Teachers of English as a foreign language: salary in the UK
Pay by year
The median went from £25,924 in 2021 to £37,091 in 2025 (+43%); for all full-time employees in the UK it changed by +25% over the same years.
Figures by year
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | x | x | £25,924 | x | x |
| 2022 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 2023 | x | x | £36,558 | x | x |
| 2024 | x | x | £36,381 | x | x |
| 2025 | x | x | £37,091 | x | x |
| 2026 | x | x | x | x | x |
ONS figures for each year, not adjusted for inflation. Years before 2021 used a different occupation classification, so they can't be compared. Earlier years are ONS's revised figures; the latest is provisional.
ONS didn't publish salary figures for Teachers of English as a foreign language in 2026: too few full-time employees were in the survey sample for a reliable estimate. This is common for jobs where many people are self-employed, because the survey only covers employees.
The wider group Teaching Professionals (SOC 231) has a median of £48,821 a year.
ONS did publish a mean of £43,478, which is less reliable than a median would be.
Job titles in this occupation
ONS codes these 15 job titles to SOC 2317 Teachers of English as a foreign language. Pay figures are for the whole occupation, not for each title.
- Efl teacher
- English as a second language teacher
- English for specific purposes teacher
- English language teacher
- English teacher
- Esl teacher
- Esol lecturer
- Esol teacher
- Esol tutor
- Esp teacher
- Language teacher
- Teacher
- Teacher of english as a foreign language
- TEFL
- Tefl teacher
Similar occupations
All jobs in Professional occupations
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (full-time employees, gross annual pay, UK, tax year ending 5 April 2026). Provisional figures may be revised.