Teachers often ask how much international schools pay. There is no single answer. Each school sets its own salary and benefits, and the same school can offer different packages to teachers it hires from abroad and teachers who already live in the country.
This guide does not give average salaries, because there is no official source for them. Instead it explains what a package can include, shows the pay that some programmes and schools publish, and lists the questions to ask before you sign. Figures were checked on the official pages in October 2026.
What a package can include
An offer from an international school is often more than a salary. These are the parts to look for. The examples come from the Shanghai American School benefits page, which lists its package in full.
| Benefit | What it means | Example from a school page |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | Your monthly or yearly pay, usually on the school’s own salary scale | “base salary” |
| Housing | A flat provided by the school, or a cash housing allowance | “school housing” |
| Flights | A ticket at the start, each year, or at the end of the contract | “airfare at end of each contracted year” |
| Relocation | Money to help you move | “relocation allowance” |
| Medical cover | Health insurance, sometimes also for your family | “health insurance, long-term disability, life insurance” |
| Tuition | Free or reduced school fees for your children at the school | “Eagle Assistance Tuition Assistance (1 per employed teacher)” |
| End of contract payment | A bonus or gratuity when you finish the contract | “end of contract completion bonus (applicable at the end of 3 years of service)” |
| Visas and permits | The school arranges and pays for your work visa | “all visas and work permits (with the exception of initial entry visa obtained in home country)” |
| Tax | Who pays income tax | “PRC income tax liability” |
These are one school’s words. Other schools offer more, less, or different things. Always ask for the full package in writing.
Overseas hire and local hire
Many schools offer two kinds of contract:
- Overseas hire: a teacher the school recruits from another country. The school pays to move you, so the package usually includes housing and flights.
- Local hire: a teacher who already lives in the country. The package is often smaller.
Shanghai American School shows the difference clearly (Shanghai American School):
| Overseas hired teachers | Locally hired expat teachers | |
|---|---|---|
| First contract | Two years | One year |
| School housing | Yes | Not listed |
| Airfare | At the end of each contracted year | Not listed |
| Relocation allowance | Yes | Not listed |
| Health insurance | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition assistance | 1 per employed teacher | 1 per employed teacher (conditions apply) |
| Completion bonus | After 3 years of service | After 2 years of service |
If you already live in the country where you apply, ask the school which contract you would get.
Pay that programmes publish
Some government programmes publish their pay scales. They give you real numbers to compare with.
Hong Kong: NET Scheme
The Education Bureau (EDB) runs the Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme, which places English teachers in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools. For the 2026/27 school year, EDB lists this pay (checked October 2026):
| Primary NETs | Secondary NETs | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay scale | Master Pay Scale points 15 to 29 | Master Pay Scale points 15 to 33 |
| Monthly salary | HK$35,080 to HK$67,850 | HK$35,080 to HK$81,510 |
| Special allowance | HK$20,989 a month | HK$20,989 a month |
Sources: EDB primary NET recruitment, EDB secondary NET recruitment.
Some rules that affect the package:
- The special allowance, passage and baggage allowance and medical insurance are paid only if your “normal place of residence is established to be outside Hong Kong” (EDB remuneration package).
- There is a contract gratuity of 10% of basic salary for the first two contracts and 15% after that, paid when you complete the contract satisfactorily (EDB).
- Primary NETs without local teacher training cannot go beyond a salary bar at point 20 until they get a recognised qualification (EDB).
Japan: JET Programme
The JET Programme says participants get about 4.02 million yen before tax in their first year, 4.14 million in the second and 4.26 million in the third (checked October 2026) (JET FAQ). Other points from the JET FAQ:
- Your contracting organisation pays your airfare to Japan, and your return airfare if you complete your appointment and leave within one month.
- You arrange and pay for your own accommodation. JET says the first costs are often 4 to 7 months’ rent, because of deposits and fees.
- You pay Japanese income tax and resident tax from your pay.
