The Average Starting Salary of an ESL Instructor

Most ESL teachers are paid by the hour.

Starting salaries for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers vary depending on location. The one common characteristic that ESL teachers share is that they are almost always paid by the hour on a contractual basis.

ESL Salaries in Canada

ESL teachers in Canada are paid by the hour, whether they work for public or private sector institutions. The average starting salary in 2009 stood at $33.91 per hour, according to OCCinfo. But the precise pay scale for new ESL teachers is based on the employee's level of education and previous classroom teaching experience. As such, in 2009 the most inexperienced teachers earned as little as $12.50 per hour.

ESL Salaries in the United States

The average starting salaries for ESL instructors tend to be lower than those of general elementary or high school teachers, as most jobs are paid by the hour. The average starting salary stands at $20 per hour and many of these jobs are part time. Full-time ESL teachers employed by school boards, however, make an average of $30,000 per year. In 2009, average starting salaries for general teachers in the US ranged from $24,872 to $39,259, according to Teacher Portal.

ESL Salaries in Europe

Demand for ESL teachers exists in both Eastern and Western Europe, particularly because English is used as an official language of all European Union institutions. As of 2010, the average starting hourly wage in Western Europe ranged from 16 euros to 18 euros, while the standard salary in Eastern Europe remains under $10 per hour.

References

• Alberta Occupational Profiles: English as a Second Language Teachers
• ESL Job Find: The Americas
• ESL Job Find: Western Europe
• The Teacher Portal: Teacher Salaries by State
• ESL Job Find: Eastern Europe

Resources

• ESL Employment