Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thurst]

i've been wondering this...i've always assumed that they made what i make (~2.2mil) or more, but i've heard that they make less so i want to know what's the real answer. how much does your average korean elementary/middle school teacher make?

[Clockout]

They don't make less. Especially since they obviously don't get provided housing.

I imagine their net paychecks look something like W3.5 million per month depending on seniority. I'm sure someone can give a real answer though

[poeticjustice]

[Clockout]

That sucks

[whiteshoes]

I friend of mine used to be a hagwon teacher, she said the starting rate is about 1.3 Better teachers can get close to 2.0 And that they only person who will make more than the waygookin is the director. And the director most certain will make 3.0 or more.

[Clockout]

I'm curious about public schools. Especially teachers in their 40s with house, car, and kids.

[AltF4]

[Old Gil]

my friend says she makes 3.6 after 15 years, not including housing. so she sez

[madoka]

Just wait for Real Reality to post his useless, outdated links again.

What I find funny is that Koreans think NETs make more than they do and conversely NETs think Koreans make more than they do. It's like each group is suspicious that the other is getting paid so much more than they are.

[Intrepid]

A young colleague at my high school recently (and uncharacteristically) blabbed his salary to me. He's 28, SNU grad, teaching for five years now. Makes 2.0 per month base with a bit extra because he's a homeroom teacher. Probably pulls in 30million per year, when the bonus is included. Pretty low, but better than a lot of non-chaebol desk jobs.

[georgeperec]

[Gillian57]

Here, this is from the Korea Times and it is about a year and a half old, but you can do the math....

2008-03-23

Teachers `Overpaid� by OECD Standard

By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter

Many Korean schoolteachers complain about their paychecks, claiming they are underpaid for what they do. But it turns out that they get higher wages than their counterparts in most member economies of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) when the overall income levels are considered. Local teachers' salaries are even twice as big as that of their European counterparts.

According to the state-funded Korea Development Institute (KDI) Sunday, local schoolteachers with 15 years experience received 2.33 times the country's per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) in wages last year, the second highest level among the OECD members after Turkey.

According to the Bank of Korea, the country's per-capita GDP rose to 18.6 million won ($20,045) in 2007 from 17.6 million won a year earlier.

An annual salary of a Korean elementary school teacher was 2.34 times higher than per-capita GDP, while teachers at middle and high schools received money worth 2.33 times per-capita income last year.

The OECD averages for elementary, middle and high schoolteachers were 1.28 times, 1.3 and 1.41, respectively. In particular, teachers in 19 European Union member nations received salaries equal to 1.25 times their per-capita GDPs on average, indicating that Korean schoolteachers received twice as much as their European counterparts in a proportion to the income levels.

Turkey topped the list as an annual wage of its schoolteachers was 2.56 times the country's per-capita GDP. The figure was 0.97 for American teachers.

Prof. Lee Young of the Hanyang University, who authored the report, said Korea offers relatively higher salaries to recruit more talented people as public school teachers.

``However, the quality of the country's public education has been worsening over the years. To improve educational quality and motivate teachers, we need to introduce a performance-based system under which teachers get differential paychecks in accordance with their performances,'' he said.

Lee also said the country should broaden students' choice of schools to ignite competition among public and private schools, encourage teachers to become a better role model for educational quality.

[email protected]

[Real Reality]

Education at a Glance 2009: OECD Indicators: Korea
http://www.oecd.org/document/24/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_43586328_1_1_1_1,00.html
(Note: in equivalent USD converted using PPPs)
Primary education
Starting Salary: 31,717
Salary after 15 years experience: 54,797
Salary at the top of the scale: 87,744
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.21
Secondary education
Starting Salary: 31,590
Salary after 15 years experience: 54,671
Salary at the top of the scale: 87,617
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.2
Excel spreadsheet link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/665004614152
Last updated: 19-Aug-2009

Korea: Education at a Glance 2008: OECD Indicators--Indicator D3: How much are teachers paid?
(Note: in equivalent USD converted using PPPs)
Primary education
Starting Salary: 30,528
Salary after 15 years experience: 52,666
Salary at the top of the scale: 84,262
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.29
Secondary education
Starting Salary: 30,405
Salary after 15 years experience: 52,543
Salary at the top of the scale: 84,139
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.28
Table D3.1. Teachers' salaries (2006)--Annual statutory teachers' salaries in public institutions at starting salary, after 15 years of experience and at the top of the scale by level of education, in equivalent USD converted using PPPs
Last updated: 04-Sep-2008
Excel File for download: http://ocde.p4.siteinternet.com/publications/doifiles/962008041P1G025.xls
Main Website address: http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_41266761_1_1_1_1,00.html

Teachers' salaries -- From The Economist (Sep 27th 2007)
http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9867632

[Xuanzang]

They also have unreported income sources such as privates, bribes or bonuses for various holidays.

[Murakano]

the less senior teachers make less but then factor in all the bonuses like Chuseok etc.....