How much do English teachers earn in China?

Why the package matters more than the base number

China postings are usually quoted as a full package: base salary, plus a flight allowance or reimbursement, plus a housing stipend or provided apartment, plus a completion bonus paid out at the end of a full contract year. Two jobs with the same ¥18,000 base salary can differ by thousands of yuan a month once you add up what's actually covered versus what comes out of your own pocket.

Always ask for the full breakdown in writing before comparing offers, and be specific about whether the flight allowance is paid upfront, reimbursed after arrival, or only paid if you complete the full year.

Pay at the top of the range usually goes to stronger CVs, so check the best TEFL course for China before you apply.

Training centres vs public schools vs international schools

Private training centres (like the well-known chains) generally offer the highest base salaries for non-teaching-license holders and often include the strongest flight and bonus packages, but hours can include evenings and weekends. Public schools pay less in base salary but usually have a more predictable daytime schedule and sometimes better job security. International schools pay the most but require a teaching license and relevant classroom experience, not just a TEFL certificate and a degree.

Tax, the degree requirement, and non-native pay

The bachelor's degree requirement for the Z visa is a legal, not just a preference-based, rule, and it needs to be apostilled and sometimes notarised — this is worth sorting months in advance since document delays are a common reason contracts get pushed back. Progressive income tax is withheld from your salary, and how much depends on income level and any tax treaty between China and your home country, so ask your employer's HR for the specific rate rather than estimating.

Some employers advertise higher pay for native English speakers from a specific list of countries, largely because of how the work-visa system categorises applicants; non-native, degree-holding teachers can still find well-paid roles but should expect this to affect the pool of jobs open to them.

What actually gets you a raise

Moving from a smaller city to a tier-1 city like Shanghai or Beijing usually means a higher base salary and a higher cost of living to match, so it's not automatically more savings. Completing a full contract year and re-signing is the most common way training-centre teachers get a raise, since it avoids the recruiter fee schools pay for a brand-new hire.