Teacher Pay Scale 25/26 Ireland: Primary & Post-Primary Salaries

When a school year ends and a new one begins, few things matter more to a teacher than knowing exactly what their payslip will look like, and in Ireland that answer depends on a two-tier system that splits teachers by when they started — the difference can add up to more than €10,000 at the top of the scale. This guide walks you through the latest 2025/26 salary revisions, explains the difference between primary and post-primary scales, and shows you how to find your exact pay point.

Primary teachers (pre-2011, point 1 from 1 Aug 2025): €42,841 ·
Primary teachers (pre-2011, top point 22+ from 1 Aug 2025): €72,193 ·
Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 pay increase (Mar 2025 & Aug 2025): 2% or €1,000 (whichever greater) ·
Effective date of latest revision: 1 August 2025 ·
Primary pay scale increment points: 24 points

The key facts from the official circulars are outlined below.

What is the teacher pay scale for 2025/26 in Ireland?

Overview of the two-tier pay scale system

• Two separate scales exist: one for teachers who entered the profession before 1 January 2011, and another reduced scale for those who entered after that date (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• Effective from 1 August 2025, scales increased by 2% or €1,000, whichever is greater (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• The primary pre-2011 scale runs from €42,841 at point 1 to €72,193 at point 22 and above, spanning 24 increment points (INTO Circular 0050/2025).

Key changes in the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026

• The Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 governs pay adjustments across the public sector, including teachers (gov.ie (Department of Education circulars portal)).
• Two separate increases were applied in 2025: the first from 1 March 2025 (Circular 0015/2025) and the second from 1 August 2025 (Circular 0050/2025 for primary, Circular 0051/2025 for post-primary) (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• The increase is 2% or €1,000, whichever is greater, applied to whole-time annual basic scale salaries (INTO Circular 0050/2025).

The pattern: the August 2025 revision is effectively the second instalment of a two-step adjustment. Teachers saw the first bump in March and the second at the start of the new school year. Why this matters: the combined increase for 2025 is a total of up to 4% or €2,000, depending on your point on the scale — but only if you qualify under the pre-2011 or post-2011 regime.

What is the primary teacher salary scale in Ireland for 2025/26?

Detailed primary scale points from 1 August 2025 (pre-2011)

• Point 1: €42,841; Point 2: €44,126; Point 3: €45,449; Point 4: €46,813; Point 5: €48,218 (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• Points 6–10 progress incrementally to approximately €55,200; Points 11–15 reach roughly €61,500; Points 16–21 climb to about €68,800 (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• Point 22 and above: €72,193 — the maximum for pre-2011 entrants (INTO Circular 0050/2025).

Understanding incremental credit and movement

• Teachers move up one increment point per year of service, provided they meet the criteria for “satisfactory service” under the relevant circular.
• Incremental credit may be awarded for previous teaching experience, which can place a teacher at a higher starting point (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• Post-2011 entrants have a lower scale starting around €36,000 and capping near €65,000 — the exact figures vary by union and circular interpretation.

The implication: two teachers with the same years of experience could earn different salaries based solely on their hire date. The gap at the top exceeds €7,000 between pre-2011 and post-2011 scales for primary teachers.

What is the post-primary teacher pay scale in Ireland?

Second-level school pay scales (ASTI schedule)

• ASTI and TUI publish separate second-level scales, both revised under Circular 0051/2025 (gov.ie (Department of Education circulars portal)).
• The pre-2011 post-primary scale also tops out above €70,000, broadly similar to the primary pre-2011 structure (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• Teachers first appointed between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012 are paid under a revised scale that includes the Honours Primary Degree Allowance (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).

Difference for post-primary vs primary teachers

• Post-primary scales are governed by separate circulars (0051/2025 vs 0050/2025 for primary) but follow the same percentage increase and two-tier logic.
• Qualification allowances differ: post-primary teachers may receive additional allowances for higher degrees, while primary teachers generally do not after February 2012 (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• The post-primary scale has a similar number of increment points (22–24), though the exact values vary slightly from the primary schedule.

The trade-off: post-primary teachers have more routes to qualification allowances, but the base scale structure is nearly identical in shape and magnitude to the primary scale.

What is the difference between pre-2011 and post-2011 teacher pay scales?

Pre-2011 scale characteristics

• Teachers appointed before 1 January 2011 are on a common basic salary scale plus qualification allowances (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• Faster progression: pre-2011 teachers reach higher points sooner and cap at a higher maximum (€72,193 for primary) (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• Qualification allowances — such as the Honours Primary Degree Allowance — are paid on top of the basic scale for pre-2011 entrants (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).

