High Salary ESL Teaching Jobs | Well-Paying Countries and Tips

Teachers mainly gravitate towards educational careers, driven by the passion for enriching the lives of their students. Of course, this is reality! Although high salary ESL jobs are attractive, the decision to pursue a teaching career is not driven by money in most cases. Rather, it’s the joy and contentment of the job that makes teachers choose their profession. Shaping and guiding young minds-love it!

 

High Salary ESL Teaching Jobs

Sounds great, doesn’t it? But, let’s be real. Many teachers decide to work abroad for the money, and it’s often possible for them to save more in a place like Korea or Japan than it is working a job back in their home countries.

Get Qualified to Compete for High Salary ESL Jobs

When it comes to high salary teaching jobs in the expatriate community, those teaching ESL abroad are probably placed at the bottom. But teaching ESL abroad can be attractive if you have a CELTA or TEFL or TESOL certification and a Master’s degree. Many countries across the world offer lucrative pay packages along with outstanding benefits to teachers having the said certifications. But before you jump into this field, you need to opt for some basic preparations. These will become extremely helpful when you’ll be actually looking for such jobs.

Below are some of the preparations you’ll need to make before heading Abroad:

Network your Way to a Great Job

Try to network with others who are teaching ESL abroad or teaching ESL in your own country. These people will be the chief support providers when you’ll be in need of help or encouragement. Joining a social networking site is a real good option as well. There are many ESL pages and groups available with thousands of members. If your key motivation for teaching ESL abroad is money, you may try to join some Middle Eastern groups.

Get a High Salary Job Online

Try to get hired before heading out to teach ESL abroad. It’ll help you in settling in the new country, in terms of finding a house or getting yourself accustomed to the city.

Research, a Lot

Try to know the ins and outs of the destination where you’ll be working. Make yourself familiar with the rules and customs of the region as well as the regional languages are spoken by your students. Any sort of preparation you make before going will be time well spent.

Countries for High Paying ESL Teaching Jobs

If you have your eyes set on teaching ESL abroad, you can take your pick from the following list of high paying countries. When you teach English abroad, salaries can differ greatly depending on your destination. So, here’s a list of the countries known to have well-paying ESL teaching jobs.

Gulf Arab States: High Salary Job

Residents of these oil-rich nations have been encouraged to enhance their English skills, thanks to the increasing number of global corporations that have opened their operations here. The job market in the ESL field is quite competitive in this region, and a master’s degree and/or professional educational background are generally required. Salaries vary between US$2000 – US$5000 per month, and most companies offer benefits like annual return airfare to the home country, furnished accommodation, and health insurance. It can be an excellent place to consider if you have a family because international school tuition is often included in the package.

Looking for a high salary ESL teaching job? Head straight here!

Taiwan

Along with a lucrative pay package, the democratic and prosperous Asian society of this nation offers an opportunity to feel the Chinese culture in a subtropical ambiance. Salaries vary between US$2000 – US$4000 per month, although extra benefits are almost nil since no bonuses, airfares, or health insurance are on offer. However, if you have a bit of hustle and are willing to piece together a few different jobs, the sky is almost the limit.

South Korea

Korea has been a much sought-after destination for a long time for teaching ESL abroad. Though the salary is sometimes a little lower than in Taiwan, the additional benefits on offer are excellent. Generally, salaries here vary between US$2000 – US$3000 per month. Although the days of “high-salary” everything in South Korea are done, it’s still a great place to find a well-paying job. Additional benefits include furnished accommodation, return airfare, health insurance, and end of contract bonus of an additional month’s salary. If you specifically want to teach in Seoul, consider finding an ESL teaching job through the EPIK-Seoul program.

If you can get a University Job in South Korea with low teaching hours and overtime opportunities, it is possible to earn more than US$5000 per month.

Japan: High Paying ESL Jobs

Many ESL teachers have a hard time choosing between Japan and Korea for their teaching abroad destination. Japan has been a top destination for competent English teachers for a long time. Along with a standard pay package, the country offers a unique combination of cuisine, culture, natural beauty, and history to soak in.  Salaries offered are around US$3000 per month. Additional benefits may include return airfare, accommodation, health insurance, and a little bonus.

If you’re looking for a high salary teaching job and are willing to live frugally, consider Japan!

Vietnam: High Salary Teaching Jobs

For the last 10 years, Vietnam has become an attractive destination for ESL teachers. There are plenty of opportunities available in the nation’s ESL centers, universities and schools. Teachers can enjoy a distinct blend of Buddhist Khmer culture and Chinese Confucianism along with spectacular beaches, colorful cities and mountainous highlands. Salaries vary between US$1000 – US$3000 per month. This is well within the “high-salary” zone. Additional benefits may include only the bonus, which is usually equal to a month’s salary; teachers are mostly responsible to organize their own housing.

Where to Find an English Teaching Job Online

These days, there are so many websites where you can find ESL teaching jobs online. But, my favourites include:

ESL Cafe- The oldest and although it’s not so user-friendly, it does have a massive number of jobs.

Profs Abroad– This is a paid site that compiles university jobs from around the world onto one single site. It’s well worth the money because it’ll save you a ton of time.

Teach English Abroad Salaries

If you are an ESL teacher searching for the average salary for English teaching abroad jobs, you might have a bit of trouble. The teaching abroad salaries greatly differ depending on your destination. For example, ESL jobs in East Asian countries pay much more than ESL jobs in South America. Salary might not be your biggest consideration as many people choose to teach abroad to also enjoy traveling. Still, I’m here to give you a general idea of what your teach English abroad salary might be.

On average, in the countries with high salary ESL jobs, you will make between 2000 and 6000 USD per month. The range is so wide because of the different English teaching institutions. For example, international schools will pay a higher salary compared to public schools in almost every country. Therefore, your teaching abroad salary will greatly depend on the country and the type of English teaching institution.

It’s not all about the Money…but…

Of course, teaching English abroad isn’t all about the money. People teach abroad to have a bit of an adventure, a change in life, or because they genuinely want to help people learn English. But, if you have some student loans or other debts to pay off or want to save up money for something like grad school or a down payment on a house, you’d do well to consider one of these 5 destinations.

You’ll also need to read The Wealthy English Teacher: Teach, Travel, and Secure Your Financial Future, which is the first and only personal finance book specifically for English teachers abroad. It’ll help you set yourself up for some financial awesome in your future. You want some awesome, don’t you?

Don’t have a university degree but want to teach English? Check this out: Teaching ESL without a degree.

FAQs About High Salary ESL Teaching Jobs

Here are the most frequently asked questions and answers about ESL teaching abroad salaries and the most well-paying countries.

Where can I make the most money as an ESL teacher?

Few of the high salary ESL teaching jobs can be found in countries like Gulf Arab States, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

What is the highest paying ESL company?

With the outbreak of the pandemic, online English teaching and learning has become more popular. Some of the best online ESL companies include VIPKID, SayABC, Cambly, Qkids, and Italki.

Are ESL teachers in demand?

English teachers are one of the most in-demand teachers. Especially in East Asian countries, where they have an extremely competitive education system, the demand for ESL teachers is even higher.

Have your say about the Highest Salary English Teaching Jobs in the World

Do you have any recommendations for the highest salary ESL jobs in the world to consider? Is teaching English to non-native speakers what you would like to do? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

Also, be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. It’ll help other teachers like yourself find this useful resource guide.