'Leap' in higher paid lecturers

The average lecturer's pay is more than £42,000

The number of higher education staff earning more than £50,000 has risen "substantially" over the last 10 years, research indicates.

Around 12,000 staff earn top salaries compared to just 2,000 a decade ago, says the latest Hefce funding body report on staff trends and profiles.

The number of disabled staff employed has trebled in the same period.

The population of staff from overseas has more than doubled in the past 10 years.

Between 1995-96 and 2005-06 there has also been a consistent increase at all grades in the proportions of permanent academic staff who are female.

The Hefce report reiterates the significant improvement in pay levels across the sector, with academics having seen their earnings increase by more than a quarter since 2001 Jocelyn Prudence, chief executive, Ucea

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) report is based on figures from Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa).

The findings have been welcomed by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea).

Ucea chief executive Jocelyn Prudence said: "The Hefce report reiterates the significant improvement in pay levels across the sector, with academics having seen their earnings increase by more than a quarter since 2001.

"The report, highlighting the substantial increase in the number of higher paid staff, mirrors Ucea's recent findings that the proportion of academic staff employed on higher grades increased significantly over the last decade.

"However, it is important to remember that this report is based on Hesa figures released prior to the current three-year deal worth 13.1%.

"Since then staff have received an additional 7% pay increase with further stages yet to come."

Gender inequalities

This Hefce report follows a government survey, published last month, which shows full-time academics earned an average of £42,620 in the year to April 2007.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is encouraged by the findings but says they reveal considerable gender inequalities.

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said: "We are pleased more staff in higher education are getting paid better and more are on permanent contracts.

"It is also good to see higher education is becoming more diverse, with a higher proportion of people who are registered disabled and more non-white staff.

"But we have concerns about what is happening at the bottom end of the pay range, particularly pay for research and support staff.

"And more needs to be done to address the gender pay divide as the average salary for a female academic in 2005-06 was £37,520 compared with £41,290 for a male.

"And while 23% of male academics were earning more than £50,000, only 9% of female staff earned that much."

Hefce report's key findings:-

Percentage of permanent academic staff earning £50,000+ was 18% in 2005-06 compared to 4% in 1995-96

Permanent disabled staff totalled 1,600 in 2005-06, compared to 550 in 1995-96

The number of non-UK nationals on the permanent academic staff has risen from 4,000 in 1995-96 to around 10,000 in 2005-06.

The Hefce report reveals the proportion of academic staff employed on higher grades increased significantly over the last decade, with the number of full-time academic staff who are professors increasing from 10.9% to 18.3%.