Teaching is a hugely rewarding career choice and is generally very well respected in most societies worldwide. It's not a particularly easy career choice, and it can be very challenging, but most teachers do it out of sheer passion for teaching. That said, they don't teach for free and if you're interested in teaching or just wondering how much they earn, here's our guide to how much teachers' salaries and benefits in Ireland.
Current Primary School Teacher Pay Scale in Ireland
Whether you’re thinking about primary teaching, special education, or progressing into a leadership role, primary school teacher salaries in Ireland are based on a scale that reflects a teacher’s qualifications, experience, entry date, and any additional responsibilities they may have. Teachers begin their careers on an established starting salary with incremental increases to their base salaries over time. They may also receive additional allowances for working in certain areas, teaching through Irish, taking on certain roles, or reaching long service milestones.⁶ Teachers should also consider pension arrangements, as Department of Education pension information applies to teachers and non-teaching staff in recognised schools.⁴
Teachers starting after 2011 were incentivised to get into teaching with higher starting salaries. | Photo by ThisisEngineering
Entry-Level Salaries
Starting salary: Primary teachers appointed on or after 1 January 2011 start on Point 1 of the revised scale, which is €45,379 from 1 February 2026.⁶
Earlier entrants: Primary teachers who entered teaching before 1 January 2011 follow a separate scale, starting at €43,341 from 1 February 2026.⁶
Why the scale matters: The salaries paid to teachers in Ireland are based on a scale of career progression and their entry date into teaching.
Who the scale applies to: The revised pay scales apply to recognised primary teachers and are set out by the Department of Education and Youth.⁶
The starting salary for a primary teacher appointed on or after 1 January 2011 is
€45,379
effective from 1 February 2026.⁶
Incremental Progression
Annual movement: Teachers move up a point on the yearly scale, provided they meet service requirements.
Experience matters: Teachers in Ireland are rewarded for their years of service, with salary progression built into the scale.
Top of the scale: The post-2011 primary teacher scale reaches Point 27, which is €83,576 from 1 February 2026.⁶
Incremental skips: Some points on the post-2011 scale include incremental skips, which means progression does not always move point by point in the same way.⁶
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Incremental progression is not the same as a bonus
Incremental progression is part of the primary school teacher pay scale rather than an occasional bonus. Teachers generally move up the scale as they gain recognised service, although some points and skips depend on the rules set out in the current circular.⁶
Allowances and Benefits
Teaching through Irish: Teachers may receive an allowance for teaching through Irish.
Gaeltacht allowance: Teachers in the Gaeltacht may receive a Gaeltacht Grant, listed at €3,806.
Island allowance: Teachers working in eligible island settings may receive an Island Allowance.
Special education: A Diploma for Special Education allowance is listed at €3,029.
Long service: Teachers with 35 years’ service may receive an allowance listed at €2,886.
Leave arrangements: Primary teachers may also have access to different types of school staff leave, including maternity, paternity, parental, carer’s, sick, and other leave categories set out by the Department of Education and Youth.²
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Check which allowances still apply
Certain allowances only apply to teachers who entered teaching before specific dates. The circular notes that some allowances for new beneficiaries were abolished from 1 February 2012, so teachers should check the current rules before assuming an allowance applies.⁶
What Affects Primary Teacher Salary Ireland?
As you can see, the main factors affecting a teacher’s salary are their teaching qualifications and experience, so when you become a teacher, you'll likely be earning the lowest salary of your career. However, there are some other factors to consider, especially when looking at primary school teacher pay in different parts of Ireland. The salary scales for teachers in Ireland are standardised across the nation. However, the cost of living in more expensive regions can vary widely, making teaching there financially challenging.
Teachers can boost their earnings in a number of different ways. | Photo by Francisco Moreno
Experience and Tenure
Years of service: Teachers in Ireland are rewarded for their years of service, with annual progression built into the salary scale.
Salary progression: Teachers move up the salary scale annually, provided they meet the service requirements.
Scale points: While not every progression results in an increased salary, most do.
Long service: Teachers who have already reached the top of the salary scale may also receive additional pay after over 35 years of service.⁶
Career stability: The longer a teacher remains in recognised service, the more likely they are to move towards the upper points of the primary teacher salary scale.
After
35
years of service, eligible teachers may receive a long service allowance.⁶
Educational Qualifications
Initial qualification: Primary teachers need recognised teaching qualifications before they can register and work as primary teachers in Ireland.¹⁰
Professional training: Teachers begin their careers at an established starting salary, and their salaries increase as they gain experience.
