Ukraine is experiencing a severe shortage of teaching staff in schools, largely due to the insufficient salary levels in the education sector. This is especially true for primary school teachers, who, according to recent calculations, earn significantly less than the average salary in the country.
This is reported by Finway
What is the Income Level of 1st to 4th Grade Teachers
According to the Work.ua portal, the average salary of a primary school teacher in September 2025 is 17,500 hryvnias, which is 6% higher than last year. However, the actual income of educators can vary significantly depending on work experience, the size of the salary, and additional payments.
A distinctive feature of the work of 1st to 4th grade teachers is the fulfillment of class leader duties, for which an additional payment is provided. According to the Ministry of Education’s order “On Approving the Instruction on the Procedure for Calculating the Salaries of Education Workers,” the allowance for class leadership is 20% of the salary. Its amount is determined by the Unified Tariff Scale and depends on the tariff grade, coefficients, and salary increases.
Salary Structure and Additional Payments
The calculation of the average salary for a second-category primary school teacher, taking into account possible additional payments, shows a significant difference from the amounts indicated on the job portal. The basic salary is 6,773 hryvnias. With a 10% increase according to Cabinet Resolution No. 22, the amount rises to 7,450 hryvnias. The allowance for class leadership (20% of the rate — 1,354 hryvnias) increases the income to 8,795 hryvnias.
Adding the minimum seniority allowance (10% or 677 hryvnias), the total amounts to 9,472 hryvnias. The mandatory additional payment for working in unfavorable conditions, which has been in effect since September 1, is another 2,000 hryvnias. Thus, the total salary of a primary school teacher is approximately 11,480 hryvnias.
“Some educators are also entitled to an additional payment for checking notebooks (15% of the salary) and an allowance for the prestige of the job (from 5% to 30%), but everything is determined individually.”
The salary of a primary school teacher can vary significantly depending on the educational institution, region, and availability of additional allowances. At the same time, the average income of 1st to 4th grade teachers remains significantly lower than the average salary in the country, which, according to the State Statistics Service, was 26,500 hryvnias in July 2025.