Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Average annual salary for employees (by education level)

postgraduate education: 36.02 million won
college degree: 28.4 million won
two-year college degree: 20.9 million won
high school graduates: 20.88 million won
junior high school graduates or below: 16.72 million won

What factors most influence an employee's annual salary:
1. academic background was most important,
2. job experience,
3. gender, and
4. company size.
(from a survey of 31,752 employees working in 520 different jobs in Korea)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200312/200312140009.html

Most Korean employees with college degrees graduated from internationally ranked, high-quality Korean universities. Education in Korean universities seems somewhat more valuable than education in North American, European, or Australian universities. Right?

[weatherman]

so i am between a two year degree and college degree, while holding a post graduate degree. Thank you Korea.

(It isn't the money that keeps me here, but I haven't figured out what the other is.)


Yeah, and the remark about ranked universities, bull, bull, bull. Rank within Korea is fine, but outside of Korea, again bull, bull, bull.

[jpal75]

I'm on the top range of the salary level

[lush72]

WOW! I am making a killing!

[Mankind]

What he said /\
!

HAND

[taejonguy]

and that does not include airfare, holidays that they can actually take, and free housing?


Oh, and what they said goes for me too!

[Mr. Pink]

Note that is the average.

Pretty sure most of us should be above the average when you include everthing.

When I think about my yearly salary, I don't even calcuate the money my work puts into the National Pension Scheme for me...that is probably another 2mil a year I can add on

[TheUrbanMyth]

So the postgraduate degree is around 36 million.

Well the average teacher's pay is about 26 million. But when you include free airfare, and free housing that is easily over 30 million. Also let's look at the hours we work compared to an average postgraduate degree holder. I'm willing to bet that we put in a lot less. Then too the average teacher only has a B.A. Factor all that together and most of us are right up there with Mr. postgraduate degree. Not too shabby.

I hope this puts to rest once and for all the myth about how we only make as much as bus drivers. Do you think bus drivers have postgraduate degrees?

[Real Reality]

TheUrbanMyth,

But, are we up there?

Korea stands out as having a long scale reaching a much higher level than that of other countries. The starting salary for primary teachers in Korea is $24,140, marginally behind that for Australia at $25,775. Australia ranks 3rd in the starting salary offered to teachers but Australian teachers reach a relatively modest maximum of $36,175 (ranked 12th) quite early in their careers. Korean teachers, on the other hand, reach $39,921 after 15 years and $66,269 at the top of their scale.
http://www.austcolled.com.au/archives/unicorn/unicorn-0700/4McGaw02.html

In Germany, Ireland, South Korea, and Switzerland, among others, teachers earn at least twice the GDP per capita. http://www.veaweteach.org/lopaytch.html

Is the experience of foreign teachers included in the calculation of salaries? Do new foreign teachers earn the same as a foreign teacher with 15 years experience? Notice the above quote on how Korean teachers are rewarded for experience.

I have Korean friends that work for Korean companies that receive free housing. They just pay for the cost of using utilities. One company even offers housing based upon marital status (single employee 15 pyong; married employee 32 pyong).

Do you know that some Korean teachers (professors) receive free housing? Do you know that they receive a travel allowance? Do you know that they receive a classroom/office allowance?

[Real Reality]

Tom Kujawa, president of the company and head of the bus system, said transit workers pay no monthly premium but kick in 15% of their pension contribution, unlike county employees, who for the most part contribute nothing to their pensions. "We give a fair and just wage for drivers," Kujawa said of bus operators, who make $31,000 to $40,800 a year.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/Metro/oct03/177625.asp

According to limited information, in 1992 beginning intercity drivers worked about 6 months out of the year and earned about $22,000 while many senior drivers who worked year round earned more than $48,000.
All drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to read road signs, prepare reports, and communicate with law enforcement officers and the public. In addition, drivers must take a written examination on the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Many employers prefer high school graduates and require a written test of ability to follow complex bus schedules.
http://www.collegeboard.com/apps/careers/0,3477,32-242,00.html#subhead6

[Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Mankind]

[LiquidSunshine]

i really wonder how our salaries rank in korea. i can't see the average salary being very high. granted there's the cream at the top who own big fat cribs but there's also a whole bunch of people working at minimum wage. and minimum wage in korea is low. damn low.

we don't rank at the top but i figure we must be high middle class.maybe just middle class. either way, it would be difficult to raise a family with this hagwon salary. then again, i'd probably be spending less cash on beers. taht would double my take-home salary right there.

[Mankind]