Police vs Teacher Salary
Comparison
(UK 2026)
Base pay, pay scale progression, pension strength, workload pressure and long-term earning potential compared — independent and regulation-based.
Independent explanatory guidance. Not affiliated with the Home Office, DfE or teaching unions. Figures are indicative and vary by employer and region.
The Short Answer: Who Earns More?
In 2026, a top-scale Police Constable generally earns more in base salary than a classroom teacher at the top of the main pay scale.
- However, teachers benefit from structured term-time holiday patterns and a strong defined-benefit pension scheme.
- Police officers possess significantly higher earning ceilings through hourly overtime multipliers and promotion, but face vastly higher professional volatility, shift work disruption, and severe legal exposure.
Decision Lens: If you prioritise structured holidays and predictable shift hours, teaching may feel more financially and chronologically stable. If you prioritise pure earning ceiling and overtime flexibility to boost income, policing offers a materially higher top-end — but at far greater personal and legal risk.
Base Pay Comparison (2026)
A direct comparison of base salary structures outlining the progression from newly qualified/graduated entry through to the top of standard non-promoted scales.
| Role | Entry / Newly Qualified | Mid / Competent | Top (Standard) | Structure Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Constable (E&W) | ~£29,900 | ~£38,000 | £49,000+ | 7-point incremental time-served ladder. |
| Teacher (Main Pay Scale - E&W) | ~£31,000 | ~£36,000 | ~£43,000 (M6) | M1-M6 band (excludes London weighting). |
Police progression is largely automatic (annual time-served increments, subject to a basic performance standard). Pay hits the absolute Constable ceiling at year 7.
Historically annual, but modern progression often depends heavily on school appraisal policies. Crucially, teachers can progress beyond M6 onto the Upper Pay Scale (UPS) or Leadership scales.
Key Takeaway
While the top Constable scale materially exceeds the standard Main Pay Scale (M6) for a classroom teacher, teacher leadership roles (Head of Department, SLT) can drastically exceed police constable salaries without requiring a leap into senior police officer ranks.
Progression Speed & Ceiling
Understanding how quickly earnings grow is just as important as the starting figure.
7 Years to Ceiling. A constable moves aggressively up the scale each year. By year 7, they hit the absolute ceiling. From then on, their base pay only increases if the government awards an annual percentage uplift, or they achieve promotion to Sergeant.
6 Main Steps + Beyond. Teachers move through M1 to M6. However, once at M6, they can apply for the Upper Pay Scale (UPS1/UPS2/UPS3), pushing base pay higher. Dedicated leadership spine points offer further ceiling expansion throughout a career.
Overtime vs Holiday Structure
This represents the starkest contrast between the professions. One profession allows buying back time through immense hourly rates; the other protects massive blocks of calendar time.
Police: The Overtime Engine
Officers are subject to Regulation 26. If they work a cancelled rest day with less than 15 days' notice, they are paid at 1.5x time. Public holidays can attract double time (2.0x). A constable can dramatically force their income higher, but at the cost of exhausted weekends and volatile sleep schedules.
Teacher: The Directed Time Limit
Teachers do not have an hourly overtime model. They operate on 'directed time' (statutorily ~1,265 hours across 195 days). While they receive 13 weeks of school holidays per year, a massive caveat is the intense volume of unpaid evening, weekend, and holiday marking/planning required to simply survive the term.
Balanced Commentary
Teachers have incredibly visible structural holiday time, protecting family holidays. Police officers have extreme flexiblity to spike their income via overtime, but face intensely reduced predictability requiring them to work Christmas, weekends, and unpredictable night shifts.
Pension Comparison (A Critical Anchor)
Both roles enjoy phenomenal final-wealth engines through Defined Benefit CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings) schemes.
| Scheme | Type | Retirement Age | Contributions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police (2015 Scheme) | CARE DB | NPA 60 | High (~12.44% - 13.78%) | Immense early access power. |
| Teachers' Pension | CARE DB | State Pension Age | High (~7.4% - 11.7%) | Strong accrual rate, later drawdown. |
The Pension Verdict
Both are incredibly strong DB schemes. The Police pension offers earlier, unreduced full access at age 60, but forces a higher ongoing monthly deduction from the officer's payslip. The Teachers’ pension is generally tied directly to the later State Pension Age (SPA).
