How much does a Teaching assistants earn in the UK?
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£18,024
Typical Annual pay range
Understanding Teaching assistants pay in the UK
The typical teaching assistants in the UK earns a median salary of £18,024 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of teaching assistants earnings fall between £13,660 and £21,468 a year. That spread reflects the usual gap between newer entrants and more experienced teaching assistants.
Where you work changes the picture: teaching assistants pay ranges from £15,458 in South West up to £21,070 in London, a difference of £5,612 (36%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see teaching assistants pay in London, Teaching assistants vs Headteacher or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for teaching assistants at £21,070 — 17% above the UK median. South West is lowest at £15,458.
UK median £18,024
| Region | Median payUK median £18,024 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £21,070 | £21,070 | £19,736 | +17% |
| North East | £20,256 | £20,256 | £19,127 | +12% |
| North West | £19,258 | £19,258 | £18,742 | +7% |
| West Midlands | £18,939 | £18,939 | £17,989 | +5% |
| East Midlands | £18,523 | £18,523 | £18,562 | +3% |
| Wales | £18,002 | £18,002 | £17,164 | ±0% |
| Scotland | £17,529 | £17,529 | £17,378 | -3% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £17,293 | £17,293 | £16,706 | -4% |
| South East | £16,505 | £16,505 | £16,345 | -8% |
| East of England | £15,988 | £15,988 | £15,646 | -11% |
| South West | £15,458 | £15,458 | £15,416 | -14% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £21,070 | £21,070Mean £19,736 | +17% |
| North East £20,256 | £20,256Mean £19,127 | +12% |
| North West £19,258 | £19,258Mean £18,742 | +7% |
| West Midlands £18,939 | £18,939Mean £17,989 | +5% |
| East Midlands £18,523 | £18,523Mean £18,562 | +3% |
| Wales £18,002 | £18,002Mean £17,164 | ±0% |
| Scotland £17,529 | £17,529Mean £17,378 | -3% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £17,293 | £17,293Mean £16,706 | -4% |
| South East £16,505 | £16,505Mean £16,345 | -8% |
| East of England £15,988 | £15,988Mean £15,646 | -11% |
| South West £15,458 | £15,458Mean £15,416 | -14% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£18,024); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local teaching assistants pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow teaching assistants pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for teaching assistants by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25%–75% range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
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Frequently asked questions
- How much does a teaching assistant earn in the UK?
- The median annual salary for a teaching assistant in the UK is £18,024, according to ONS ASHE 2025 data. Most teaching assistants earn between £13,660 and £21,468 per year.
- What is the median teaching assistant salary?
- The median teaching assistant salary in the UK is £18,024 per year (ONS ASHE 2025). Half of all teaching assistants earn more than this figure, and half earn less.
- How much do senior teaching assistants earn?
- The top 25% of teaching assistants in the UK earn more than £21,468 per year (75th percentile, ONS ASHE 2025). The bottom quarter earn up to £13,660 annually.
- Which UK region pays teaching assistants the most?
- London has the highest median teaching assistant salary at £21,070 per year, according to ONS ASHE 2025 data.
- How has teaching assistant pay changed in recent years?
- Median teaching assistant pay rose from £17,265 in 2024 to £18,024 in 2025 — a 4.4% increase (ONS ASHE 2025).
- What is the average teaching assistant salary in the UK?
- The mean (average) teaching assistant salary in the UK is £17,504 per year. The mean is lower than the median of £18,024 because low earners skew the average (ONS ASHE 2025).
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