TEFL salaries: How much does a TEFL teacher earn?

For those looking for a richly rewarding career, teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is perfect. Not only do you get to travel to other countries and immerse yourself in new cultures, but you can inspire others to learn a life-changing skill.

But is TEFL a viable career option? And what exactly are the average salary and rates of pay for TEFL teachers abroad? 

Well, average TEFL teacher salaries can vary greatly from country to country. There are plenty of other factors, such as where you teach (school or business, for example), your qualifications and your level of experience. 

In this TEFL salary guide, we break down the details about all you need to know about how much you can earn teaching English abroad.

Teaching English abroad: average salary for a TEFL teacher

Let’s take a look at the various different types of working opportunities for TEFL teachers and the salary expectations for each.  

Average salary teaching English in language academies

Private language academies are an excellent option for new TEFL teachers. In larger cosmopolitan cities, there’s a large number of English language academies and a high demand for English teachers. You’ll find many English language academies throughout Europe, particularly in Spain, where there are strong TEFL communities in cities like Barcelona.

All of this points to the fact that teacher salaries in English language academies are very good. As a TEFL teacher working in a good academy in Spain, for example, you can earn €15 to €17 per hour. This can increase with more experience.

Over a month, you can expect to be working between 16–22 hours per week at a salary of around €1,000 to €1,5000 per month, before tax. This can be supplemented by taking private tuition jobs.

A key plus point for language academies is that after you train as an English teacher, you have a clear pathway to teach at the school once you’ve graduated. 

Average salary teaching TEFL at a school

English as a foreign language is taught in all schools throughout the world, particularly Europe, where there are ample employment opportunities for TEFL teachers. Most of these positions will be through government programs.

In the best-paying countries, you can earn upwards of €1,500 a month working as a TEFL teacher in a school. In most European countries where TEFL teachers are sought after in schools, such as Spain, you can expect to earn €700 to €1,000 monthly.  

Many of these programs have accommodation costs factored in, as well as application costs, both of which are worth considering when thinking about average salaries.

Average salary teaching English for in-company classes

Working as an English teacher within a private company is another option in Barcelona. If you specialise in business English, there are opportunities to work for companies that provide in-house English lessons to business employees in the city. You can earn between €18 to €25 per hour teaching English within a company.

Many large cities throughout Europe and Asia have companies that hire teachers to provide in-house English lessons to their employees. This is particularly true in the biggest startup cities in Europe, including Barcelona, Berlin and Lisbon, where English is a prized skill.

Average salary teaching private lessons

Another excellent option for TEFL teachers is to go it alone and teach private lessons. Going freelance could be difficult, depending on the country you’re teaching in. But having the freedom to find your own clients and create your own schedule is definitely a bonus.

Private lessons could encompass one-to-one, small groups or large groups. TEFL teachers can charge around €20 to €25 an hour, although this can rise considerably in larger economic countries in northern Europe for teachers with lots of experience. 

Average salary teaching English online

Teaching English online has an advantage over in-person teaching, as there is a far larger job pool and lots more opportunities. There are also no geographical barriers, giving you a lot more flexibility as a teacher. Want to teach English to kids in Asia while living in the UK? No problem. 

Average salaries for online English teachers vary considerably. Online teaching companies offer regular work, but with salaries of between €6 to €12 per hour. However, many language academies offer online teaching opportunities, with hourly rates of €10 to €15, depending on experience.

As you can see, when teaching English abroad, salaries can vary a lot. Many factors come into play, but the most important thing when it comes to earning a good salary as an English teacher is to get a TEFL qualification and to get all the support you can to find the right employment.

At TEFL Iberia, we train English teachers from scratch. We can give you the tools you need to become a highly skilled TEFL teacher. We also offer the Developing Teacher course, where confident teachers can take their abilities to the next level, gaining the skills and experience to command a large salary. 

Contact us at coordination@tefl-iberia.com for more information, or check out our list of coordination@tefl-iberia.com for more information, or check out our list of for more information, or check out our list of available courses