Korea: EPIK
EPIK pays by level and by region. Monthly pay in Korean won, checked October 2026 (EPIK):
| Level | Who gets it | Monthly pay (by region) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Bachelor’s degree in any subject | 2.1 to 2.2 million |
| 2 | Bachelor’s in education, a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA of 100+ hours, or a teacher’s licence | 2.1 to 2.35 million |
| 2+ | Level 2, plus one year of full-time teaching experience | 2.3 to 2.4 million |
| 1 | Level 2, plus two years of full-time teaching experience | 2.4 to 2.6 million |
| 1+ | Two years in a row at Level 1 with the renewing province | 2.5 to 2.8 million |
EPIK also lists housing provided by the education office (you pay utilities), a one-time settlement allowance of 300,000 won, an entrance allowance of 1,800,000 won that you must repay if the contract ends within 6 months, a contract completion bonus of 1,300,000 won, severance pay of about one month’s salary, and 50% of medical insurance paid by the employer. Some amounts vary by region, and two regions list no Level 3 pay.
Our guide to teaching English in Japan and Korea explains who can join JET and EPIK.
UAE: tax and end-of-service gratuity
Many teachers look at the Gulf because of tax. The UAE government says: “The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals” (u.ae). Your home country may still tax you, so check its rules.
The UAE labour law also gives private sector workers an end-of-service gratuity, a lump sum when the job ends (u.ae):
| Service | Gratuity |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | None |
| Years 1 to 5 | 21 days’ basic salary for each year |
| After 5 years | 30 days’ basic salary for each further year |
| Limit | No more than 2 years’ wage in total |
Two points matter for teachers:
- The gratuity uses your last basic salary. It does not include allowances such as housing or transport. If most of your package is allowances, your gratuity is smaller.
- The employer must pay all wages, entitlements and gratuity within 14 days of the end of the contract.
The UAE also says that “the costs of the recruitment and travel, as well as the expenses for obtaining your residency permit in the UAE shall be borne by the employer” (u.ae).
In Abu Dhabi, ADEK requires each private school to publish an Employment Manual that includes its “salary scale, gratuity scheme, and allowances” (ADEK Employment Policy). You can ask the school to see it.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the basic salary, and what is paid as allowances?
- Is housing provided, or is there an allowance? Does it cover a family?
- Which flights are paid: at the start, every year, at the end?
- Who is covered by the medical insurance: you only, or your family too?
- Is tuition free for your children? For how many children?
- Is there a gratuity or completion bonus, and when is it paid?
- Who pays for your visa, work permit and document checks?
- How long is the contract, and what happens if you leave early?
Get the answers in the written contract, not only in an email.
Frequently asked questions
How much do international school teachers earn?
There is no single pay scale. Each school sets its own salary and benefits, and overseas hires often get a different package from local hires. Some programmes publish their pay. For example, Hong Kong NETs earn HK$35,080 to HK$81,510 a month on the 2026/27 scale, plus a special allowance for overseas appointees.
What benefits do international schools offer teachers?
It varies by school. A package can include housing or a housing allowance, flights, a relocation allowance, medical insurance, tuition for your children, a completion bonus and visa costs. Shanghai American School, for example, lists school housing, airfare at the end of each contracted year and tuition assistance for overseas hires.
What is the difference between an overseas hire and a local hire?
An overseas hire is recruited from another country, so the school usually pays for housing and flights. A local hire already lives in the country and often gets a smaller package. At Shanghai American School, overseas hires get a two-year first contract with housing and airfare; local hires get a one-year contract.
How is the end-of-service gratuity calculated in the UAE?
After at least one year of service, private sector workers get 21 days’ basic salary for each of the first five years and 30 days for each year after that. The total cannot be more than two years’ wage. It uses basic salary only, not housing or other allowances.
Do JET and EPIK teachers get free housing?
Not on JET: JET participants arrange and pay for their own accommodation, and first costs are often 4 to 7 months’ rent. EPIK lists housing provided by the local education office, with utilities paid by the teacher. Both programmes publish their pay and allowances on their official websites.