Teachers Salary Scale in Sri Lanka 2026
GE 1-2025 and GE 2-2025 by grade, with the amounts paid in 2026 and the full scale from 2027
What is the teachers salary scale in Sri Lanka for 2026?
Government teacher basic salaries run from Rs. 53,060 (Grade 3-II) to Rs. 157,380 (top of Grade 1) on the GE 1-2025 and GE 2-2025 scales. A graduate teacher at Grade 3-I(a) starts at Rs. 64,440 when fully paid in 2027; in 2026 the amount paid is Rs. 59,504, plus the Rs. 17,800 cost of living allowance.
Which salary codes apply to teachers after the 2025 revision?
Public Administration Circular 10/2025 replaced the 2016 teacher scales from 1 January 2025. Schedule I of the circular maps the Sri Lanka Teachers' Service (SLTS) onto two codes:
| Code | Grades | Full scale (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| GE 1-2025 | Class 3: Grade 3-II, 3-I(C), 3-I(B), 3-I(A) | 53,060 - 6 x 800 - 7 x 940 - 2 x 1,080 - 66,600 |
| GE 2-2025 | Class 2: Grade 2-II, 2-I; Class 1 | 66,880 - 10 x 1,490 - 7 x 2,400 - 20 x 2,940 - 157,380 |
| GE 3-2025 | Teacher Advisors' Service | 70,870 - 3 x 1,670 - 7 x 2,400 - 20 x 2,520 - 143,080 |
| GE 4-2025 | Sri Lanka Principals' Service | 72,280 - 7 x 1,670 - 6 x 2,400 - 25 x 2,970 - 172,620 |
The Schedule II summary lists GE 1-2025 up to Rs. 66,600, while the Schedule III conversion table for Grade 3-I continues to step 23 (Rs. 74,160) for teachers who stay longer in that grade. Teacher educators in the Sri Lanka Teacher Educators' Service and education administrators in SLEAS are not on GE codes; they are on the executive SL 1-2025 scale.
Teachers salary scale by grade: 2025, 2026 and 2027
The table shows the basic salary at the first step of each grade, as listed in the Schedule III conversion tables. "Dec 2024" is the old salary at the same step, so you can see the size of the increase. All amounts are monthly, in rupees, before the cost of living allowance.
| Grade | Code / step | Dec 2024 | Apr 2025 | Jan 2026 | Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3-II (entry) | GE 1-2025, step 1 | 31,490 | 46,711 | 49,886 | 53,060 |
| Grade 3-I(C) (entry) | GE 1-2025, step 7 | 34,160 | 50,020 | 53,940 | 57,860 |
| Grade 3-I(B) (entry) | GE 1-2025, step 11 | 36,260 | 52,618 | 57,119 | 61,620 |
| Grade 3-I(A) (entry) | GE 1-2025, step 14 | 37,835 | 54,567 | 59,504 | 64,440 |
| Grade 3-I, top of table | GE 1-2025, step 23 | 43,235 | 61,263 | 67,712 | 74,160 |
| Grade 2-II (entry) | GE 2-2025, step 1 | 39,175 | 56,237 | 61,559 | 66,880 |
| Grade 2-I (entry) | GE 2-2025, step 11 | 47,425 | 66,482 | 74,131 | 81,780 |
| Grade 1 (entry) | GE 2-2025, step 18 | 56,770 | 78,063 | 88,322 | 98,580 |
| Grade 1, maximum | GE 2-2025, step 38 | 89,370 | 118,523 | 137,952 | 157,380 |
Teachers also earn one increment a year within their grade, so a teacher with a few years' service is on a higher step than the entry step shown. To find your own figure, take your step on 31 December 2024 and read across the matching GE table in Schedule III.
How is the teachers salary increase paid in 2026 and 2027?
The circular calculates each teacher's net increase as the new salary minus the old salary, less the Rs. 7,500 of allowances (Rs. 2,500 interim allowance and Rs. 5,000 allowance) that were absorbed into the new scale. It then releases that increase in three steps:
- From April 2025: Rs. 5,000 plus 30% of the net increase above Rs. 5,000.
