is a fixed-term payment of £639 to £3,169. SEN allowance ranges from £2,679 to £5,285 for teachers working with pupils with special educational needs.

These allowances are added to basic salary and are pensionable. They are not included in the pay scale tables above but should be added before calculating pension contributions and take-home pay. Use the [pro rata calculator](/pro-rata-calculator/) if you need to pro-rate a TLR for part-time work.

Find your pay range and region, enter the pay point and FTE fraction, and the calculator estimates your gross pay, TPS contribution and take-home. Add any TLR or SEN allowance separately. For Scottish teachers, use the [Scotland pay scale page](/teachers-pay-scale-scotland/); for Welsh teachers, see the [Wales page](/teachers-pay-scale-wales/); and for London rates, check the [London pay scale page](/teachers-pay-scale-london/). The [NHS take-home pay calculator](/nhs-take-home-pay/) is available if you are comparing careers across the public sector.