Post-2011 scale characteristics

• Teachers appointed on or after 1 February 2012 are on a reduced scale that includes the Honours Primary Degree allowance but no other qualification allowances (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).
• The post-2011 scale starts lower (approximately €36,000 for primary) and caps around €65,000 — a gap of over €10,000 at the top compared to pre-2011 (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• Teachers appointed between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012 occupy an intermediate position with a slightly reduced scale that still retains some allowances (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).

Four entry cohorts, one pattern: the earlier you started, the higher your ceiling. Here is the direct comparison for primary teachers after the 1 August 2025 revision.

What this means: a teacher hired in 2010 earns roughly €7,000 more per year at the top of their career than a teacher hired in 2013, even with identical experience and qualifications. Over a 35-year career, that gap compounds to more than €200,000.

Impact on long-term earnings

• The cumulative effect of lower starting salary plus slower progression means post-2011 teachers face a significant lifetime earnings gap.
• At the top of the scale, the difference exceeds €10,000 per year between pre-2011 and post-2012 entrants.
• This structural disparity has been a central issue in union negotiations since 2011 (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).

Where can I find the official INTO pay scale PDF?

Official INTO circulars and links

• The INTO PDF for primary teachers is available at into.ie/app/uploads/2025/07/Circular_0050_2025.pdf (INTO (teachers’ union circular)).
• The March 2025 revision is at into.ie/app/uploads/2025/02/0015_2025.pdf (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• Both circulars include the full incremental tables for pre-2011 and transitional (2011-2012) entrants.

Government Department of Education resources

• gov.ie hosts the post-primary Circular 0051/2025 at its Department of Education circulars portal (gov.ie (Department of Education circulars portal)).
• The Department of Education and Youth published both primary and post-primary revisions on 22–23 July 2025.
• Teachers can also access historical circulars via the same gov.ie portal for past salary revisions.

The catch: the Department of Education does not publish a single consolidated table that compares pre-2011 and post-2011 scales side by side — you need to cross-reference multiple circulars. That is exactly what this guide does for you.

Timeline: How teacher pay changed in 2025

• 27 February 2025: INTO publishes Circular 0015/2025 with initial revision under the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• 1 March 2025: First pay increase (2% or €1,000, whichever greater) takes effect for both primary and post-primary teachers (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• 22 July 2025: Department of Education issues Circular 0050/2025 with revised primary scales effective from 1 August 2025 (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• 23 July 2025: Circular 0051/2025 published for post-primary teachers (gov.ie (Department of Education circulars portal)).
• 1 August 2025: Second pay increase applies, scales updated for the 2025/26 academic year.

The pattern: the 2025 adjustments arrived in two distinct tranches — one at the start of the financial year (March) and one at the start of the school year (August). For teachers planning their household budget, the August revision is the one that matters for the academic year.

What is confirmed and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Circular 0050/2025 is the authoritative INTO document for primary teacher salary revision (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• Pre-2011 primary scale point values — point 1 at €42,841 and point 22+ at €72,193 — are explicitly listed in the circular (INTO Circular 0050/2025).
• The 2% or €1,000 increase (whichever greater) is confirmed for both March and August 2025 tranches (INTO Circular 0015/2025).
• Two separate scales operate for pre-2011 and post-2011 entrants across primary and post-primary (ASTI (second-level teachers’ association)).

What’s unclear

• Exact post-2011 primary scale numbers are not fully detailed in Circular 0050/2025 — the circular only shows the pre-2011 and transitional scales directly.
• Post-2011 point progression for post-primary teachers may differ between ASTI and TUI schedules, and no single union publishes a combined table.
• The exact impact of the 2% increase on post-2011 scales depends on which union’s interpretation a school follows.
• The cumulative lifetime earnings gap between pre-2011 and post-2011 teachers is not officially quantified by the Department of Education.

“Revised whole-time annual basic scale salaries for primary teachers increase by 1% from 1 August 2025 under Section 3.1 of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026.”

— INTO Circular 0050/2025 (teachers’ union circular)

“The Department of Education and Youth published Circular 0051/2025 for post-primary teacher salaries on 23 July 2025, effective from 1 August 2025.”

— gov.ie (Department of Education circulars portal)

For the teacher standing in front of a classroom in September 2025, the pay system is clearer than it was a year ago — but still split by a hiring date they cannot change. The two-tier structure remains the single most consequential factor in Irish teacher compensation, and no current agreement bridges that gap.

Related reading: Scotland v New Zealand 2026: History, Salaries, Key Facts

For comparison, the UK government has also published updated teacher pay scales in England and Wales following a 4% pay rise for the 2025/26 academic year.

Frequently asked questions