Nursery education teaching professionals: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time nursery education teaching professionals in the UK earned a median £37,593 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £1,446 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 162nd of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
A full-time median is published for women only; the sample of men is too small.
Full-time paid hours are shorter than usual, a median of 32.5 a week.
About 75% of the roughly 12,000 employee jobs are full-time.
From £569.20 in 2021, the median is up 27.0%, close to the 25.7% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 29,700 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | £582.20 | £14.57 | £20,182* | £420.50* | £14.56 |
| 25th percentile | £29,040* | £604.30 | £15.16* | £22,587* | £454.60* | £15.17 |
| 30th percentile | £30,065* | £607.60 | £16.77 | £26,021* | £523.20* | £16.34 |
| 40th percentile | £33,122* | £652.80 | £19.44* | £29,753* | £603.40 | £18.96* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £37,593* | £722.60* | £20.43* | £31,425* | £631.10* | £20.74* |
| 60th percentile | £42,006* | £827.70* | £23.32* | £37,160* | £690.70* | £23.90* |
| 70th percentile | – | – | – | – | £835.60* | £26.59* |
| Mean | £41,934 | £818.10 | £23.91 | £36,576 | £711.90 | £23.44 |
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 | – | £569.20* | £16.39* | – | £475.10* | 14* |
| 2022 revised | £28,929* | £641.40 | £18.28 | £27,873* | £568.50 | 19* |
| 2023 revised | £32,559 | £698.00 | £20.07 | £29,585 | £617.00 | 25* |
| 2024 revised | £31,921* | £669.10 | £19.89 | £28,731 | £610.10 | 16* |
| 2025 provisional | £37,593* | £722.60* | £20.43* | £31,425* | £631.10* | 12* |
Nursery education teaching professionals by region
UK: 29,700 (± 6,700), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What nursery education teaching professionals do
Nursery education teaching professionals care for and teach children up to the age of entry into primary school. (ONS SOC 2020, 2315)
Also covers: kindergarten teacher (professional), nursery school teacher, pre-school teacher, assistant head, assistant headteacher, deputy head, deputy headteacher, house master, house mistress, montessori teacher, school master, school mistress, assistant head master, assistant head mistress, assistant head teacher, children's centre pedagogue and deputy head master (25 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Prepares and delivers lessons in accordance with early years foundation stages curriculum and encourages and stimulates children's learning
- Teaches simple songs and rhymes, reads stories and organises various activities to promote language, social and physical development
- Supervises and cares for children, provides a secure learning environment and ensures their health and safety is maintained during all activities
- Undertakes pastoral duties
- Supervises teaching assistants and trainees
- Observes and assesses students and discusses their progress with parents and/or other education professionals
Entrants will usually possess a relevant degree or postgraduate qualification or relevant experience. Early years teacher status or equivalent is required. A DBS check is mandatory.
Related
Teaching professionals (median £47,328) · Primary education teaching professionals · Special and additional needs education teaching professionals · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026