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Posts: 1142

Shifu

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Q: Where are all the high paid teachers?

I've been in China five years, and I am still making less than 10k a month. Now granted, I have a very easy job, and I like it, and they hired my fiance as well, so together we do ok...but I always hear about people buying houses and cars and going to five star hotels, and I just don't get it.

-Even when I worked 7 days a week I only got 12k. Now I've never lived or worked in a first tier city, but I've lived in Shenyang, Changchun, and Harbin. I recently got an offer to teach kids (4 seven years olds) for 400 an hour, or 100a kid. This is stupid. I hate kids.

-In addition, my friends all make LESS money than I and are still working at the 4700-6000 month university salaries. So what gives? Do you all lie about your income? Are salaries that much better in Beijing and Shanghai? Do you cram 20 hours of private lessons in on weekends, which can get you arrested and deported?

-That's all...

 

9 years 13 weeks ago in  Money & Banking - China

 
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Governor

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some teachers got pravite tutoring at home,or part time 3,4 jobs.the highest paid schools are international pravite schools,they hire teachers with native education major and teaching experiences in their own countries,In general,the highest teaching pay is around 20k per month,this is the market in China. if higher than that,then you are the work machine,

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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Posts: 22

Governor

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some teachers got pravite tutoring at home,or part time 3,4 jobs.the highest paid schools are international pravite schools,they hire teachers with native education major and teaching experiences in their own countries,In general,the highest teaching pay is around 20k per month,this is the market in China. if higher than that,then you are the work machine,

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I think the chain training centers such as Wall Street, EF, Web, Disney pay higher than 10,000 and hire the teachers legally, but you work more and I heard it sucks to work there. Public institutions pay less than 10,000, but the work is easier. So you can take your pick accordingly.  

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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International schools and private universities pay incomes around 20K/month. It's not necessarily for ESL teaching, it's for any topic. In a public university, I was paid 5K/month, then 7K/month, teaching IT. It was a new class, so I had to prepare all materials from scratch and I was busy full time. Once my materials ready, I had enough time for consulting, which tripled my income ^^

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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In a decreasing order:

-International schools (the real ones) pay the best, usually around 20k.

-Big training centers chains, usually around 12-14k.

-Pretend "international" schools, from 9 to 12k.

-Private schools (not international or pretend to be), around 9-10k.

-Public lower education, below 8k.

-Public universities, below 6k.

 

No real international school will hire you without proper qualifications and experience, in training centers you will teach 30 to 35 classes per week with students whose motivation can range anywhere from barely motivated to "whatever man" and expect to become fluent instantly, pretend international schools and private schools will expect you to entertain the students more than actual teaching, public education will expect you to teach but the salaries are ridiculously low.

Robk:

Yup, pretty well said. 

 

Some of the best international schools can pay like 25-40k if they are legit. But you have to work pretty long hours and ensure your students get high grades through legit methods... not cheating lol 

9 years 13 weeks ago
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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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The posters on here buying houses & going to 5-Star hotels won't be teachers. Not everyone on this site is. 

ironman510:

I'm a teacher and I bought a house and much more easily.

9 years 13 weeks ago
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Hotwater:

My apologies for stereotyping! I'm saving but we'll need to get a mortgage in my wife's name as I understand that foreigners can't get loans. 

9 years 12 weeks ago
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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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The highest paid 'teachers' that I know of are earning over 40K per month.. and I personally know a couple who are on that - but they're very busy (not hard work, just a lot of it... like only 1 or 2 days off a month).

 

I know quite a few who get over 30K per month - again, working a lot, but have a few more days off. (same job as above)

 

And I know many, including myself, who get 25K+ - but I get a day or 2 off each week.

 

And in my last job, all FTs were getting about 18K, at full time hours (usually... some weren't, but had a higher hourly rate for teaching hours).

 

Now, you obviously want to know how and why.

 

The first group is those who are usually doing over 40 hours either a) have a doctorate in a related field and work in a Sino-OS university, such as Nottingham or Liverpool, and they're paid because of their extensive qualifications, experience, and research... those are the top of the lot... (but it's still peanuts compared to wages back home... maybe they get a tax break or something to stay here??) OR.. b) as I said, rare days off (although quite a few half-days per months). These are IELTS examiners who are aiming to get a LOT of money.

 

The second group - again, well qualified (PhD or master's degree, real teaching degree/non-ESL subjects), experience, high level school/university (Liverpool, Nottingham, etc), and again, those who are IELTS examiners, but give themselves more time off.

 

The third group - again, qualified, experienced, at an A-Levels (or equivalent) teaching program - usually teaching senior subjects (physics is always in demand, economics, etc). Some do IELTS examining on the side (or, as a main, but not full-time with it). Also, this is where the international school teachers fit in. (IIRC, Liverpool starting pay was around 20-24K, Nottingham a little higher).

 

The last group - once again, qualified and experienced, teaching subjects such as physics, chemistry, etc, or ESL for A-levels etc (ie, an overseas pathway into an overseas university). At my last teaching gig (well, prior to the current deal), it was an NCUK program, and was affiliated with Kaplan International... minimum requirement was a relevant master's degree (or, a teaching degree with over 10 years experience, it would seem!)

