Updated for the 3.5% pay rise
Teacher take-home pay, made simple
See exactly what lands in your bank each month — after pension, tax and National Insurance. It takes less than a minute.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Nothing is saved
What do you need?
Work out your take-home pay
Answer four quick questions — your answer updates as you go.
Where do you teach?
London schools pay more. If you're not in or near London, choose the first one.
What's your pay point?
It's on your payslip or contract, for example M3 or U1. New teachers usually start on M1.
Do you work full time?
Are you paying back a student loan?
You take home
£2,169a month
from £2,839 a month before anything is taken off
Where your pay goes
- Your take-homeWhat lands in your bank account£2,169
- Teachers' PensionSaved for your retirement (7.4%), taken off before tax£210
- Income taxPaid on what you earn over £12,570 a year£316
- National InsuranceCounts towards your State Pension£143
Bonus you don't see: your employer also pays about £814 a month into your pension for you.
Using the pay scales from 1 September 2026 (the 3.5% rise).
Take-home at every pay point
Outside London, a month after pension, tax and NI. Tap one for London, part-time and student loan figures.
- M1£2,169a month
- M2£2,278a month
- M3£2,369a month
- M4£2,507a month
- M5£2,647a month
- M6£2,831a month
- U1£2,917a month
- U2£3,018a month
- U3£3,128a month
Part time? See the part-time teacher pay calculator.
Common questions
Is this up to date?
Yes. It uses the teacher pay scales from 1 September 2026, which include the 3.5% pay rise, and the tax rates for 2026/27. Another 3% rise is planned for September 2027 — we’ll update the calculator when it happens.
Why is my payslip different?
Small differences are normal. The most common reasons are a different tax code (it’s on your payslip — you can enter it under “More options”), extra payments like a TLR, or the September pay rise not reaching your payslip yet. Schools often pay the rise late and then add back pay.
How much goes into my pension?
Between 7.4% and 12% of your pay, depending on how much you earn — most teachers pay 7.4% or 8.9%. It’s taken before income tax, so it costs you less than it looks. Your school also pays in about 29% on top.
I work part time. Does this work for me?
Yes. Choose “Part time” and tell it how many days a week you work. Your pay, pension, tax and National Insurance are all worked out for your actual pay. The part-time teacher pay calculator also shows 3 and 4 days a week at every pay point.
What’s a tax code and do I need to change it?
Your tax code tells your employer how much you can earn before paying tax. Most people are 1257L, which is what we use. If your payslip shows a different code — for example 1263L because you claim tax relief on union fees — you can type it in under “More options”.
I teach in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Can I use it?
The pay points here are for England. Wales has slightly different pay scales, so choose “Leadership or a different salary” and type your salary in — the rest of the maths is the same. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different tax or pension rules, so the results won’t be exact.
Is there a calculator for teaching assistants and support staff?
Yes — the teaching assistant and support staff calculator works for TAs, librarians, office staff and anyone else on the NJC pay spine. It works from your payslip or your hourly rate, the hours you work and whether you only work in term time. There’s also an overtime tracker for logging extra time on your phone as you go.
Get told when pay changes
One short email when pay scales change — like the next rise in September 2027. Nothing else.