Real Take-Home Pay Differences
Headline gross numbers obfuscate reality. Because both professions dictate intense monthly pension deductions, take-home net is dramatically lower than a private-sector equivalent.
A constable on £49k base doing £5k in overtime over the year grossing £54k. After heavy tax, NI, and their ~13.4% pension hit, their monthly net feels significantly suppressed relative to their gross performance.
A teacher reaching the Upper Pay Scale grossing ~£45k. With no overtime vector to rely on, but a slightly lower pension contribution bracket (~9-10%), their net remains highly predictable every single month.
Workload & Accountability
The Police Pressure
- 24/7 rotating shift volatility including nights.
- Trauma exposure and chronic sleep disruption.
- Criminal liability for standard use-of-force decisions.
- Severe IOPC public scrutiny & misconduct processes.
The Teacher Pressure
- Unrelenting Ofsted pressure and public exam metrics.
- Severe safeguarding accountability and administrative burden.
- Parental interaction and behavioural management stresses.
- Performance management directly linking to pay progression.
The Unpriced Cost
Neither profession prices emotional labour, burnout, or psychological trauma effectively into its base salary structure. Both suffer from systemic retention issues driven by workload intensity that far outstrips the £40k-£50k salary anchor point.
Long-Term Ceiling
Promoting to Sergeant lands roughly £50k–£53k+. Inspector jumps past £59k+. However, these roles frequently lose the lucrative hourly overtime multipliers, forcing a temporary feeling of a pay plateau.
The Leadership Spine offers enormous potential. Assistant Heads, Deputy Heads, and Headteachers can secure salaries pushing £70k to over £100k+, frequently vastly outpacing mid-tier police ranks.
Quick Comparison Snapshot
Indicative only — non-financial modelling.
Stay Updated on Public Sector Salary Comparisons
We publish neutral, regulation-based pay comparisons as public sector settlements and reform proposals evolve. Follow us for clean updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more, police or teachers in the UK?
In 2026, a top-scale Police Constable generally earns a higher base salary (£49k+) than a classroom teacher at the top of the main pay scale (£40k–£43k+ outside London), and has significant overtime earning potential. However, senior teachers in leadership roles can out-earn standard police ranks.
What is the starting salary for a teacher in 2026?
The starting salary for a newly qualified teacher on the Main Pay Scale (M1) in England (outside London) is roughly £31,000, which aligns closely with the starting salary of a new Police Constable.
Do police officers earn more with overtime?
Yes, police officers can significantly increase their annual take-home pay through Regulation 26 overtime multipliers (1.33x, 1.5x, 2.0x), whereas teachers do not operate on an hourly overtime model.
Is the teachers’ pension better than the police pension?
Both are excellent Defined Benefit CARE schemes. The Police pension offers highly valuable early access (unreduced at age 60), but requires steeper monthly employee contributions. The Teachers' Pension Scheme is typically linked to the State Pension Age.
Which career has better long-term earning potential?
Constables generally reach a higher earning ceiling than standard classroom teachers. However, teachers progressing to Head of Department, Assistant Head, or Headteacher roles have a massively expanded earning ceiling that can easily surpass standard policing ranks.
Do teachers get paid during school holidays?
Yes, teachers receive a consistent fractional 1/12th monthly salary regardless of school holidays. However, many teachers work significant unpaid hours during evenings, weekends and term breaks to cover planning and marking.
Is policing financially worth it compared to teaching?
Policing is financially advantageous for those who reach the top of the constable scale and utilise overtime, but it comes at the steep cost of shift working, cancelled rest days, and intense legal accountability.
Which has better work-life balance?
Teaching offers structured holidays and predictable shift patterns aligned with the school term, providing greater long-term calendar stability. Policing is a 24/7 service marked by volatile shift rosters, night shifts, and short-notice cancellations.