Higher education teaching professionals: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time higher education teaching professionals in the UK earned a median £52,835 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 35% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 46th of 382 occupations on this measure.
One in ten full-time jobs paid under £32,871; one in ten paid over £77,707.
Median full-time pay: women £48,751 a year, men £56,417 a year.
Full-time paid hours are shorter than usual, a median of 35.9 a week.
About 74% of the roughly 279,000 employee jobs are full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 9.2%, from £48,402, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 258,500 people in this line of work, 19% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £32,871 | £670.30 | £19.16 | £12,865* | £225.60* | £18.87 |
| 20th percentile | £39,215 | £782.00 | £22.10 | £26,395 | £504.50 | £21.58 |
| 25th percentile | £42,062 | £826.70 | £23.39 | £30,275 | £584.20 | £22.85 |
| 30th percentile | £43,983 | £870.30 | £24.85 | £34,394 | £665.50 | £23.85 |
| 40th percentile | £48,476 | £963.60 | £27.17 | £40,771 | £788.00 | £26.44 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £52,835 | £1,064.40 | £29.71 | £46,494 | £895.70 | £28.94 |
| 60th percentile | £58,141 | £1,148.00 | £32.38 | £52,179 | £1,028.10 | £31.44 |
| 70th percentile | £63,899 | £1,275.20 | £35.44 | £58,615 | £1,151.10 | £34.54 |
| 75th percentile | £66,191 | £1,319.90 | £37.33 | £62,547 | £1,231.20 | £36.43 |
| 80th percentile | £69,614 | £1,380.90 | £38.89 | £65,584 | £1,307.80 | £38.65 |
| 90th percentile | £77,707 | £1,575.40 | £43.83 | £75,466 | £1,477.70 | £43.89 |
| Mean | £55,437 | £1,105.20 | £31.14 | £46,955 | £912.70 | £30.85 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £48,402 | £949.70 | £26.43 | £43,468 | £838.70 | 204 |
| 2022 revised | £47,145 | £935.30 | £26.05 | £41,756 | £782.70 | 274 |
| 2023 revised | £47,652 | £958.10 | £27.03 | £42,311 | £835.40 | 242 |
| 2024 revised | £52,580 | £1,041.60 | £28.51 | £45,680 | £873.60 | 293 |
| 2025 provisional | £52,835 | £1,064.40 | £29.71 | £46,494 | £895.70 | 279 |
Higher education teaching professionals by region
UK: 258,500 (± 19,700), April 2025 to March 2026. 1 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 50,400* | ± 11,600 |
| South East | 31,300* | ± 7,000 |
| Scotland | 31,200* | ± 6,400 |
| North West | 26,700* | ± 6,200 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 20,500* | ± 5,300 |
| South West | 20,500* | ± 5,200 |
| East Midlands | 18,900* | ± 5,800 |
| East of England | 18,200* | ± 5,800 |
| West Midlands | 18,000* | ± 5,600 |
| North East | 9,700* | ± 3,100 |
| Wales | 8,700* | ± 2,600 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What higher education teaching professionals do
Higher education teaching professionals deliver lectures and teach students to at least first degree level, undertake research and write journal articles and books in their chosen field of study. (ONS SOC 2020, 2311)
Also covers: fellow (university), lecturer (higher education, university), professor (higher education, university), tutor (higher education, university), university lecturer, university teaching assistant, assistant head, assistant principal, clinical lecturer, clinical teacher, clinical tutor, college lecturer, course director, course leader, course tutor, dance lecturer, dance teacher and dancing teacher (45 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Prepares, delivers and directs lectures, seminars and tutorials
- Prepares, administers and marks examinations, essays and other assignments
- Advises students on academic matters and encourages independent research
- Provides pastoral care or guidance to students
- Participates in decision making processes regarding curricula, budgetary, departmental and other matters
- Directs the work of postgraduate students
Entry will require a good honours first degree plus a higher degree or an equivalent professional qualification. For vocational subjects, practical experience and additional qualifications may also be required. A DBS check may be required.
Related
Teaching professionals (median £47,328) · Further education teaching professionals · Secondary education teaching professionals · salary percentile · UK real pay growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026