SOC 2323 Teaching and other educational professionals

Education advisers and school inspectors Salary

Median salary £41,535 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £42,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For education advisers and school inspectors, £44,549 is the typical (median) pay. That is above the UK full-time median of £39,039 — +14% versus the national average. Experienced education advisers and school inspectors (top 25%) earn over £52,772.

About this role

Education advisers and school inspectors (2020 SOC) assess and advise on educational provision quality. They conduct inspections, review teaching standards, analyse performance data and provide expert guidance to help schools, colleges and early years settings improve.

Key responsibilities

Leading or contributing to inspections of educational settings
Analysing school performance data and self-evaluation evidence
Providing advisory support for school improvement
Writing and quality-assuring inspection reports
Supporting professional development for school leaders and teachers

Qualifications and entry routes

Requires significant successful teaching and school leadership experience. Ofsted Additional Inspectors must complete Ofsted training. School improvement advisers typically need NPQH or equivalent senior leadership experience.

Career outlook

Inspection roles provide portfolio career opportunities. School improvement advisory work is growing through academy trusts and regional school commissioner offices.

Key skills

Inspection methodology Educational data analysis Report writing Leadership coaching Regulatory knowledge

Common industries

Ofsted
Local authorities
Academy trusts
Education consultancies
Church of England and Catholic dioceses

Data coverage

SOC code 2323

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 22,000

Median Salary

£41,535

Mean Salary

£42,317

Jobs (000s)

22k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £31,141Median: £41,535P75: £52,772

P10: --P25: £31kMedian: £42kP75: £53kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£31,141

0-2 years

Mid Level

£31,141

3-7 years

Senior

£52,772

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +69% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +47.6%Real growth: +6.9%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 8.0%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£41,535

Full-time Only

£44,549

Full-time premium: +£3,014

Education advisers and school inspectors salary: common questions

How much do education advisers and school inspectors earn in the UK?

Education advisers and school inspectors earn a median of £44,549 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £31,141 and £52,772.

Is £44,549 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for education advisers and school inspectors?

Entry-level education advisers and school inspectors typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £31,141, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £30,974.

Have education advisers and school inspectors salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median education advisers and school inspectors pay has risen from £33,267 to £44,549 — +34% in cash terms, or -3.0% after CPIH inflation. That is behind inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for education advisers and school inspectors?

Male education advisers and school inspectors earn a median £44,333 and female education advisers and school inspectors £40,777 — a gap of +8.0% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).