 

Please note the pattern - for the big bucks, you really need the qualifications! (less so the experience... I've known teachers getting over 20K fresh out of university). And by 'qualification', I mean university level... I went from bachelor's degree and dodgey TESOL certificate at 5000/month, to after completing the Masters and CELTA, scoring a job paying 13K - from 1 job to the next (and T96 city, to T2)

 

Also note: I did not mention L1 or L2... many of the above are not native English speakers (which is still relevant for the subjects... there are a lot of Chinese who could just as easily teach phyics as someone from the US... but to teach in English is where the money is!) For ESL, being an IELTS examiner is a BIG plus!

 

 

There are others I know who will pull in over 20K, but that's all through privates - and they have a long and steady stream of them... which isn't my preferred route, but while it works, hey..!

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Well if you want to increase your salary you either get certified as a real subject teacher or simply work more hours.  If you are just wondering about how your salary ranks with most folks here then I'd guess its probably about average as those who aren't making much aren't going to reveal their financials. 

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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Yeah, I think you are under the impression that all users on the site are ESL teachers. 

 

I think about 40% are not and their salaries can range massively. I used to work in ESL (as many of us that moved out of it did) and then moved into my own business. 

 

It is just a stepping ladder and really depends on where you teach by Eorthisio and Shining_Brow pretty much have it nailed. 

 

If you want to be making the big bucks in education you needs super high qualifications and good contacts. Or you need to be in the consulting sector... some kind of educational consulting.... OR own your own school/tutor and make money that way. 

 

 

Eorthisio:

Agreed with consulting, agents make big bucks finding FTs for schools and training centers, they are virtually useless but position themselves between the employer and the employee, taking a large part of the FTs salary or a good commission from the employer on a monthly basis.

 

I know a British guy in Guangzhou running a famous agency that spam the internet with their ads (chances are every foreigners in the ESL field in China had to deal at least once with them), I have been to his office, cheap rent, tiny, cramped with a dozen Chinese girls posting ads and interviewing potential candidates. He is making big money out of it, he lives in a massive flat in downtown GZ, has exclusive contracts with large schools and training centers.

 

Consulting is definitely the way to go.

9 years 13 weeks ago
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Wall Street, about Y21,000 after tax, been there 5 years. Oh but if I chose to work OT and I don't I could easily get it up to 30K.

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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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i am not a teacher as many here.

most random teachers get around with 5-15k.

 

many not teaching jobs range from 10-100k a month, so no wonder people by house and car.

other reason might be that they most likely take a credit. pay 100k down and pay the rest for 3 years and you got a fat audi.

do it the chinese way and line up one credit after another and hope to die young?

 

also we are still on the internet and people like to brag (like chinese in reallife). If someone tell me he earns 50k i most likely cut 50% and i have his real salary etc.

Robk:

That's true that people do like to brag. But actually, I tell my wife TO NOT tell my in-laws my monthly income. The reason being, they would want to borrow money AND it just sounds bad when compared with their monthly income. 

 

In one day (say working 5-6 hours), I make the same or more than they make in one month (working like 10 hours a day). So my 6 hours = their 280+ hours. 

 

I would prefer they don't know that... it just sounds horrible. 

9 years 12 weeks ago
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dom87:

i don't even think your in laws feel bad about that, because they will brag to others about it that you are family.

my do the same, my wife told them my income. I just say my salary is not low, but they even tell the double number to anyone else lol

 

thats why i cut everything in half when i hear

9 years 12 weeks ago
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9 years 13 weeks ago
 
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I know some corporate "ex-pats" who get more in expenses than I get paid. Company credit cards etc. They want a weekend away.... charge it to their company.

 

It makes them very unhappy, because they want more and more till eventually they spit their dummy out and head home.

 

That's their life choice. And good luck to them.  Not for me though. Given the choice of a good wage in the UK or getting by here, I would stay here wink.

laowaigentleman:

That sounds like torment. Especially if they're dissatisfied with the job and they know they'll never get the same deal elsewhere.

9 years 12 weeks ago
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Robk:

Yeah, if you are only after money... I don't see how someone could live a good life without destroying themselves. Buying useless overpriced stuff the rest of their lives.

 

If you are after goals, or just want to enjoy the moment, that's a far better way to go. 

9 years 12 weeks ago
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Governor

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The few highly paid ones i've met tend to be good at "selling" themselves. They usually have some non-educational gimmick like playing guitar or putting on some other type of performance for students'/parents' amusement. Being "fun" and putting yourself into the public eye is more important than the actual teaching itself. Self-promotion and the power of advertising. It probably has a lot to do with the general disregard for education for its own sake. Colleges here are paper factories that most use for getting experience outside the classroom - whether it's a part-time job or wasting their days on League of Legends. Why would they want a teacher who's serious about teaching and education? Entertainment (laughing at the laowai) and making money are more fun. 

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9 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1142

Shifu

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Seems it would almost be easier to move back to America if you wanted to work more than 40 hours a week. Houses and cars are cheaper, AQI is better, and there is less madness. I got my CELTA but heard the IELTS examining thing got in trouble with the powers that be...taxes and visas....anybody know anything?

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9 years 12 weeks ago
 
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