Skip to content
worldsalaries .com

Average Physics Teacher Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A physics teacher in United Kingdom earns about 63,900 GBP a year. That's 8% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 29,100 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 98,000 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a physics teacher make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
63,900 GBP
5,325 GBP per month
Lowest reported
29,100 GBP
2,425 GBP per month
Highest reported
98,000 GBP
8,166 GBP per month

A typical physics teacher working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,325 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 29,100 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 98,000 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior physics teacher working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the physics teacher salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How physics teacher pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all physics teachers in United Kingdom earn less than 65,200 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 44,300 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 83,800 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of physics teachers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 29,100 GBP. The highest stretch to 98,000 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

29,100
Low
65,200
Median
98,000
High
44,300
25th
83,800
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Physics teacher pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a physics teacher in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical physics teacher salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    34,800 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +39% from previous
    48,200 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +32% from previous
    63,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    78,700 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    83,900 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +10% from previous
    92,200 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 39%. That is the point at which a physics teacher typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Physics teacher pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving physics teacher pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average physics teacher salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    43,500 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +39% from previous
    60,500 GBP
  • PhD
    +62% from previous
    98,100 GBP

Physics teacher gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male physics teachers in United Kingdom earn an average of 63,800 GBP a year, while female physics teachers earn around 59,900 GBP. That works out to a 7% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Physics Teacher gender pay gap

6%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 63,800 GBP
Women 59,900 GBP

Pay raises for a physics teacher in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 11% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Physics teacher bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

33%

33% of physics teachers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a physics teacher a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 67% of physics teachers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Physics teacher: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Physics teacher salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Physics teacher pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Glasgow
  • Coventry
  • Birmingham
  • Liverpool
  • Edinburgh
  • Sheffield
  • Leeds
  • Bradford
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion123,000 GBP125,400 GBP58,800-191,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion84,200 GBP85,800 GBP39,100-128,400 GBP
GlasgowCity72,800 GBP64,400 GBP38,000-109,000 GBP
CoventryCity71,200 GBP71,200 GBP33,800-109,000 GBP
BirminghamCity71,000 GBP76,800 GBP34,100-112,700 GBP
LiverpoolCity70,500 GBP74,600 GBP33,000-114,600 GBP
EdinburghCity70,100 GBP70,500 GBP31,700-109,000 GBP
SheffieldCity69,800 GBP71,700 GBP33,500-107,700 GBP
LeedsCity69,100 GBP64,100 GBP36,800-105,200 GBP
BradfordCity68,900 GBP64,800 GBP35,600-105,200 GBP
NottinghamCity68,500 GBP71,400 GBP34,100-109,700 GBP
WolverhamptonCity67,600 GBP69,200 GBP30,800-105,800 GBP
PortsmouthCity67,600 GBP71,800 GBP30,800-105,800 GBP
BrightonCity67,300 GBP66,900 GBP33,600-105,200 GBP
LondonCity67,300 GBP74,500 GBP29,600-109,000 GBP
SomersetCity67,200 GBP68,200 GBP31,700-105,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity67,000 GBP68,500 GBP29,100-102,700 GBP
YorkCity67,000 GBP59,900 GBP33,600-100,100 GBP
SwanseaCity67,000 GBP65,500 GBP32,600-99,700 GBP
LeicesterCity66,400 GBP63,500 GBP33,300-102,700 GBP
BristolCity65,900 GBP66,100 GBP32,300-105,200 GBP
ManchesterCity65,700 GBP63,900 GBP36,500-102,700 GBP
NewcastleCity64,400 GBP64,600 GBP31,700-100,700 GBP
BelfastCity64,300 GBP63,200 GBP30,300-98,000 GBP
PlymouthCity63,700 GBP63,700 GBP32,600-99,700 GBP
ArmaghCity63,700 GBP64,900 GBP32,200-101,400 GBP
CardiffCity63,500 GBP65,700 GBP32,900-103,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity63,200 GBP58,500 GBP33,200-93,900 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity62,300 GBP65,700 GBP30,800-100,700 GBP
LincolnCity61,700 GBP61,700 GBP29,400-94,300 GBP
PooleCity61,700 GBP63,700 GBP31,200-99,400 GBP
NorwichCity61,600 GBP63,900 GBP29,100-97,200 GBP
DerbyCity61,500 GBP63,500 GBP30,700-99,600 GBP
ExeterCity60,000 GBP57,200 GBP31,400-92,100 GBP
DundeeCity60,000 GBP63,200 GBP29,300-93,900 GBP
NewportCity60,000 GBP66,900 GBP27,400-97,200 GBP
NewryCity60,000 GBP56,900 GBP30,200-93,200 GBP
GloucesterCity59,800 GBP58,800 GBP29,400-92,200 GBP
AberdeenCity59,800 GBP58,800 GBP29,400-94,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity59,800 GBP63,100 GBP31,200-93,600 GBP
CambridgeCity59,700 GBP61,700 GBP25,800-94,100 GBP
InvernessCity59,000 GBP54,200 GBP30,800-87,400 GBP
OxfordCity58,800 GBP55,700 GBP30,300-90,900 GBP
WalesRegion58,800 GBP59,700 GBP29,600-92,900 GBP
ChesterCity58,500 GBP57,200 GBP29,100-88,500 GBP
TruroCity57,800 GBP54,300 GBP32,900-86,300 GBP
WinchesterCity57,200 GBP60,400 GBP26,900-88,600 GBP
DerryCity56,900 GBP59,900 GBP26,200-90,900 GBP
BangorCity56,800 GBP56,800 GBP29,600-89,800 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion55,700 GBP49,200 GBP31,300-83,400 GBP
DurhamCity55,500 GBP60,700 GBP24,200-87,400 GBP
StirlingCity55,300 GBP58,600 GBP25,800-89,200 GBP
LisburnCity55,300 GBP51,900 GBP30,300-87,400 GBP
StrontianCity55,200 GBP52,300 GBP29,900-83,700 GBP
WellsCity54,300 GBP54,300 GBP25,800-80,500 GBP
CanterburyCity54,200 GBP52,000 GBP28,900-86,100 GBP
SalisburyCity54,100 GBP52,800 GBP26,900-87,200 GBP
WakefieldCity54,100 GBP54,600 GBP28,900-86,400 GBP
StromnessCity53,600 GBP56,900 GBP24,800-85,400 GBP
St DavidsCity53,600 GBP49,100 GBP26,900-80,300 GBP
AbingdonCity53,300 GBP53,300 GBP25,800-83,300 GBP
RiponCity53,300 GBP50,500 GBP26,500-79,000 GBP
KirkwallCity51,300 GBP51,300 GBP26,600-79,600 GBP

Physics Teacher in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a physics teacher make per month in United Kingdom?

    A physics teacher in United Kingdom earns about 5,325 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 63,900 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a physics teacher in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level physics teachers in United Kingdom start near 29,100 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 98,000 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 44,300 and 83,800 GBP.

  • Is the median physics teacher salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 65,200 GBP, higher than the average of 63,900 GBP. Half of physics teachers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for physics teachers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a physics teacher in United Kingdom earn around 7% more than women on average (63,800 vs 59,900 GBP a year).

  • Do physics teachers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 33% of physics teachers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do physics teachers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a physics teacher about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do physics teachers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A physics teacher in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.