How Much Money Do ESL Teachers in China Get?

Thinking about becoming an ESL teacher in China? Wondering how much money they make?

Simple answer: It depends.

I’ve been living and work in China for over ten years, so let me share some insights into how much you can expect to earn as an ESL teacher in China.

How much money can you make as an ESL teacher in China? Basically, your salary will depend on three things: What city you work in, what type of school you work at, and what your qualifications are. Another note: Salaries are calculated monthly, rather than yearly.

1. What city are you in?

In China, cities are generally divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. (You might see information online about Tier 3 cities, but that is a little outdated.) The salaries available in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities are quite different—think of the salary differences between a big city like New York or LA vs. smaller cities.

There are a few different opinions about how many Tier 1 cities there are, but generally, these cities are considered to be Tier 1:

• Beijing

• Shanghai

• Guangzhou

• Shenzhen

Cities that are on their way to becoming Tier 1 cities have started to be called “New Tier 1 cities” and include:

• Chengu

• Chongqing

• Hangzhou

• Wuhan

• Nanjing

• Tianjin

• Suzhou

• Xi’an

• Changsha

• Qingdao

• Zhengzhou

• Dalian

Tier 2 cities could include:

• Xiamen

• Fuzhou

• Wuxi

• Hefei

• Kunming

• Harbin

• Nanchang

• Haikou, among others

If you’re in a Tier 1 city, you can expect a higher salary, because the cost of living will be higher as well. So when you’re looking at salaries, take a look at what city you’ll be located in.

2. What type of school do you work at?

The type of school you work at will influence your salary as well. If I were to rank the types of schools that offer the highest to lowest salaries, this would be my list:

1. International schools and kindergartens

2. Colleges/Universities, and training centers

3. High schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and training centers

Note: Training centers are companies that teach English to children or adults on nights and weekends.

Why did I list training centers twice? Because these have the most variety. I’ve seen astronomical salaries as well as pitiful salaries for training centers. It really depends on the company.

3. What are your qualifications?

To obtain a legal work visa in China, you need to have a bachelor’s degree. Having higher education can earn you a higher salary. The general standard is to add 1,000 RMB to whatever salary you have if you have a master’s degree. I haven’t often met expat teachers in China who have a doctoral degree, but getting a higher salary could be negotiated with that level of education.

So, what about the salary? How much can you earn as an ESL teacher in China?

Let’s say you’re in a Tier 1 city, working at:

If you teach ESL at an international school or kindergarten in a Tier 1 city, you can earn about 20-30K CNY per month, which is about $34-50K USD per year.

If you teach ESL at a college/university or training center, in a Tier 1 city, you can earn about 15-20K CNY per month, which is about $24-34K USD per year.

If you teach ESL at a high school, middle school, or elementary school in at a Tier 1 city, you can earn about 10-20K CNY per month, which is about $17-34K USD per year.

How much can you make working in a Tier 2 city?

If you teach ESL at an international school or kindergarten in a Tier 2 city, you can earn about 10-15K CNY per month, which is about $16.7-25K USD per year.

If you teach ESL at a college/university or training center, in a Tier 2 city, you can earn about 8-15K CNY per month, which is about $13.3-25K USD per year.

If you teach ESL at a high school, middle school, or elementary school in at a Tier 2 city, you can earn about 6-10K CNY per month, which is about $10-16.7K USD per year.

Again, all of these numbers are estimates. It truly depends on where you are located, what your requirements are, and what individual schools are willing to offer. As China continues to open up after three years of the zero-covid prevention policy and as China continues to relax visa requirements, the ESL world could see a shift as more international teachers come into the country.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to comment or message me privately on Instagram at @atlasteaching! If you’re worried about scams or being shortchanged, perhaps I can help. And if you’re looking for tips for how to kill at your ESL job interview, subscribe to the YouTube channel for more tips. Good luck on your job search! I