Main grade teacher salary: primary and secondary
Primary and secondary teachers in Scotland are paid on the same main grade scale. From 1 August 2026 it runs from £43,383 at point 1 to £54,453 at point 5.
Take-home pay
From a salary of £0 a year
Estimate for a full-time teacher with tax code 1257L and Scottish income tax for 2026/27, the teachers' pension at the tier for your salary, and National Insurance on an annual basis. Your payslip can differ slightly because tax and NI are worked out each month.
Main grade scale
Same scale for primary and secondary. Increments due 1 August: one point per salary year (1 Aug to 31 Jul) with 26 weeks or more of teaching service; part-time weeks count. Probationers move to Point 1 after full GTCS registration, from the first day of employment after 1 August.
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Point 0 (Probationer) | £35,022 | £36,159 |
| Point 1 | £42,018 | £43,383 |
| Point 2 | £44,400 | £45,843 |
| Point 3 | £46,977 | £48,504 |
| Point 4 | £49,959 | £51,582 |
| Point 5 | £52,740 | £54,453 |
Source: SNCT salary scales as published by the EIS. Checked 1 October 2026.
Main grade scale 2026
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (Probationer) | £35,022 | £36,159 |
| 1 | £42,018 | £43,383 |
| 2 | £44,400 | £45,843 |
| 3 | £46,977 | £48,504 |
| 4 | £49,959 | £51,582 |
| 5 | £52,740 | £54,453 |
A primary teacher and a secondary maths teacher on the same point earn the same salary. Sector and subject make no difference to the national scale.
Moving up the points
Progression on the main grade follows a fixed rule from the SNCT.
- The salary year runs from 1 August to 31 July.
- Each salary year with 26 weeks or more of teaching service earns one point.
- Any week you work counts, whatever the hours, so part-time and supply weeks count.
- The new point applies from 1 August.
Here is a typical path. A teacher who finishes probation in June 2027 moves to point 1 in August 2027. With unbroken service, they reach point 5 in August 2031.
Point 5 is the top of the scale. After that, salary only rises through national pay deals or a move into a different post.
What the 2026 changes did to each point
The April 2026 change was small, because the 4% award rose only to 4.25%. Point 5 went from £52,614 to £52,740, a rise of £126.
The August 2026 rise of 3.25% was larger. Point 5 went up a further £1,713. A teacher who also moved up a point in August got both rises at once. For example, moving from point 2 to point 3 took salary from £44,400 to £48,504.
Monthly take-home on each point
| Point | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home a month | With Plan 4 loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £43,383 | 8.88% | £2,634 | £2,563 |
| 2 | £45,843 | 8.88% | £2,766 | £2,675 |
| 3 | £48,504 | 8.88% | £2,898 | £2,788 |
| 4 | £51,582 | 9.90% | £2,994 | £2,861 |
| 5 | £54,453 | 9.90% | £3,115 | £2,960 |
Figures use August 2026 salaries, 2026/27 tax rates and a standard tax code.
Two things slow the take-home rise as you climb.
- From point 3, some pay falls in the 42% higher rate band once pension comes off.
- At point 4, your whole salary moves into the 9.90% pension tier. That is why point 4 adds £3,078 a year gross but only about £96 a month in take-home.
The higher pension rate does buy more pension. The scheme builds 1/57th of each year's pensionable pay into your career average pension.
Beyond point 5
Teachers at the top of the main grade have three other SNCT scales above them.
- Principal teacher: from £59,367 at point 1 to £76,617 at point 8.
- Lead teacher: three points, at £61,818, £78,696 and £87,810.
- Chartered teacher: £56,142 to £66,759 across six points.
The chartered teacher scheme no longer takes new entrants. Teachers already on that scale keep their chartered teacher salary.
Quick answers
- Do primary teachers earn the same as secondary teachers in Scotland?
Yes. Both use the SNCT main grade scale. From 1 August 2026 it runs from £43,383 to £54,453.
- How long does it take to reach the top of the main grade?
Four years after probation, with at least 26 weeks of service in each salary year. A teacher on point 1 in August 2027 would reach point 5 in August 2031.
- Does part-time teaching count towards moving up a point?
Yes. Any week in which you work counts, regardless of hours. You need 26 or more such weeks in a salary year to earn the next point.
- What is the maximum salary for a class teacher in Scotland?
£54,453 at point 5 from 1 August 2026. Higher pay needs a promoted post, a lead teacher post or an existing chartered teacher salary.