Job Discussion Forums

[mikescapes]

Can someone tell me the going rate of pay in U.S. $s in English teaching schools and universities in Mexico. I realize that different schools in different locations pay more or less. I'm just looking for a range to go on.

[inmexico]

Of the private language schools I have come across - 6,000 - 8,000 pesos (avg.)
Some universities pay by the hour, and some by salary. Generally speaking, the wages in universities are better than language schools if you break it down by the hour...the trick is getting the hours.
I was offered a uni. job at 96 pesos per hour...but they only had 12 hours a week for me. I have earned as high as 8,000 working a 40 hour week in a language (mill) school.
Of course, I haven't seen any salaries higher than what ITESM is paying.

Can't quote you in USD, not sure of the exchange ....and you get paid in pesos anyway.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I teach at a state university. I think when a person looks at wages/salaries, it's imporant to consider benefits as well. I get paid 57 pesos per hour after taxes. In addition to that, I get 2,000 pesos per month in vales (vouchers that can be used like cash in all major stores in this city,) private medical insurance including dental coverage, aguinaldo (end of year bonus equal to a month's wages,) 5 paid sick-leave days per year, a total of 8-9 weeks of paid vacation days throughout the year, about 3 paid weeks per year without classes for teacher work days and free continuing education workshops, plus a few other extras tossed in. Today, for example, I'm heading off to the Hyatt for a breakfast buffet in honor of Teachers' Day, paid for by the university. There was also an extra bonus added to my last check for Teachers' Day equal to a day's pay. (Maybe I'll win a TV at the breakfast to go with the DVD player that I won as a door prize at the faculty Christmas dinner. Wish me luck! )

[chula]

Dang! You really get hooked up there. I also work for a state university. Teachers get about 40 pesos an hour, no benefits, no paid vacations, and have to buy all supplies (including markers and things for classes). The people who have been here for years earn less than $50 an hour. Something I find kinda funny is that I just got a job at ITESM and the tuition the students pay is more than what I earn here (with an MA and 40 hours) in one year! The living costs are lower in the city I�m moving to also, yet I�m going to earn over 3 times as much as I do here. The Tec pays well, and I think there is a huge variety at all other schools/universities/institutes.
I�m teaching on teachers� day (and I did on Dia del Trabajo). Our teachers� day meal is going to be tacos at the school on students� day (just to insure that we don�t think we have the day off, they planned our meal for that day to make sure we show up). Ja ja, and here the "raffles" are always old books and magazines from the director�s house that she doesn�t want any more! No DVD players or TV�s here!

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I didn't win a door prize at the breakfast.

Yes, it's a good job in my opinion, but it does have its down side. You have to keep in mind that even though my wages + benefits look good compared to many TEFL jobs in Mexico, I teach 31 hours per week and get paid for 31 hours per week. Except for a little time allowed on the few official work days, all planning-prep, exam writing and checking, giving and checking outside exams, materials development, and lots of other school-related things are done on my own time. My first class of the day on a normal work day starts at 7:00 a.m., and my last class of the day ends at 9:00 p.m. Granted, I have a rather long break in the middle of the day, usually enough time to eat at home, take a half hour nap, run errands in the 90-100�F. temps, and manage 2-3 hours of school-related stuff. My MA in TESOL and nearly 30 years of teaching experience, 9 at my current job, don't get me a better deal for wages/benefits than teachers with less time there than I have (no longevity pay for us non-tenured teachers,) but at least I don't teach on Saturdays.

[moonraven]

As everyone has pointed out, there is a wide range of salaries or hourly wages paid here. The state university where I am currently teaching pays me almost double the salary that the state university pays in the state that is my home base when I am not working. Even though it's considered a much poorer state. Go figure. Some schools pay a flat rate per hour, which can range from 40 pesos to 190--depending on the school and the city. At least where I work there is a faculty salary scale--although ESL teachers are discriminated against and have to battle to be paid at the higher end of it based on their academic preparation, experience and publications.

Obviously, there are a lot of variables. And most of those variables have to do with the individual's perceived value to the employer, of which the most important is usually experience.

[Flo]

I have a question for everyone who has posted a reply here. How well are you able to live on your salaries? Can you do much travelling around Mexcio? Thanks.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[moonraven]

Do our salaries allow us to travel? I can't speak for others, but I am able to live on the salary I receive and I also do some travelling--during the past year I spent about two weeks in Mexico City, 2 weeks in Zihuatanejo--paying for lodging, meals, etc in both places, made a trip to the US and two trips to Venezuela--the major expense in the last 3 being the airfare.

[Flo]

Moonraven - Are you able to cover all the costs of your plane tickets and travel with the salary you are being paid in Mexico? Do you condsider your salary to be average teacher pay, or are you on the ITESM salary scale?

[gomezpalacio]

I am the director of an English program in Mexico. Not a private language school and not a university but an organization teaching inside of the federal school system. We pay $65 pesos an hour and have a course that is totally pre-prepared. That means that there are no classes to prepare, no papers to grade, no work at home. Our teachers travel and have more free time and our pay isn't bad for Mexico.

[moonraven]

Flo--Guess I thought it was clear when I posted that I was doing so in response to someone's question about whether we could live on our salaries and travel. In my case, I only accept jobs which will allow me to put aside at least half of my net salary. My salary is not on the ITESM scale, but it is sufficient to allow me to travel for several weeks each year and to save a little money towards my "retirement". Getting paid by the hour is where you lose out--both in terms of salary and benefits. I haven't worked at an hourly job since 1995.

[M@tt]

anything is possible on an ITESM salary. i just bought a BMW to go along with my audi quattro. there's still another space in my 3-car garage so i will be shopping for a mercedes in august. of course, i rarely use my cars to travel because the helicopter is much faster (and more fun, once you get used to the controls).

[chula]

In response to the "how well are you able to live" question, I�d have to say that, again, it all depends. We have teachers here who earn $4,000 a month and they can "survive". ANd then there are the people who earn $10,000 and never seem to have money. It just depends on if you really need your own bathroom, or if you�re okay with sharing a bathroom with 5 other people. I�d say the same goes for travel. The hours of adventure on the 3rd class buses aren�t fun, but they usually get you to your destination for pretty cheap. Heck, I�ll just sum up almost all questions relating to Mexico with "It all depends".

[Ben Round de Bloc]