Additional certifications: Other qualifications and certifications, such as a diploma in special education, can result in higher pay where the allowance applies.⁶
Special education: Teachers who work with students with special needs may receive an allowance in addition to their salary, depending on eligibility.⁶
Further study: Pursuing further education can also help teachers move towards specialist, leadership, or support roles over time.
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Qualifications can affect more than starting pay
A recognised teaching qualification is essential for becoming a primary teacher in Ireland, but further qualifications can also shape a teacher’s career path. Additional training may support movement into special education, leadership, or other responsibilities that can increase earning potential over time.
Geographical Variations
National pay scale: The salary scales for teachers in Ireland are standardised nationwide.
Different cost of living: The same salary can go further in rural Ireland than in Dublin or other high-cost areas.
Dublin pressure: Dublin’s housing, transportation, and childcare costs can make teaching there more financially challenging.¹
Rural areas: Teachers in rural areas may see their salaries go further, even though the pay scale itself is the same.
Union concerns: Certain unions have advocated for additional support or bonuses for teachers in high-cost areas, particularly Dublin.
The cost of living in Dublin makes teaching there less profitable than in other places in Ireland. | Photo by Gregory DALLEAU
The majority of our teachers can’t afford to live in the Capital.
How Primary Teacher Salaries Compare with Other Education Roles
Ireland certainly offers competitive salaries, but given qualification equivalency, it is still worthwhile for teachers to see what they could earn in other roles in education since the salary for a secondary school teacher isn't the same as that of a primary school teacher. Whether you are thinking about primary teaching, post-primary teaching, or special education, salaries in Ireland are based on different scales, duties, and levels of responsibility. This means the headline salary is only part of the comparison, especially when roles involve different qualifications, school settings, or support responsibilities.
Secondary School Teachers
Separate salary scales: Primary and post-primary teachers are paid under separate Department of Education and Youth circulars, even though both are affected by the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026.⁵
Similar career pattern: Teachers begin their careers on an established starting salary, with incremental increases to their base salaries over time.
Different school setting: Secondary school teachers usually teach specific subjects at the post-primary level, while primary teachers cover a broader curriculum with younger pupils.
Post-2011 comparison: From 1 February 2026, post-primary teachers appointed on or after 1 January 2011 start at €46,948, while primary teachers on the equivalent post-2011 scale start at €45,379.⁵
Upper scale comparison: The post-2011 post-primary scale reaches €85,411 at Point 27, while the post-2011 primary scale reaches €83,576 at Point 27.⁵
Special Needs Assistants
Different role: Special Needs Assistants support students with additional care needs, rather than working as classroom teachers.
Separate pay scale: SNAs are paid under their own salary circular, not the primary teacher salary scale.⁷
Lower starting point: From 1 February 2026, new entrant SNAs start at €31,350.⁷
Progression still exists: SNA pay also increases across the scale points, with a long-service increment listed after three years of satisfactory service, up to the maximum.⁷
Role comparison: Primary teachers generally have higher starting and upper-scale salaries, but SNAs play an essential support role in schools.
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SNAs are not paid on the teacher scale
Special Needs Assistants work closely with pupils and teachers, but their pay is set on a separate SNA scale. This makes them useful for comparison with primary teachers, but the roles should not be treated as interchangeable because the responsibilities, qualification routes, and salary structures differ.⁷
Role
Current source
Starting salary
Upper point
Useful comparison
Source URL
Primary teacher, post-2011 scale
Circular 0004/2026
€45,379
€83,576
Broad classroom teaching across the primary curriculum
Public service agreements have been made to restore and increase teacher salaries, and further increments are planned. Unions in Ireland continue to advocate for additional allowances and adjustments to teachers’ salaries, particularly in areas where salaries do not always reflect the cost of living. Overall, a primary school teacher's salary in Ireland still offers a stable pay structure, with clear progression, benefits, and opportunities for growth.
Public Service Agreement 2024-2026
Public service pay: The Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 sets out pay increases across the public service, including teachers.⁹
Primary teacher circular: The Department of Education and Youth issued Circular 0004/2026 outlining the revised primary teacher salary increases, effective from 1 February 2026.⁶
Regular revisions: Teacher salary scales have been updated at several points under the agreement, rather than through a single increase.⁹
Allowances included: The circular also covers relevant allowances, which means promoted posts and qualifying allowances are adjusted alongside salary scales.⁶
Clearer planning: For teachers, the agreement makes it easier to understand when pay revisions take effect and how they fit into the wider public service pay schedule.
