Teachers of english as a foreign language: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time teachers of english as a foreign language in the UK earned a median £37,514 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £1,525 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 165th 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 35 a week.
Since 2021 the median has risen 44.7% (from £25,924), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 27,800 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, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30th percentile | – | – | – | £19.32* |
| 40th percentile | – | £753.80* | £21.00* | £20.92* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £37,514* | £811.20* | £22.87* | £22.58* |
| 60th percentile | – | – | £26.38* | £25.70* |
| Mean | £39,399 | £862.10 | £24.52 | £24.46 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £25,924 | £544.30 | £16.05 | – | – |
| 2022 revised | – | £673.90* | £20.27 | £635.60* | – |
| 2023 revised | £36,558* | £705.90* | £20.08* | £603.10* | 10* |
| 2024 revised | £36,381* | £751.00* | £20.64* | £590.70* | 10* |
| 2025 provisional | £37,514* | £811.20* | £22.87* | – | 6* |
Teachers of english as a foreign language by region
UK: 27,800 (± 6,500), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What teachers of english as a foreign language do
Teachers of English as a foreign language teach students to speak and write the English language, either for the first time or building on their existing knowledge. (ONS SOC 2020, 2317)
Also covers: TEFL, english as a second language teacher, ESOL tutor, efl teacher, esl teacher, esol lecturer, esol teacher, esp teacher, tefl teacher, english language teacher, language teacher (TEFL), english for specific purposes teacher and teacher of english as a foreign language.
- Teaches English as a foreign language and assists in the tuition of foreign languages
- Plans and prepares language lessons and materials
- Encourages conversations in English to improve students confidence and understanding
- Sets and marks tests and gives feedback on student's performance
- Organises students' participation in cultural activities and social events
There are no pre-set academic entry requirements, however, many employers may require you to have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language course. TEFL courses require students to be 18 and to have a good level of English. A DBS check may be required.
Related
Teaching professionals (median £47,328) · Special and additional needs education teaching professionals · Nursery 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