Teaching salary in China

Discussion about jobs in Asia inc. Middle East

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MarekMericko
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Teaching salary in China

Unread post by MarekMericko »

As an English teacher in China, how much do I need to earn (in RMB) in order to save 2000 euros monthly after all expenses? lets differ large and smaller cities... thank you for opinions
Briona
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Briona »

Hi there,

I think saving €2,000pm is a little optimistic given that the average monthly salary for entry-level positions is less than that! And, as much as I hate to say it, non-native English-speakers are frequently paid less than their native English-speaking counterparts. That said, the cost of living is reasonably low in China, so you should still be able to save some money, albeit not as much as you'd hoped.

To get an idea of figures, have a look at various job adverts, and use a site like Numbeo (https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c ... ntry=China) to look at average monthly costs in various cities.

Briona
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MarekMericko
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by MarekMericko »

ok, as I see, just to take several extra tutoring lessons per week and that´s it! Hopefully. What about 1 lesson of tutoring? How much are they willing to pay for non-native teacher??
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Briona »

MarekMericko wrote: 03 Jul 2018, 09:26 ok, as I see, just to take several extra tutoring lessons per week and that´s it! Hopefully. What about 1 lesson of tutoring? How much are they willing to pay for non-native teacher??
I'm afraid I don't know anything about private tutoring rates in China. You might be better off asking on the China board on Dave's ESL Café.
Experience teaching in Vietnam, Portugal, Poland, Spain, the UK, and Qatar
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

€2000 = ¥15,615. Forget the salaries of 40 – 50K Yuan which would allow that, they’re fantasies. I000 saved Euros a month? Possibly. BTW, teaching outside your place of work and it tends to be enforced in China, will probably get you deported and the PSB are quite strict on that.
Mrdaudiqbal
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Mrdaudiqbal »

In china teachers income is very low but i can't say anything bout english language teacher
Nikita675
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Nikita675 »

International Schools: RMB 11,800-29,900 per month
With the highest salaries for ESL teachers in China -- typically in the range of RMB 11,800-29,900 ($1,700-$4,300) per month --, there is tough competition when it comes to landing a job at an international school
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

In China you should get lots of add-ons. Free medical insurance, accommodation, food allowance … Which all leaves more money in your pocket. I wrote an article about my time teaching in Inner Mongolia some years back if anyone is interested.

https://www.academia.edu/16438508/TEFL_ ... r_Mongolia
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Vagabond
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Vagabond »

2020 Update, I am teaching now in China for almost five years and this year salaries are at an all time-high IF you are a qualified teacher. Why? This article explains better than I can but basically its about supply and demand https://www.opnlttr.com/letter/pandemic ... world-wide Prior to the Pandemic lock-out I was earning $18,000 rmb per month with a 2000 rmb housing subsidy and now I am earning 25,000rmb with a furnished apartment that normally rents for 5,000 rmb a month in Haidian which is the university district of Beijing. My friends who have education degrees are all earning 30,000 - 35,000 rmb per month.

Also with all due respect, the old guy John is a FORMER teacher who taught in Inner Mongolia years ago where salaries were quite low. Those salaries are at the opposite end of the salary spectrum. If you work in a tier 1 city and IF you find and obtain your own job without recruiters or job agents, you are getting cheated in 2020 if you are not earning at least 25,000 rmb per month, assuming you are indeed qualified. See the chart here on page 5... https://www.docdroid.net/62qeqhq/cftunewsletter120-pdf Take note that John's degrees are in criminolog and sociology, NOT Education. If he had an education degree, he would never have to go to Inner Mongolia to find a good-paying TEFL teaching job. We all make choices in life right?

Also there is an infographic here that breaks it down in even more detail: http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-su ... &jobtype=1 To get updates on China salaries and benefits visit https://reddit.com/r/ChinaTeachers from time to time. Do you know what benefits and rights you have?

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Before taking any teaching job in China make a quick visit over to https://reddit.com/r/ChinaScamCentral and https://reddit.com/r/TEFLreviews so your dream job does not become a nightmare.
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Cricket
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Cricket »

Even though China's pay for TEFL teachers is now higher than ever, there are 7 countries that pay even more that you would never think of - Like Argentina for example. This site is publishing the salaries of TEFL teachers in 90 different countries https://ruqqus.com/+TEFLTeachers Also remember to factor in the cost of living which averages about 30% of your income (world-wide average). Watch out for misleading charts like this one put out by TEFL recruiters which only show the countries where they do placements. I have always found that the most accurate info comes from other teachers who have nothing to sell me.

