Teaching English abroad is fast becoming a very lucrative job. It accords one the opportunity to teach and make money while traveling the world. There are lots of TEFL opportunities in 2022, and because of this, it’s important to know the highest-paid TEFL jobs out there.
These jobs, while abundant overseas, require certain responsibilities from those intending to become teachers over there. The requirement can range from having a university degree to being an English teacher in their hometown or acquiring a TEFL certificate.
While some of these nations require that you have all the necessary qualifications, as stated above, others do not.
However, having as many qualifications as possible would be your best bet to maximize whatever opportunity that might present itself.
Read through to find the highest-paid TEFL jobs.
What is TEFL?
According to International TEFL Academy, “TEFL” is the acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or, English language instruction for non-native speakers.
It’s also known as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), English Language Teaching (ELT), and teaching ESL (English as a Second Language).
TEFL/TESOL represents one of the fastest-growing educational fields in the world. It presents thousands of excellent professional opportunities for teaching English abroad in all corners of the globe to native and fluent English speakers who earn their TEFL/TESOL certification.
Below we will list the highest-paid TEFL jobs.
How Much Do TEFL Teachers Earn?
There needs to be a specific wage or salary plan for people teaching English in non-English speaking countries. These teachers’ income highly depends on the country they teach in.
Therefore, a teacher’s salary can be as little as $600 per month to $4,000! Because each country has different teaching requirements, expectations, and contract lengths, they also pay varying salaries.
Nonetheless, location is not the only determining factor in what a teacher would earn teaching English abroad.
Some other factors include the following;
The Teacher’s Qualifications
This is done virtually in all workplaces and not just for TEFL teachers. Whoever has better qualifications most times earns more. This is because it’s expected that the teacher with higher qualifications can offer more to his students. One with a better qualification usually has more access to better job offers than another with less.
Therefore, to keep them in the job, they need to be made happy. As someone looking for a TEFL job, you can increase your earning potential by increasing your qualification.
Read: Top 10 Highest Paid Teachers Jobs
Another factor that determines how much you can earn in a TEFL job is:
The Type Of School You Teach-In
Where you work can influence your earning. If it’s a public school, they might pay you better if such a school gets lots of funding from the government. This is usually dependent on where you find yourself as a TEFL teacher.
Meanwhile, you get better pay in some locations if you work for a private entity. This is because such organizations are at liberty to charge their clients whatever they deem fit and, as such, can afford to pay more.
Another factor that determines if your jobs are the highest paid TEFL job is;
What Level Are You Teaching?
Suppose you are opportune to bag a contract with a higher institution, a university or business school. You’d be paid more than someone teaching kids in primary school or a community language center.
See Also: How To Make More Money As A Teacher In 2023 | Full Guide
How Does the Salary of TEFL Teacher Job Compare To The Cost Of Living?
What a person earns does not determine how much unspent money they might have. As a TEFL teacher in a foreign nation, your cost of living determines this. And your location determines your cost of living and vice versa.
For example, Latin American countries may pay less (around $600- 1000 USD per month), but considering the accommodation cost there, it wouldn’t be much of a problem.
A high salary earned in Japan would not go far in an expensive city such as Tokyo–unless your employer offered free housing with your contract.
Can You Make a Living Teaching English Abroad?
The answer is a resounding yes! However, it would be best if you considered your end goals. Are you looking for where and how to make enough to travel around? Or you’re looking to save some real money. When you have this figure, you must consider the cost of living of such an area and their salary package.
This will help you ascertain where your goals will most likely be achieved.
Remember, you’d be living like the locals and partaking in almost everything you do. It would be best if you got used to different prices, either high or low, for food, clothing, accommodation, entertainment, or even medical expenses.
Therefore you must do a certain level of due diligence on the location(s) you’ve selected, so you’d know what to do to teach English abroad.
Below, we will list the highest-paid TEFL jobs.
Highest-Paid TEFL Jobs
Having answered a few queries regarding TEFL, we will now look at some of the highest-paid TEFL jobs.
| 1. The United Arab Emirates | US$3,500 – 5,000 per month |
| 2. Japan | US$2,200 – 5,000 per month |
| 3. Saudi Arabia | US$3,000 – 4,000 per month |
| 4. Kuwait | US$2,600 – 4,000 per month |
| 5. Oman | US$2,000 – 3,500 per month |
| 6. Taiwan | US$2,000 – 2,400 per month |
| 7. South Korea | US$1,600 – 2,000 per month |
| 8. China | US$1,500 – 2,000 per month |
| 9. Vietnam | US$1,000 – 2,000 per month |
#1. UAE
The oil-rich nation offers the highest-paid TEFL jobs you can find, and this is why you have an influx of teachers in the territory.