- From January 2026: Rs. 5,000 plus 65% of the net increase above Rs. 5,000.
- From January 2027: the full scale, with nothing withheld.
For a graduate teacher at Grade 3-I(a) step 14, that means Rs. 54,567 from April 2025, Rs. 59,504 from January 2026 and Rs. 64,440 from January 2027, compared with Rs. 37,835 in December 2024. Increments earned during 2025 and 2026 move the teacher to the next step first, and the phased amount for that step is then paid.
What is the graduate teachers salary scale compared with trained teachers?
The entry grade depends on how you join the service. The step you start on matters more than the grade name, because each grade begins at a different point on the same scale.
| Route into teaching | Entry grade / step | 2026 paid | 2027 full |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Diploma in Teaching (NCOE) | 3-I(B), GE 1 step 11 | 57,119 | 61,620 |
| Graduate (graduate teacher exam) | 3-I(A), GE 1 step 14 | 59,504 | 64,440 |
| Degree + teacher training, or degree + PGDE | 2-II, GE 2 step 3 | 64,073 | 69,860 |
| Degree + PGDE + postgraduate degree in education | 2-II, GE 2 step 5 | 66,588 | 72,840 |
The 2026 graduate teacher recruitment notice (Gazette No. 2474/19 of 2 February 2026) gave the starting salary as step 14 of GE 1-2025, Rs. 64,440. The Grade 2-II placement steps come from Circular 10/2025 (I), which also places teachers promoted from Grade 3-I to 2-II at step 1 (Rs. 66,880). For the full entry routes, see how to become a teacher in Sri Lanka.
Principal and teacher advisor salary scales
Experienced teachers can move into the Sri Lanka Principals' Service (GE 4-2025) or the Teacher Advisors' Service (GE 3-2025) through separate recruitment to those services. Both start above the teacher scales:
| Grade | Code / step | Apr 2025 | Jan 2026 | Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Grade III (entry) | GE 4-2025, step 1 | 59,957 | 66,119 | 72,280 |
| Principal Grade II (entry) | GE 4-2025, step 8 | 68,021 | 75,996 | 83,970 |
| Principal Grade I (entry) | GE 4-2025, step 15 | 79,994 | 90,667 | 101,340 |
| Principals’ Service maximum | GE 4-2025, step 39 | 129,098 | 150,859 | 172,620 |
| Teacher Advisor Grade II (entry) | GE 3-2025, step 1 | 58,981 | 64,926 | 70,870 |
| Teacher Advisor Grade I (entry) | GE 3-2025, step 11 | 74,018 | 83,349 | 92,680 |
How much does a teacher take home in 2026?
Gross pay is the 2026 basic plus the Rs. 17,800 cost of living allowance: about Rs. 67,690 for a new Grade 3-II teacher, Rs. 77,304 for a new graduate teacher and Rs. 79,359 for a Grade 2-II teacher at step 1. Teachers are pensionable public servants, so EPF is not deducted, and at these levels pay is below the APIT threshold.
This page covers the scales themselves. For allowances, deductions and take-home pay at different career stages, see the government teacher salary guide. For every other public service code, see the government salary scale 2026. Subject guides such as biology teacher salary and Montessori teacher salary give subject-specific figures, and the university lecturer salary guide covers the AC scales. You can compare teaching with other state jobs such as the Management Service Officer salary and the nursing officer salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the teachers salary scale in Sri Lanka 2026?
Government teachers are on two scales under Public Administration Circular 10/2025. Class 3 teachers are on GE 1-2025, which starts at Rs. 53,060, and Class 2 and Class 1 teachers are on GE 2-2025, which runs from Rs. 66,880 to Rs. 157,380. In 2026 teachers receive the second phase of the increase, so a graduate teacher at Grade 3-I(a) is paid Rs. 59,504 basic.
What will the teachers salary scale be in 2027?
