While teaching may be a popular career choice, salaries are often quite different depending on where you live. In America, most public school teachers make about $66,000 a year—but many other countries pay quite a bit more! Here are eleven countries where teacher salaries beat the USA. Of course, even in America salaries vary depending on the state but it’s interesting to see how it is in other countries!
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Luxembourg
Teachers in Luxembourg earn around $100,000 a year and this makes them some of the best-paid educators worldwide. Schools there use multiple languages every day, including Luxembourgish, French & German—and while life is expensive there, teachers there are paid enough to cover the higher living costs comfortably. Many of them are quite happy to work in such a unique and multilingual place.
Switzerland
Switzerland pays teachers about $75,000 each year but this changes depending on where they teach—places like Zurich and Geneva offer even higher pay. Swiss teachers spend about 30 hours a week at school and that’s a little less than American teachers, although their schedules are usually packed. Solid paychecks make up for staying so busy during school hours!
Germany
Teachers in Germany get about $80,000 per year and the rate is even higher in states like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, with exact salaries depending on experience & education level. But that’s not all as teachers in Germany usually have secure jobs and great pensions. That combination makes teaching an attractive choice for lots of people because they know they’re able to rely on having a stable and well-paid career.
Denmark
Denmark offers its teachers around $50,000 to $80,000 annually and teachers there enjoy strong support from unions—they usually stick to around a 40-hour workweek. They also have a say in the curricula and decisions within their schools, giving Danish teachers a good level of independence. Rather than being just a well-paying job, the good work-life balance is also quite appealing for many Danish people.
Norway
In Norway, teachers earn roughly $81,000 a year, and the government invests a lot in education, leading to smaller class sizes and schools receiving plenty of funding. They encourage teachers to keep learning throughout their careers through the numerous personal development programs that the government fully pays for. As such, teaching in Norway is as comfortable as it is professionally rewarding—no wonder so many people are considering moving there!
Canada
Teachers in Canada, especially those in Alberta, earn about $72,000 yearly—but in Ontario, this salary often reaches closer to $80,000, although the pay varies across provinces. Even so, one thing that’s consistent is that Canadian teachers usually have great contracts that promise raises every year & solid healthcare. They also receive good retirement benefits and some of these rival the ones that teachers get over here!
Australia
Australian teachers typically earn about $95,000 per year and this may be even higher in big cities like Sydney & Melbourne. Teachers there have great support systems like mentorship programs and clearer paths for career growth—there’s even extra money available for teachers willing to work in more isolated regions. As a result, teaching there is rewarding for teachers in a professional and financial sense.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, teachers make about $70,000 annually with experience and schools there encourage students to learn independently, which affects how teachers run their classrooms. Another bonus is the generous vacation policy—Dutch teachers usually get around 12 weeks off each year and that’s a kind of bonus worth paying for! It helps teachers to balance their busy schedules and responsibilities during the school term with relaxation time.
Ireland
Irish teachers generally earn about $70,000 each year, with slightly higher pay in cities like Dublin and a clearer career path than that in America. Many of them earn extra pay from taking on roles like running extracurricular activities or helping out with school administration. They also receive regular salary increases, the most recent one being a 2% rise or €1,000 per year (whatever the higher figure is).
Austria
Austrian teachers earn about $73,000 per year and many teachers there have stable jobs, including opportunities for tenure after a probation period. Austrian teachers often specialize early on by choosing academic or vocational teaching paths and whatever they decide, they have clear options for professional advancement. Their sense of job stability is far greater than most teachers in the USA.
United Arab Emirates
Teachers in the UAE, especially in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, take home about $70,000 tax-free each year. Most of the schools also have extras like free housing, health insurance—even airfare—and most teachers in international schools following British or American curriculums, often earn over $80,000 annually. However, teachers do have to follow much stricter regulations in the UAE compared to the United States.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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