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Early Years Practitioner Salary

Find out how much money you could earn working as a nursery nurse, from entry level positions to experienced job roles!

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Early years practitioner salary breakdown

The typical early years practitioner salary is around £19,000 per year, with starting salaries potentially being significantly lower. As a nursery nurse you will generally be working year-round unless your nursery operates on school time. Your salary might vary depending on how much of the year you’re actually working for in that case, compared to more typical jobs where you can expect to work regularly throughout the year. 

Your income as an early years practitioner is going to depend on a few things. Firstly, think about where you’re going to be working. Your location could mean you’re earning more or less than the national average, so it’s good to check out how pay might vary between your local area and others. For example, Londoners can expect to earn on average 25% more than the next closest region because of things like the cost of living. 

Your experience level will also be a major factor in what you’ll earn. As a new starter with little experience you might not be earning much, especially if you’re going to be working part-time or similar. After you’ve gained some experience in the role then you’ll probably find you’re earning significantly more. Experienced early years practitioners can expect to earn around £24,000 or more in the role. Your experience in a past role, like as a nursery assistant, could help you to earn more from the get go.

How you could earn a higher early years practitioner salary

If you’re looking to earn a higher salary as an early years practitioner then you should look into acquiring additional skills and knowledge that will be useful in the job. Having the right supporting qualifications is going to help you to be considered for higher level positions or a better paying job in a new workplace.

Having a qualification in safeguarding is useful in any setting where you’ll be working with children or vulnerable people. You could also look at a course in understanding autism or getting your first aid qualification. With supporting qualifications you will be seen as a more valuable potential employee and will be more likely to get those higher paying jobs, as well as being considered for higher level positions as you progress.

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Need a little something extra for your CV? Our Level 2 Safeguarding Course will be perfect for you! Get the knowledge you need to excel in a school setting.

Final note

Now that you’ve learned about what a nursery nurse earns why not head back to our early years practitioner career advice page? We’ll help you to get the early years jobs you’ve been looking for! 

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