Their salary package ranges from US$3,500 and US$5,000 a month.
However, this comes with certain requirements, including experience in teaching and certification to teach in one’s home country.
If you’re bound for the UAE, you will find plenty of activities and cultural experiences to enjoy.
#2. Japan
If there’s any place you should look forward to working in for the highest-paid TEFL jobs, Japan should be on the list. You don’t even need a TEFL certificate to teach as a TEFL teacher in Japan. However, it’s desirable.
If you’re bound for Japan, prepare to enjoy the beautiful scenery, as Japan is one of the most beautiful places to work in. Additionally, EFL teachers will enjoy the rich culture, cherry blossoms, festivals, and superb food.
Your employer will take care of your flight and accommodation if you’re lucky. This is on top of the $3,000 per month salary with other benefits.
#3. Saudi Arabia
To teach here, you need experience and an ESL and teaching certificate. Although for some positions, you don’t need a certificate. Salaries range from US$3,000 – US$ 4000 per month.
Read: Top 10 Highest Paid CEOs In The World
#4. Kuwait
There are many international schools in Kuwait. With this, plenty of job opportunities are available for teachers. The city is highly modernized, and teachers can earn up to US$2,600 per month.
As with all other GCC countries, teachers are required to have a TEFL certificate and experience.
#5. Oman
Oman is one of the fastest-growing Arab economies and has gained much education advancement. In a bid to catch up with the rest of the world, interest in learning English is soaring.
Therefore as an English teacher in Oman, you will be one of the pioneers. Salaries can reach from US$2,000 to US$3,500 per month, featuring a low cost of living.
#6. Taiwan
Salaries in Taiwan are much like South Korea, where teachers can earn US$2,000 – US$2,400 per month. However, the cost of living in Taiwan is lower than Korea, making saving money easy.
You can land a job from teaching in a kindergarten to university, public and private schools. And you don’t need a TEFL certificate to teach in Taiwan.
You need a university degree to apply for these highest paid TEFL jobs. However, you can have an advantage over other applicants with teaching experience.
#7. South Korea
South Korea has a similar package offered to English teachers in Japan. This country has fewer tourists than Japan.
ESL teachers in South Korea can earn around US$2,000 per month, which often includes accommodation and airfare.
A TEFL certificate and a bachelor’s degree are required to teach English in South Korea.
This is another location for highest paid TEFL jobs.
#8.China
China is the largest employer of ESL teachers in the world. The low cost of living and salary range from US$1,500 to US$2,000 per month, making it one of the ideal locations for English teachers.
An English teacher in China can work for a private company or in a public school. Students hoping to pursue higher education in China can use some English skills.
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#9. Vietnam
You can teach English in Vietnam if you have yet to gain previous teaching experience but hold a bachelor’s degree and TEFL certificate.
The country has witnessed huge demand for ESL teachers over the last few years.
The salary is not high compared to other countries on the list, but the cost of living is cheap. Salaries range from US$1,000 to US$2,000 per month. Teachers will find it very affordable in Vietnam.
#10. Chile
Latin America might not be the best destination for TEFL teachers, and this is because their salary package is very meager. In some cases, local expects you teach them for free as volunteers.
However, teachers hired by Premier TEFL can expect to make a minimum of $985 a month, on par with the average monthly salary of a local Chilean teacher, earning its spot as one of the highest paying English teaching jobs abroad.
Teachers can also make more if they work more hours. This salary is more than enough to meet basic living costs in Chile, and participants are free to supplement this income with private tutoring and other side jobs.
- Perks: Highly reputable program internationally, free orientation accommodations
- Salary range: ~$1000+ monthly
- Popular cities: Valparaíso, Santiago
Conclusion:
A lot of people are interested in teaching English abroad for charity purposes, or so they can get to travel, some of just a few know that one can also make money while doing it.
Therefore, this article discussed the highest-paid TEFL jobs by country so that one would make the most out of the opportunity to teach English overseas.
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