Job Discussion Forums

Rooster_2006 · Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 984

The impression that I've gotten about China is this:

- People with a BA or equivalent will probably make about 5,000 to 6,000 in Anytown, China at a cram school.

- People with a mid-range level of qualification (TEFL certificate and a year of experience) might make more in the 6,000 - 8,000 range, but salaries do not go up dramatically just for having these things.

- Anyone breaking 10,000 RMB per month is probably working at an international school or other elite type of school that requires an MA TESOL or other serious credentials like a master's in education. Either that, or it's one of these "I get 30,000 RMB and a castle in Switzerland" braggarts who is actually making 3,000 RMB and has a Xerox copy of a painting of a Swiss castle hanging on his wall. Or perhaps someone is absolutely going to town with privates and spending 10 hours a day on the subway, living his life holding an overhead hand rail while being boxed in with 100 other people. You know, because the only important thing in life is banking a few hundred extra bucks a month at a real rate of 33 RMB per hour (including commute time, of course), and free time has absolutely no meaning.

- A few people are making 4,500 RMB or less. They are either suckers (language students settling for what they can get, the naive who think 2,000 RMB is an okay salary, non-natives, people with criminal records) or they are teaching at uni (the latter are not suckers, they are enlightened because they place sanity over money).

This is my understanding of the Chinese TEFL market.

As for me, I now have two jobs in Kaohsiung adding up to 18.5 hours per week (assuming no cancellations). This is slightly over 40,000 NTD per month (assuming no cancellations). I have decided to stay in Kaohsiung for now. I figure I'd need to make at least 6,000 RMB a month in China to save more than I'm saving now.

Yesterday I taught 4.5 hours, and got paid 600 NTD per hour. That's 2,700 NTD for the day. My living expenses for the day were probably around 300 - 400 (food, rent, and transportation). That means I made a profit of 2,300 NTD (US$72). Holy crap, that felt good. If I made that much profit everyday, I'd be banking $26,280 a year.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Well you might be making 11,000RMB for those 18.5 hours in China. A little harder for you since you don't have a B.A. but a university job and language school work/business classes will earn one 12,000 to 14,000 a month in China.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

zipper · Joined: 14 Dec 2009 Posts: 237

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

You haven't even worked there have you?

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Actually I have. You are full of assumptions.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 12:18 am Post subject:

It would be a good idea to start addressing the topic and not each other if you want this thread to continue.

NorthofAmerica · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 187 Location: Recovering Expat

JZer: I am not sure where you are getting your numbers from but since I have no previous experience with you I hope to avoid any of this tit for tat quarreling.

Anyways, I have a pretty good setup right now by some measures and it doesn't come anywhere near your quote of 17,000 a month. How many teaching hours are you thinking when you say that?

I started at 4700RMB a month with a free apartment and 18 teaching hours (45mins=1hr) at a uni. Not bad, but the location sucks terribly and the atmosphere is suicide inducing. To save money would mean not really going out or doing much of anything very often, especially buying things. As I mentioned before luxury goods or entertainment are way out of proportion to the wages in China. A 32gb ipod touch is 2400RMB, can you imagine HALF a month's wage to buy an ipod!? I just got it for the Chinese touchscreen dictionary Cool

So this semester two teachers just upped and fled the country meaning that we can take some of their classes and get overtime at 100RMB/hour (45mins) Each class is two x 45mins so 200 for an hour and a half. I took two classes adding up to 400RMB extra per week. Since they use the same curriculum as mine it involves basically no extra prep. So an extra 1600RMB a month with those.

I also have been tutoring at 200RMB for an hour and a half (with transportation paid) twice a week. Making another 1600RMB a month. But prep is murder so I have been hoping to drop these.

And finally, I take Chinese lessons at a private school and they offered me part time hours teaching English. They have a curriculum so it is very simple but only 100RMB an hour for 4 hours a week. Not gonna take it but if I did...:

4700RMB/18hrs at uni (base) (or 13.5hrs since 45mins = 1 teaching hour)
1600RMB/4hrs overtime (or 3hrs)
1600RMB/3hrs
1600RMB/4 hrs

Meaning if I decided to buckle down and taught 29 hours (23.5 official) teaching hours plus prep and commuting, I would make...

9500RMB a month

Where are you getting 17,000?

And since luxuries and entertainment are the same price or more than in North America I would not be super loaded at 9500 unless I avoided buying any nice things, drinking at bars very often, etc...

So IMO China is hardly a cash cow unless you are planning to stay in China and lower your quality of life. And you could! But for me, I think Taiwan seems like a better fit. Though it is more expensive IN TAIWAN the wage works out to more in real world dollars and goes further in terms of entertainment and other goods. Also, cleaner, no censorship, better developed infrastructure, more vibrant culture.... all pluses that are hard to put a price tag on.

(And we are back to the merits of jumping ship, Mr. Kalgukshi ) Surprised

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

You can check local boards in Hangzhou and Guangzhou. I have stated 150 an hour for language school work in Hangzhou.

The best way would be to find a school that will give you a visa for minimum hours. You could work at a university.

I have stated 5000 to 6000RMB for a university job plus 12 hours a week at a language school at 150RMB a week. That would be 14,000 to 15,000 a week. 150 an hour a week in Hangzhou seems to be the lower end of the market.

The best would be to get your own business visa or find a weekend only job with a visa. Then you would have Monday to Friday to work freelance.