Teacher Pay Scales 2024 | How much are teachers paid? | 'U' ranges explained

Introduction

The salaries of teachers in the UK vary depending on a range of factors. These include the teacher's qualifications, position, their location, additional responsibilities, and the stage of their career. Notably, the pay scales for teachers are set by the Department for Education, but individual schools have some flexibility within these guidelines. This flexibility allows schools to offer competitive salaries to attract the best teachers.

The Upper (U) scale

Qualified teachers have gained some experience post-qualifying. The pay scales for qualified teachers are divided into 'main' (or 'M') and 'upper' (or 'U') pay ranges. Here, we'll be looking at the upper scale. The progression along these scales is tied to performance, and varies in relation to where you live in the UK:

ECT (Early Career Teacher) Salaries

Early Career Teachers (previously knows as 'Newly Qualified Teachers', or 'NQTs') are those who have recently completed their teacher training. These teachers are at the bottom of the 'M' (main) pay scale. However, the starting salary for an ECT is relatively competitive.

How to earn more as an Early Career Teacher (ECT)

For more, check out our full overview of pay for teachers for the 2023/24 academic year, our salary guide for Early Career Teachers, and this overview of Teaching Assistant (TA) salaries.