State school business manager salary
A state-maintained School Business Manager in 2025/26 typically sits in a £35,000 to £58,000 base-salary band on NJC Green Book or Soulbury pay points. Most posts are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. The pay band moves principally with pupil numbers and whether the post sits on the SLT.
The band
NJC Green Book scale points run through the SBM band. The exact mapping of grade to pay point is set by each local authority and most schools use a regional grading map. Senior SBM posts in large secondary schools regularly sit at the top of the local SO2 band or transfer onto Soulbury terms.[1]
LGPS pension
Support staff posts in maintained schools are normally enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme, administered through the local LGPS fund. Employer contribution rates vary by fund and are reviewed every three years. The LGPS rate is a meaningful component of the post's total cost of ownership.[2]
Green Book settlement
The annual NJC pay settlement is negotiated by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services and published by the Local Government Association. Schools are expected to implement the settlement in line with their local authority's payroll cycle.[3]