SOC 3232 Health and social care associate professionals

Early education and childcare practitioners Salary

Median salary £19,516 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £20,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For early education and childcare practitioners, £23,717 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -39% versus the national average. Experienced early education and childcare practitioners (top 25%) earn over £24,510.

About this role

Early education and childcare practitioners provide technical support, implementation and operational expertise within IT and technology environments. They configure systems, troubleshoot issues, implement solutions and ensure technology infrastructure operates reliably and securely.

Key responsibilities

Installing, configuring and maintaining IT systems and infrastructure
Troubleshooting technical issues and providing user support
Implementing security measures and monitoring system performance
Documenting technical procedures and configurations
Collaborating with development and engineering teams

Qualifications and entry routes

Typically requires a degree, HND or professional certifications in a relevant technology area. Certifications such as CompTIA, Cisco (CCNA), Microsoft (Azure/365) or AWS are valued. Apprenticeships provide alternative entry routes.

Career outlook

Strong demand across all sectors. Cloud, cybersecurity and data management skills are particularly sought after.

Key skills

Technical troubleshooting Systems administration Network management Security awareness Documentation

Common industries

Technology
Financial services
Public sector
Telecommunications
Managed service providers

Data coverage

SOC code 3232

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2021–2025

Estimated jobs 109,000

Median Salary

£19,516

Mean Salary

£19,233

Jobs (000s)

109k

Data Years

5 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £10kP25: £14kMedian: £20kP75: £25kP90: £28k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£10,091

0-2 years

Mid Level

£13,622

3-7 years

Senior

£24,510

8-15 years

Leadership

£28,216

15+ years

Potential career growth: +180% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2021-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +40.9%Real growth: +14.0%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£19,516

Full-time Only

£23,717

Full-time premium: +£4,201

Early education and childcare practitioners salary: common questions

How much do early education and childcare practitioners earn in the UK?

Early education and childcare practitioners earn a median of £23,717 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £13,622 and £24,510.

Is £23,717 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for early education and childcare practitioners?

Entry-level early education and childcare practitioners typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £13,622, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £10,091.

How much do the highest-paid early education and childcare practitioners earn?

The best-paid 10% of early education and childcare practitioners earn over £28,216 a year, and the top 25% over £24,510 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have early education and childcare practitioners salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2021, median early education and childcare practitioners pay has risen from £17,565 to £23,717 — +35% in cash terms, or +9.0% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

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