1 January 2024
First pay adjustment
The Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 began with a general public service pay increase.
1 March 2025
Teacher salary revision
The Department of Education and Youth issued revised teacher salary scales under the agreement, effective from 1 March 2025.⁸
1 February 2026
Current primary teacher circular
Circular 0004/2026 revised primary teacher salaries under the agreement, effective from 1 February 2026.⁶
1 June 2026
Next scheduled increase
The agreement includes a further general public service pay increase due from 1 June 2026.⁹
Future Salary Trends
Further pay revisions: The future of teacher salaries in Ireland will continue to depend on public service agreements and salary circulars.
Inflation and rising costs: Like many others, teachers in Ireland see the real value of their salaries eroded as inflation and the cost of living rise.
Urban cost pressure: The cost of living in Dublin can make teaching there less profitable than teaching in lower-cost areas, even though the national salary scale is the same.¹
Union advocacy: Unions continue to advocate for pay and working conditions improvements, especially where salary does not fully reflect workload, recruitment challenges, or living costs.
Stable career path: Even in the face of inflation and urban living costs, teachers are likely to continue enjoying financially stable careers with structured progression.
Teachers in Spain earn less than those in Ireland, but at least they don't have to worry as much about the rain. | Photo by Francisco Moreno
How to Maximise Your Earning Potential as a Primary Teacher
If you’re looking to increase your earnings as a primary teacher, there are a few options available to you. Leadership roles in schools come with better salaries, while further training can help teachers move into specialist, support, or promoted posts. Private tutoring can also offer additional income outside school hours, especially if your subject or skill area is in high demand.
Pursuing Further Education
Primary teaching qualification: A recognised qualification is the starting point for becoming a primary teacher in Ireland.³
Additional study: Further education can help teachers build specialist knowledge and strengthen their career options.
Special education: Qualifications linked to special education may support movement into learning support, resource, or special education roles.
Postgraduate routes: Postgraduate study can help teachers develop expertise in areas such as leadership, inclusion, curriculum, or educational support.
Long-term value: Further study may not always increase pay immediately, but it can make promoted posts and specialist responsibilities more realistic over time.
Taking on Additional Responsibilities
Leadership roles: Leadership roles in schools come with higher salaries and are among the clearest ways to boost earnings.
Deputy principal or principal posts: Moving into school leadership can increase pay, as the role carries greater responsibility.
Specialist responsibilities: Teachers may also develop into roles linked to curriculum planning, learning support, special education, or school coordination.
Promoted posts: Additional responsibilities can help teachers build experience for promoted posts later in their career.
Private tutoring: Teachers can earn additional income through private tutoring, especially when their subject, exam knowledge, or teaching experience is in demand.
School-based progression
Leadership roles, promoted posts, and specialist responsibilities can increase earning potential inside the school system. These routes usually depend on experience, available posts, and the school's needs.
Income outside school
Private tutoring can offer extra income outside school hours. It is particularly useful for teachers with strong subject knowledge, exam experience, or specialist skills that families and learners actively seek.
Engaging in Continuous Professional Development
Keep skills current: Ongoing training helps teachers stay up to date with classroom methods, curriculum changes, and student needs.
Build confidence: Workshops and short courses can support teachers who want to strengthen a specific area of practice.
Support career moves: CPD can help teachers prepare for additional responsibilities, specialist roles, or leadership opportunities.
Improve tutoring options: Teachers who keep developing their skills may also be better placed to offer private lessons or online tutoring.
Show commitment: Continuous professional development shows that a teacher is actively investing in their career, not just relying on years of service.
💶 What is the starting salary for a primary school teacher in Ireland?
From 1 February 2026, a primary teacher appointed on or after 1 January 2011 starts on €45,379. This is Point 1 of the revised primary teacher salary scale.
✅ How do additional qualifications affect a teacher’s salary?
Additional qualifications can improve a teacher’s earning potential, especially when they support specialist roles, leadership opportunities, or eligible allowances.
📅 Do primary school teachers in Ireland get paid during school holidays?
Yes. Primary teachers are paid on an annual salary scale, rather than only for the days when pupils are in school.
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