Primary School Teacher Salary in South East
Official ONS earnings for South East, covering 48,000 jobs.
Median salary — South East
£40,713
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 5.4% change on the previous year
Mean
£39,814
Jobs measured
48,000
What a typical primary school teacher takes home
On the median of £40,713, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,736
Take-home a year
£32,833
Income Tax
£5,629
National Insurance
£2,251
What most primary school teachers actually earn
Half of primary school teachers in South East earn between £26,476 and £51,495. Earning above £51,495 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Teaching Professionals” group in South East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of primary school teachers earn less than this.
How South East ranks for primary school teacher pay
6th
of 10 GB regions with a published figure
Scotland tops the table on £48,455 and East Midlands sits at the bottom on £39,612. South East is £7,743 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Primary education teaching professionals
- SOC 2020 code
- 2314
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Primary School Teacher salary FAQs
What is the average Primary School Teacher salary in South East?
The median is £40,713 a year and the mean is £39,814, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a primary school teacher earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £30.10 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for South East.
What is a good Primary School Teacher salary?
Half of primary school teachers earn between £26,476 and £51,495. Anything above £51,495 is in the top quarter for the role.
How much do the highest-paid primary school teachers earn?
The top 10% of primary school teachers earn more than £62,074 a year, and the top quarter more than £51,495. ASHE does not publish figures above the 90th percentile.
Do primary school teachers in South East earn more than the UK average?
The median in South East is £40,713 against £43,814 across the UK, 7.1% lower, which places it 6th highest of the 10 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has primary school teacher pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +5.4% for this occupation in South East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many primary school teachers are there in South East?
ASHE counts around 48,000 employee jobs in “Primary education teaching professionals” (SOC 2314) in South East. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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