Head teachers and principals roles in the UK earn a median of £76,000 per year, equivalent to £44.24 per hour as of 2026. Pay decreased 0.3% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £63,000 in West Midlands to £87,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 4 years.
Median Annual Pay
£76,000
as of 2026
Median Hourly Pay
£44.24
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
-0.3%
vs 2025
Annual Pay Range
£61,000 – £95,000
25th – 75th percentile
UK Employment (2024)
~258,000
estimated employees
73 of 180 areas not disclosed by ONS
Employment Change
2021–2024
2021: ~185,000 → 2024: ~258,000
Market Signal
Growing marketPay and employment are both rising — competition for workers is increasing.
Employment figures from ONS Annual Population Survey (APS). Counts are estimates; suppressed cells (small samples) are excluded from totals.
Annual pay for Head teachers and principals across UK regions. The bar shows the typical pay range (25th–75th percentile); the diamond marks the median.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
Annual pay fell by -0.3% from 2025 to 2026.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot. Shaded band shows 25th–75th percentile range.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Head teachers and principals.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Head teachers and principals roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Head teachers and principals plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the running of schools, colleges and other educational establishments.
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification and have gained significant relevant experience in the field of education. Specialist training courses to become a head teacher are available. A DBS check may be required.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.