Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MEDALLOKUYA]

In the context of experience and working with the same company. Some companies give an automatic pay jump (100,000 won abouts) for signing another contract. And some also give a 100,000 bump for being a "head teacher".

I would assume it would max around 2.5 to 2.6?

[ttompatz]

[Beeyee]

I think that a 100,000 rise for being head teacher is ridiculously low. The last company that I worked for paid 500,000 extra for being the head instructor. To answer your question, it very much depends on how good you are. You can earn over 3 million at a regular hagwon if you're willing to put the work in. Sure, it's not a salary that will make you rich, but it's hardly terrible either.

[UKKOR]

That's really interesting. I have just started my first job and it is 3mil, but your pay goes up 1 mil every year. It depends on the area I think

[World Traveler]

33% raise after one year? Of what area do you speak? Using creative writing in the EFL field? That's an interesting niche. I've heard of a couple others (Kimchi Ninja, Zackback, fustiancorduroy, creeper1) doing that, but I don't know much about it.

[ThingsComeAround]

Or it could be the raise is broken up into months (12 % 1 million) instead of an extra 100K per month

[schwa]

[matthews_world]

Some specialized McDonald's style chain hagwons offer the 3.0 but that's with extra hard split shifts and Saturdays - housing included.

I had topped out at 2.7 (not including housing, pension, etc.) in a public school and thought it was time to leave Korea.

For the 2013 school year I had accumulated privates in China along with a public school job outside of a major city and made the same money as I was making in Korea but, alas, I had no time to exercise so I got fat.


It's very uncommon for a typical Korean to give a raise to their employees unless they climb the ladder.

Salaries have been stagnant in Korea since the turn of the 21st century.

I believe that some government entity regulates salaries across the board, including those of ESL teachers. A major reason for the recent property bubble burst. Koreans juggle consumer debt (credit cards) up the yin-yang.

[creeper1]

I hope "mathew's world" and that other guy that left positions paying 2.7 million a month left EFL and entered investment banking because PS schools paying that kind of money are pretty sweet!

The basic salary is 2.7 * 12. Then add 2.7 for airfare and 2.7 severence and the total salary is 37.8 million Korean won annualy. That salary is 26,000 us dollars.

Then you add in the 3,600 dollars that should cover housing and you get a figure of 29,600 dollars.

That is your salary as a TEFL teacher in PS. Approximately 30,000 us dollars. When you factor in side work. This has the potential to go way up.

And the best thing? You are paid. PAID. to lie on a beach in the Philippines or Thailand while the miserable rest work their butts off for a minimum of 3 weeks in summer and winter. (In reality those schools that do not demand desk warming offer vacations exceeding two months annually)

That seems a good deal to me and not easily beaten in EFL.

[World Traveler]

That's what public schools were like 10 years ago (and easy to get into, too).

Now...damn near impossible to get into one...even as conditions there decline.

Basic pay for GEPIK is 2.0, btw (which now requires qualifications). The maximum amount one can make is 2.5. Pay went down. While Korean teachers go on vacation, the Western teacher has to teach summer camps and winter camps (for no additional compensation).

http://gepik-tek.weebly.com/pay-scale.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5HkuhSEnPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGNiXGX2nLU

I heard there is plenty of good paying work in Beijing though.

[thetawnyman]

The most I've ever heard for base salary for an ESL teacher (excluding things like SAT/AP and debate classes) was 4.3 mil a month (regardless of hours worked). This is for a teacher with almost 10 years of experience and an MA (not related to teaching) at a hakwon with close to 30 hours a week (no weekends though), 3.3% tax (no benefits or housing) and two weeks of vacation (one for Chusok and one for New Years).

[Adam Carolla]

There are jobs out there, but they are hard to find. Also, I've been out of the game for quite some time. However, my last job was 2.5 million +500k housing +500k head teacher bonus +500k for after school program (2 hours/week.)

My work load was 22 forty minute classes plus the 2 hours/week of after school classes. In at 8, out by 4, 6-7 weeks vacation.

[Paddycakes]

You shouldn't include "airfare" as part of your income.

It's part of the school's business expenses. It's not your income. It wouldn't be regarded as a taxable benefit for you.

Housing, however, is different.


The only way to make money in ESL is to start your own school, and hope it succeeds.

Everyone else is just contracted, highly disposable labor.

[Chaparrastique]

[schwa]