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Blue Moon
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Blue Moon »

I just recently negotiated my new contract myself with a well known chain school in China and although just handed me a contract to sign with a 18,000 yuan monthly salary that we never discussed, I took the contract home, made some changes and gave it back the principal with my desired salary of 25,000 rmb as a full-time teacher on a 12 month contract (not 10 month). Because I have my bachelor degree in Education I stood firm. The following day, she called me and offered me 22.500 but also offered me a furnished apartment that was not in the deal before. We came to terms. I never would have had the confidence to bargain myself until I read this here https://www.reddit.com/r/ChinaTeachers/ ... s_soar_to/
Watch your step in China. There is a pile of shit waiting for your foot around every corner that only laowai seem to step in. See https://reddit.com/r/workabroadfraud.
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Vagabond
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Vagabond »

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Sorry, but I think this single poster Cathywcq is a recruiter who is low-balling people because her little chart are 2016 salaries and not even close for 2021 China Salaries as you can read below or at https://reddit.com/r/ChinaTeachers

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I would also refer you here where this was hashed out last month with 16 credible sources that will discredit all the low-balling TEFL job agents and recruiters: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=8847

Any QUALIFIED native English-Speaking teacher with a REAL bachelor degree who accepts less than 20,000 rmb a month in China during the COVID lock down is dumb as rucks, extremely gullible or both.
Before taking any teaching job in China make a quick visit over to https://reddit.com/r/ChinaScamCentral and https://reddit.com/r/TEFLreviews so your dream job does not become a nightmare.
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

MarekMericko wrote: 02 Jul 2018, 12:07 As an English teacher in China, how much do I need to earn (in RMB) in order to save 2000 euros monthly after all expenses? lets differ large and smaller cities... thank you for opinions
2000 euros = £1,720 or $2400. You will not be saving that in a developing country.
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Vagabond
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by Vagabond »

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John has not taught in China since 2017 - 3 years BEFORE COVID hit. I am here in Beijing for the last 8.5 years. Take note that

Forbes, Huffington Post, China Daily, The Global Times, Telegraph (UK), Immigration World (Magazine) Mercer, SalarayExplorer.com, as well as the CTA, ETA, and CFTU all confirm the average salary of of Expat teachers working in China to day in 2021 that are qualified is 31,000 rmb per month. John who is a TEFL recruiter for public schools in China, wants you to believe the low ball rates. Read for yourself...

https://chinacareercenter.wordpress.com ... per-month/

Also take note that when someone pops up on a TEFL forum and makes their first post about salary in China, they are almost certainly a TEFL recruiter who will start sending PMs to users on the forum and then make reference to the "normal salary in China" that they themselves posted! Don't fall for this online gaslighting, and if you have any doubts, double check for yourself at

https://reddit.com/r/TEFL_tips_traps_scams or https://reddit.com/r/TEFLscams
Before taking any teaching job in China make a quick visit over to https://reddit.com/r/ChinaScamCentral and https://reddit.com/r/TEFLreviews so your dream job does not become a nightmare.
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pwep
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by pwep »

Given that the typical monthly income for entry-level occupations is less than that, I believe saving €2,000 per month is a tad overly optimistic! As much as I detest to say it, non-native English speakers usually receive lower pay than their native English speakers' peers. Although not as much as you had hoped, China's cost of living is still rather low, so you should be able to save some money.
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

I didn’t get deported or scammed and worked for a state school for a number of years. Teachers fully qualified in their own countries can earn good salaries, but for the bottom of the barrel TEFL dreamers, the pot at the end of the rainbow isn’t there. A lot of the characters here leading you on sound like deportees themselves. Don't be fooled by the images of banknotes and spammy links to reddit. If you can't earn a decent salary in your own country, a developing country isn't going to do that for you either.

Most schools are run by the Chinese themselves and employ agencies to do the paperwork for them. Few schools are going to bend over backwards for a TEFL teacher.

Don’t get mixed up with these scammy organizations promising you the world, if you’re qualified stay safe, work for the Local Education Authorities and give the private schools and fantasy promises a miss.
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

John V55 wrote: 26 Jan 2023, 21:35 I didn’t get deported or scammed and worked for a state school for a number of years. Teachers fully qualified in their own countries can earn good salaries, but for the bottom of the barrel TEFL dreamers, the pot at the end of the rainbow isn’t there. A lot of the characters here leading you on sound like deportees themselves. Don't be fooled by the images of banknotes and spammy links to reddit. If you can't earn a decent salary in your own country, a developing country isn't going to do that for you either.

Most schools are run by the Chinese themselves and employ agencies to do the paperwork for them. Few schools are going to bend over backwards for a TEFL teacher.

Don’t get mixed up with these scammy organizations promising you the world, if you’re qualified stay safe, work for the Local Education Authorities as a real teacher and give the private schools and fantasy promises a miss.
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by TJhamm »

You'll have a hard time getting a salary on arrival. All my experience China was at universities. You might get 15-18K RMB per month after a few years in the country, but even then, once you've paid your tax and living expenses, 1000 euros a month might be more realistic. The university life is a nice one, but it's not the best way to stack cash.
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John V55
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by John V55 »

I think a lot of the problems stem from young people with a degree that they can’t do much with and the myth that if you pay some money and get a TEFL certificate the world is your oyster. Perhaps twenty years ago have blue eyes and can travel was a novelty, but not anymore.

A TEFL certificate does not give professional status, it’s an attendance certificate and if you can’t get a job in a first world country with the qualifications you already have, a developing country is not going to pay you a fantastic salary either. It’s a job, it’s different, often hard work, but it’s not a get rich scheme and where it’s suggested as such, there’s usually a scam not far away.
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Re: Teaching salary in China

Unread post by eggshell »

Keep in mind that teaching positions in larger cities often come with higher salaries, but living costs are also higher. To save 2000 euros (approximately 16,000 RMB) per month, you would need to earn a gross monthly income of at least 22,000 to 26,000 RMB, accounting for taxes and other deductions.
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