Principal teacher salary in Scotland
Principal teachers in Scotland earn between £59,367 and £76,617 from 1 August 2026. The point depends on the size of the post, not on years of service.
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.
Principal Teacher scale
Spot salary set by job sizing; no annual increments within the post.
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | £57,498 | £59,367 |
| Point 2 | £59,871 | £61,818 |
| Point 3 | £62,265 | £64,290 |
| Point 4 | £64,659 | £66,759 |
| Point 5 | £67,053 | £69,231 |
| Point 6 | £69,438 | £71,694 |
| Point 7 | £71,820 | £74,154 |
| Point 8 | £74,205 | £76,617 |
Source: SNCT salary scales as published by the EIS. Checked 1 October 2026.
Principal teacher scale
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £57,498 | £59,367 |
| 2 | £59,871 | £61,818 |
| 3 | £62,265 | £64,290 |
| 4 | £64,659 | £66,759 |
| 5 | £67,053 | £69,231 |
| 6 | £69,438 | £71,694 |
| 7 | £71,820 | £74,154 |
| 8 | £74,205 | £76,617 |
The scale is the same for primary and secondary principal teachers. What differs is the point each post is given.
Why you stay on one point
Each principal teacher post has a single salary point. It comes from the SNCT job sizing process, which scores the responsibilities of the post. You do not climb from point 1 to point 8 over time.
Your salary changes only in two ways. National pay deals raise every point, or the post is re-sized and moves to a new point.
Council job sizing policies list changes that can lead to a re-size. Examples include:
- more or fewer staff that you line manage
- a bigger or smaller budget to account for
- a change in your timetabled teaching hours
- for pupil support posts, a change in caseload
A post is normally reviewed no more than once every 12 months. The depute head teacher page explains the full job sizing process.
What the step up is worth
Moving from the top of the main grade to principal teacher point 1 adds £4,914 a year gross. After deductions, the gain is much smaller.
| Main grade point 5 | Principal teacher point 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £54,453 | £59,367 |
| Pension rate | 9.90% | 10.61% |
| Take-home a year | £37,374 | £39,600 |
| Take-home a month | £3,115 | £3,300 |
So the extra £4,914 is worth about £2,226 a year in your pocket. Most of each extra pound is taxed at 42%, and the whole salary moves into a higher pension tier.
Take-home at other points
| Point | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | £66,759 | 10.61% | £3,607 |
| 8 | £76,617 | 11.73% | £3,975 |
Figures assume August 2026 salaries, a full year, a standard tax code and no student loan. A Plan 4 loan reduces point 8 to about £3,654 a month.
Points 1 to 4 sit in the 10.61% pension tier, which covers pay up to £67,975. Points 5 to 8 pay 11.73%. A move from point 4 to point 5 therefore raises the pension rate on the whole salary.
The August 2026 uplift added £1,869 a year at point 1 and £2,412 at point 8.
Before you apply
Look at the salary in the job advert. It reflects the job size, so two posts with the same title can pay different amounts.
Quick answers
- How much does a principal teacher earn in Scotland?
From 1 August 2026, between £59,367 at point 1 and £76,617 at point 8. The point is set by job sizing for each post.
- Do principal teachers get annual pay increments?
No. A principal teacher post is paid at one point. Pay rises through national pay deals or if the post is re-sized.
- How much more does a principal teacher earn than a class teacher?
Point 1 of the principal teacher scale is £4,914 more than the top of the main grade. After pension, tax and National Insurance, that is about £2,226 a year more.
- What is the take-home pay of a principal teacher in Scotland?
About £3,300 a month at point 1 and £3,975 at point 8. This assumes August 2026 salaries, a standard tax code and no student loan.