Job Discussion Forums

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

Folks:

In 2005-2006, ghost worked in Taichung, Taiwan, and the basic pay was around $2000-$2300 U.S per month, for about 20 hours work a week, with one of the places giving a housing allowance covering most of the rent, meaning that it was easy to save at least $1000 a month.

What are the salaries like in China compared with Taiwan, and how much can one save?

In the past you heard about people working in China for about $500 U.S per month, with free housing, but surely with the rising economy there now, things and salaries are better? And why would anyone want to work for such a low salary, unless the quality of life were superb, which one hears is generally not the case in China for most teachers.

Are there jobs in China which pay about the same as Taiwan ($2000 U.S. or more per month for 20 hours work per week), or are the salaries still low?

Thanks for any information.

My qualifications: B.A., B.Ed., M.A., T.E.S.L. (certified Canadian teacher in Ontario and Quebec, with teaching specialty in ESL and FSL ).

ghost

Francois · Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 53

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cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

NathanRahl · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 509

I am sure one "can" get the same, but for the majority I would say no.

jammish · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1704

As a certified teacher he could earn considerably more than that in China. He'd be looking at around 40,000 RMB per month, which is over 5000 USD, at the higher positions in international schools. Probably starting on around 30,000.

On the other hand, if he did just want to do a typical TEFL job, his 'certified teacher' status wouldn't make the blindest bit of difference. At my old school, there was one teacher who had a B.Ed and 10 years experience at a 'properrrrrr' school in Canada, and she was put on the same salary (4500 RMB per month) as an 18 year old kid who hadn't even been to do a first Degree. She didn't mind though, as she said she just wanted a relaxing year out.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I would say that, sure, one "can" get a job like that, but the actuality of it is not common. Take a look at http://www.eslteachersboard.com as one example. Go to the jobs in China page. Look at all those jobs that are needing filled RIGHT NOW - - urgent, urgent, urgent! Now look at the average salaries for around 20 hours a week: 4000, 5000, maybe the occasional 7000 if you have a PhD or something. Now, go to "international" and look at Taiwan, Japan, S. Korea, etc.: $2000 a month (USD) or more for almost every job offer. Some places, of course, you have to pay your own way when it comes to living quarters and such. I hear living in Japan is VERY expensive (an $8.00 apple for example), so that almost $3,000 you are earning may not go very far. However, for a basic, non-penny(jiao)-pinching life in China, that five or six hundred dollars + free rent is also not going to go very far. I'm currently seeking job possibilities outside of China once my current contract has ended. If I do leave, I'll let you know and set you up with a fairly decent job teaching one group of kids (25 or less in the classroom), 3rd grade level (next year), 4 lessons a day, you fill in the holes with the schedule they give you, for a really decent pay. Same classroom, same kids for every lesson. English levels are fair to quite good. Keep watching this space.

saint57 · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:06 am Post subject:

jammish · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1704

jammish · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1704

From all I've read, for us normal TEFL/non qualified teachers, Korea sounds by far the best option. Most jobs pay around 3000 dollars per month with free house, and costs are much cheaper than japan from the sounds of it.

Only 2 problems with korea for me: my wife wouldn't fancy living there. It's got to be either back to the UK, or stay in China for her.

Secondly applying is a nightmare; I would have to post them my Degree and CELTA certs, and that's something I don't really want to do. They also require a full Degree results transcript, so I would have to faff about getting my old University to give me one. Sad

saint57 · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:09 am Post subject:

Your school isn't in Dalian by any chance is it?

26,000 is closer to 20,000 than it is to 40,000. My friend works at a well known exclusive school in Shanghai. Tuition at her school would be the same as Shanghai American School. She makes 18,000 after taxes. She was damn lucky to get that job.

I will admit that some teachers who have master's degrees and are department heads at the top international schools would pull in 40,000. However, those positions really aren't to be talked about on this board.

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

I was offered 26 K at an international school in Beijing, I didn't take it....a co worker at Beanstalk of mine was offered 31 K at Yew Chang..but opted for Kin Star, and a principal position..not sure what he is making now..but I bet he chose it for a piece of the action..BIBS pays around 15K USD ..half in RMB and half in USD...but I have seen examples that if you do not have a degree..or cert...they will still hire you but will only pay you around 12000 USD...
Pay in Beijing has taken a beating due to all the Americans who are building the new Embassy..they brought their wives..many who are teachers..and the others just look like teachers..and have cut into the regular market..

jammish · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1704

saint57 · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

I'm considering applying there for September 2007. I was trying to get an estimate of what they pay their academic teachers. Thanks for the info. The problem is they want me to get a B.C. certificate before applying. I'd hate to get it and then get denied.

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

Folks:

Thanks for the info. on Chinese jobs.

Yes, ghost has all the credentials on paper, including B.Ed., and M.A., but you folks perhaps don`t realize how hard it is to actually land a job at one of the so called ``International schools`` - the competition is stiff, and being in an older age group it is difficult for ghost to compete with the younger crowd fresh out of University with B.Ed., and so forth.....so ghost is competing with the rest of you guys.

OK, so if the actual salary is 4500 chinese yuans per month (about $573 U.S. per month), even with paid housing, one imagines that it would be difficult to save much on that salary (about $18.50 U.S. per day).....unless you eat noodles for your breakfast, lunch and supper.

If someone could point the direction of schools which actually hire certified teachers (with commensurate pay) as opposed to language mills, that would be helpful.

Ghost is off to Dubai soon, where the pay ($3333 U.S. per month, plus $1449 housing allowance for a total of $4782 per month) is considerably higher than China), but, and here is the big but.....some people do not like to work in the Gulf area of the world, so ghost is planning the next move when it finishes its contractual obligations in Dubai.

Last: ghost is a basic Mandarin speaker, and still studying the language, and would like to find somewhere in the country where the local dialect or language most resembles Mandarin...but not Beijing please.

Ghost prefers small to medium sized towns/cities with populations around 50.000 to 250.000.

Thanks for the tips.

ghost

jammish · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1704

I would add that in Wuhan, I was on 4500 a month, plus 800 for the 2 extras on the sunday, plus around 2700 the extra kindergarten classes, which adds up to 8000. 3000 is a pretty decent amount to spend a month when you've got no bills; you can afford to eat out at a decent restaurant every day on that money, and still save 5000 per month, which is a decent amount to save IMO.