From 1 January 2027 teachers receive the full scales in Schedule II of Circular 10/2025, with no amount withheld. A graduate teacher at Grade 3-I(a) step 14 will be paid Rs. 64,440 basic, a Grade 2-II teacher at step 1 Rs. 66,880, a Grade 1 teacher at step 18 Rs. 98,580, and the top of GE 2-2025 is Rs. 157,380, all before the cost of living allowance.
What is the graduate teacher salary in Sri Lanka?
Graduates recruited through the graduate teacher examination are appointed to Grade 3-I(a) of the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service on GE 1-2025 at step 14. The full basic salary at that step is Rs. 64,440. Under the phased payment the amount paid from 1 January 2026 is Rs. 59,504, which with the Rs. 17,800 cost of living allowance comes to Rs. 77,304 a month.
How much does a trained teacher from a National College of Education earn?
Holders of the National Diploma in Teaching from a National College of Education are appointed to Grade 3-I(b). That grade starts at step 11 of GE 1-2025, which is Rs. 61,620 when fully paid in 2027. The amount paid from January 2026 is Rs. 57,119 basic, or about Rs. 74,900 with the cost of living allowance.
Where can I download the teachers salary scale 2026 PDF?
The official source is Public Administration Circular 10/2025 on the Ministry of Public Administration website. The teachers’ scales are in Schedule II and the amounts paid in 2025, 2026 and 2027 are in the Schedule III conversion tables headed GE-1 2025 and GE-2 2025. Circular 10/2025 (I) of 24 April 2026 adds the Grade 2-II placement rules. Links are in the sources below.
What is the salary of a Grade 2-II teacher?
Grade 2-II starts at step 1 of GE 2-2025, Rs. 66,880 when fully paid. Circular 10/2025 (I) places teachers with a degree and teacher training, or a degree and a PGDE, at step 3 (Rs. 69,860), and those who also hold a postgraduate degree in education at step 5 (Rs. 72,840). In 2026 these steps pay Rs. 61,559, Rs. 64,073 and Rs. 66,588.
What is the SLTS salary scale code?
SLTS stands for the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service. Its salary codes under the 2025 revision are GE 1-2025 for Class 3 (Grades 3-II, 3-I(C), 3-I(B) and 3-I(A)) and GE 2-2025 for Class 2 (Grades 2-II and 2-I) and Class 1. These replaced the 2016 teacher scales from 1 January 2025.
What is the principal salary scale in Sri Lanka?
Principals are on GE 4-2025, the Sri Lanka Principals’ Service scale, which runs from Rs. 72,280 to Rs. 172,620 when fully paid. Grade III starts at Rs. 72,280, Grade II at Rs. 83,970 and Grade I at Rs. 101,340. In 2026 a newly appointed Grade III principal is paid Rs. 66,119 basic plus the cost of living allowance.
Do teachers get the cost of living allowance in 2026?
Yes. All public servants, including teachers, continue to receive the Rs. 17,800 monthly cost of living allowance under Circular 03/2024. The older Rs. 2,500 interim allowance and Rs. 5,000 allowance were folded into the new basic salary scales from 1 April 2025, so they no longer appear as separate lines on the pay slip.
Why is my 2026 teacher salary lower than the scale?
Because the 2025 increase is paid in stages. In 2026 a teacher receives Rs. 5,000 plus 65% of the net increase above Rs. 5,000, and the rest is withheld until 1 January 2027. Schedule III of Circular 10/2025 shows both the paid and the unpaid amount for every step, so you can check your own figure against your step.
Sources
- Public Administration Circular 10/2025 (PDF) - Ministry of Public Administration (GE scales, Schedule III conversion tables)
- Public Administration Circular 10/2025 (I) (PDF) - Grade 2-II placement rules, 24 April 2026
- Government Salary Scales 2025 (English PDF mirror) - Gazette.lk
- 2026 Graduate Teacher Recruitment - summary of Gazette No. 2474/19 (Grade 3-I(a), GE 1-2025 step 14)
- Appointment of National Diploma in Teaching holders - Northern Provincial Council (Grade 3-I(b))
- Recruitment to the Sri Lanka Teachers' Service - Southern Province Ministry of Education
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