SOC 6113 Caring personal service occupations

Educational support assistants Salary

Median salary £17,086 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £17,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For educational support assistants, £21,448 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -45% versus the national average. Experienced educational support assistants (top 25%) earn over £20,769.

About this role

Educational support assistants provide specialist support for pupils with special educational needs, disabilities, behavioural challenges or English as an additional language. They implement individual support plans and help pupils access the curriculum.

Key responsibilities

Supporting pupils with SEND to access learning
Implementing individual education plans (IEPs) and EHCP objectives
Providing personal care support where needed
Adapting resources and activities for accessibility
Recording and reporting on pupil progress and behaviour

Qualifications and entry routes

Level 2/3 qualifications in supporting teaching and learning, plus specialist SEND training. First aid certification, Team Teach (behaviour management) and specific condition training may be required. DBS check mandatory.

Career outlook

Growing demand driven by increasing SEND identification and EHCP numbers. Specialist skills in autism, SEMH and complex needs are particularly valued.

Key skills

SEND knowledge Personal care Behaviour support Adaptability Empathy

Common industries

Special schools
Mainstream schools (SEND support)
Pupil referral units
Hospital schools
Further education SEND provision

Data coverage

SOC code 6113

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 138,000

Median Salary

£17,086

Mean Salary

£17,280

Jobs (000s)

138k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £8kP25: £13kMedian: £17kP75: £21kP90: £25k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£8,024

0-2 years

Mid Level

£12,883

3-7 years

Senior

£20,769

8-15 years

Leadership

£25,457

15+ years

Potential career growth: +217% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +48.3%Real growth: +7.5%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 8.0%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£17,086

Full-time Only

£21,448

Full-time premium: +£4,362

Educational support assistants salary: common questions

How much do educational support assistants earn in the UK?

Educational support assistants earn a median of £21,448 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £12,883 and £20,769.

Is £21,448 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for educational support assistants?

Entry-level educational support assistants typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £12,883, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £8,024.

How much do the highest-paid educational support assistants earn?

The best-paid 10% of educational support assistants earn over £25,457 a year, and the top 25% over £20,769 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have educational support assistants salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median educational support assistants pay has risen from £15,650 to £21,448 — +37% in cash terms, or -1.0% after CPIH inflation. That is roughly in line with inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for educational support assistants?

Male educational support assistants earn a median £18,518 and female educational support assistants £17,033 — 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).