Job Discussion Forums

comenius

I have a MA TESOL, and the last time I taught full time was in the late 90's in New York City. I was making about $50 US per hour teaching at the college level and while I could pretty much have as many hours as I wanted, I usually kept it to around 20 - 25 per week. I'm curious what the current hourly rates are for teachers around the world right now. Anyone have any insight and care to comment?

Mchristophermsw · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 228

That sounds about right overall. Some places higher and some places a little lower.

The problem with ESL, atleast in California is that to get a tenured full-time gig at a CC or Uni, it takes years of working part-time and paying your dues first.

The outragous real estate prices and cost of living in California does not make holding on to a few part-time gigs very attractive. Probably different in some other parts of the US that is less of a hotspot.

Chris_Crossley

Where I teach now in Wuhan, China, all the expat teachers are educated to master's or even doctorate level. In fact, two of our expat staff have doctorates: one teaches physics and mathematics to would-be undergraduate students and the other teaches management and research methods would-be postgraduate students. I say "would-be" because they are undertaking year-long preparatory programmes so they can go to Australia (undergraduates only) or the UK to study there. How happy are they who have parents who have more money than sense!

I am going to start a master's degree in education by e-learning (the new "buzzword" for distance learning, apparently) in just three months' time, yet, even after I expect to finish round about October 2007, I do not necessarily expect to receive some massive increase in my salary (very good for China, as it is) just because of it, simply because the only senior post for an expat in my school is the principal's job; there are (at present, anyway) no intermediate positions such as director of studies or deputy principal, so all the teachers are basically equal in rank and status.

Still, since I do have a wife, a daughter, a home and (yes!) a mortgage, I will be staying where I am for a good while yet! Back home in England, I had neither a wife nor a daughter nor a home (nor a mortgage), so I am not complaining! Very Happy

moot point · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 441

Enough of that. Let's see some hard numbers.

Japan: US$45,000-$65,000/yr. (without benefits such as housing, insurance, etc.)

joshua2004 · Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 4:16 pm Post subject:

In Mexico, I haven't heard of anyone making more than US$2000/month + housing and insurance. With a Masters you will probably be looking at US$1000-1200 a month. However, 90% of the jobs pay much less in the US$500-$800 range and less Shocked

if you are working part time!

The upside: cost of living is much less. Medical (non-emergency), dental, food, and most any service, is often half the cost (or more!) of in 1st world countries. (food is not usually half the cost, perhaps 25% cheaper) I recently got my teeth cleaned from a first rate dentist for $25 US dollars. As a licenced professional, the thing I love about Mexico is how accessible first class amenities are to me. I feel like I live in high class society however I don't make nearly as much as my colleagues in the USA who live in middle class. Another example: I can go the movies and pay extra to go to the VIP theater, $6 instead of $4, and be served by a waiter, eat my excellent sushi ($5) and have a nice alcoholic beverage($3) while I watch my show. Its worth every pesito. I am currently renting a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, for US$350/month. We are planning to move since we don't need this big of a place anymore.

Vagabond disclaimer:

People that want to come to Mexico because they think that they can come down here and be on a 24/7 drunk: once here, you will have a wake up call by your alarm clock reminding you that you actually have to work harder and earn less in Mexico. Mexico is not a disorderly drunken party as I see it described in the media and by some posters on Dave's. That said, welcome!

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

Ummm not sure about the Japan figures. Think its more like $60k to $80k and with free housing.
Can be more than this too.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

the best jobs in the R.O.K. pay around $20 and hour and also include housing, medical, and plane fare.

the ma tesol helps to get these jobs, and they are becoming more difficult to find.

comenius · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:28 am Post subject:

For some of the folks that have posted annual and/or monthly salaries, how does that break out hourly? Is that for 20 contact hours a week? It's kind of hard to compare when some jobs might only require you to teach 12 hours a week, while others might require you to be "on campus" for 40+ hours a week, even if all of that isn't direct teaching. I guess my thought is that if I'm making a certain monthly salary but only required to work 20 hours a week, that would break out into a hourly rate--and I'd be able to do privates or other things on the side to increase my income.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Here in Mexico, I earn about $1000 US per month. I also have a great bonus package, so my salary actually averages out to about $1300 US per month. That's considered very generous by Mexican standards; I can live relatively comfortably on that, and even save a bit. The average language teacher in Mexico earns nowhere near this high a salary.
For that, I am required to teach 15 to 20 hours per week, and to be on-campus for a total of 40 hours.

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

The Middle East....3-8000$ a month depending on if it's a housing deal or not.

Cdaniels · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject: Vagabond Disclaimer

This site had some interesting stats from the US. http://www.payscale.com/salary-survey/vid-16274/fid-6886 In the US, post-secondary schools continue to offer less benefits and fewer permanent teaching positions.
Is ls650's salary is typical of MAs in Mexico?
PS I found this really funny:

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

comenius · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:11 pm Post subject:

If I'm reading all of this right, it seems like the range is about $10 - $20 / hour, depending on where you are in the world, how much experience you have, what type of degree/certification you have, etc. That's about what I would have expected.

I guess the thing that seems odd to me is that I was making (comparatively) so much back in New York City! Of couse the cost of living there was horrendous, so I supposed they had to pay that amount if they didn't want their teachers to starve.

Definitely still interested in hearing from others... Smile

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

I have taught pt at a national university in Japan and got $70 an hour. My new full time post equates to about $270 an hour. I presume all the national universities pay on the same scale. I have 10 years experience though.
I think that Japan really is the place to come if you can get into the universities.