Job Discussion Forums

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

Happy New Year all!!

My wife and I are still trying to sell our house here in Texas so we can get to Mexico City. Hopefully it will be sometime this year. In the meantime I'm trying to get info on teaching in DF.
Here's some questions for the new year.

1) Is it possible for ESL teachers to ever get promoted and if so to what?

2) I'm assuming this would lead to a raise but is it possible to get raises without a promotion?

3) What's some of the entry level salaries for ESL teachers just arriving in DF if they have a degree, CTEFL, and experience?

4) Can one ever expect to make what would be equal to $25,000 a year in the States?

Thanks, John

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

For your first two questions, it simply depends on the individual school. Some yes, some no. For example, I teach in a state university: the pay is very good, but there is no merit or promotion system. However, I imagine that some of the private schools offer raises for 're-upping'.

Guy can answer #3, but I suspect somewhere around 10,000 pesos per month. However, DF is more expensive than most of Mexico.

#4) Crikey! I've never heard of anyone in Mexican TEFL earning anywhere near 250,000 pesos a year! I'm very well-paid by local standards, and I earn, including bonuses, about 150,000 pesos per year.

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

Thanks IS650. I know DF is expensive but I won't have to worry about rent because I'll be staying with my wife's parents so I guess I'm lucky there. Sounds like you're doing pretty good. Perhaps I should look into a university in DF.
So I guess most ESL teachers don't have cars? I could probably learn to use the subway in DF.

Thanks again.

John

cwc · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 372

4) Can one ever expect to make what would be equal to $25,000 a year in the States?

What is equal to 25K in Texas is difficult to ascertain due to the widely varying costs of living, in Texas and in Mexico. Having lived in Texas, I would say that you are going to do OK with 10K and living with family. Remember that you are going to a foreign country and one should embrace the different lifestyle. Please don�t eat at McDonald�s.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

pay in DF, relative to the cost of living, is horrendous. evidently it was much better about 10 years ago.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:21 pm Post subject:

I work at a University in the language center. I've gotten two raises. The first one is called a quincenio, and I got that after completing 5 years, I'm still on the same pay scale, but I get my pay then on top of that I get the quinquenio, which goes up each year, but started about 500 pesos more a month in the first year that I got it. Then I got another raise that accompanied a promotion to head of the language center. I later stepped down from that position to take my sabbatical year, and no longer get the additional pay that went with that position. There is a possiblity at my school to move into a higher pay bracket, if I complete a higher degree, and prove that I am "producing more" for the university by publishing articles and the like, but if I did complete a higher degree and then petitioned to be reclassified at a higher pay rate, there is no garuntee that my petition would be approved.

I know you've mentioned that your in-laws are in the DF, but you can live at a higher standard of living other places because the cost of living is so much less. For example here you could rent a really nice (though completely unfurnished house) for 2000 a month.