2nd December 2019

How does the teacher pay scale compare with other graduate jobs?

There are tonnes of ways of getting into teaching right now, many of which are generously funded.

Pay for teachers in the UK is determined by the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) which is legally binding in all local authority maintained schools. For classroom teachers (that is, someone who is not a head teacher, assistant head teacher, or leading practitioner) you will be paid on either the Main Pay Range or the Upper Pay Range.

Starting salaries for qualified teachers in England and Wales are around £22,917 (£28,660 in inner London). In Scotland, you’ll start on probationary pay of £22,416. However, with recently qualified graduates reporting salaries between £16,000 and £90,000, how does a teaching salary stack up against other graduate jobs?

Medicine and Nursing Graduates

Graduates going into Nursing start at Band 5 on the NHS pay scale, giving them a starting salary of £22,000–£28,500.

Junior doctors in their first year of postgrad foundation training earn a minimum of £26,614.

Visual and Performance Art Graduates

A typical starting salary for a curatorial position (e.g. Assistant Curator) is around £18,000, and although graphic designers are more in demand will have a starting salary of £15,000-£19,000.

Business, Marketing and Management Graduates

A starting salary in Retail Management is in the range of £17,000-£23,000, a starting salary in HR comes up at £19,000, and Digital Marketers can earn between £18,000-£22,000 at the beginning of their careers.

Become a teacher

All in all, teacher starting salaries in the UK are very competitive compared to other graduate roles. When you fill out an application form to enrol on the Engage Teacher Training Programme, you’re taking your first step on your journey towards becoming a teacher. Exciting, isn’t it?

Still got questions? Email the teacher training team at pgce@engage-education.com.

Why not see what current international teaching jobs Engage has to offer?