2010 Teacher Salaries - When considering teaching in a public school in South Korea it should be noted that salaries are NOT NEGOTIABLE. Your salary is determined on a set of pre-determined criteria and there are no exceptions. The following information shows you the breakdown of this criteria for the 2010 Ministry of Education teacher placements in South Korea.

EPIK - English Program in Korea - Salary Scale

If you are a level 3 teacher right now and obtain a TEFL certificate (click here), you can move up to a level 2 salary. Please see the salary scale below for details.

Level 1
- 2 years of teaching experience plus on of the following:
  - Master’s degree
  - Teacher’s/TEFL/TESOL/CELTA (100+ hours) Cert.
  - Bachelor’s degree in Education, English Education or English Language/Literature or Linguistics
  - Contract renewal as a Level 2+ at the same POE
    - Busan/Incheon – 2,300,000 KRW/month
    - Other Cities/Jeju – 2,400,000 KRW/month
    - Other Provinces – 2,500,000 KRW/month
Level 2+
- Master’s degree in any discipline, with Bachelor’s degree in Education, English Education or English Language/Literature or Linguistics
- Master’s degree in Education, English Education or English Language/Literature or Linguistics with Bachelor’s in any discipline
- 1 year teaching experience with one of the following:
  - Masters Degree
  - Teacher’s/TEFL/TESOL/CELTA (100+hours) certificate
  - Bachelor’s degree in Education, English Language/Literature or Linguistics
  - Contract renewal as level 2 at same POE
    - Busan/Incheon – 2,100,000 KRW/month
    - Other Cities/Jeju – 2,200,000 KRW/month
    - Other Provinces – 2,300,000 KRW/month
Level 2
- Must have one of the following:
  - Teacher’s/TEFL/TESOL/CELTA (100+ hours) Cert.
  - Bachelor’s degree in Education, English Education or English Language/Literature or Linguistics
  - Bachelor’s degree in anything + 1 year full time teaching experience
  - Master’s degree in any discipline
    - Busan/Incheon – 2,000,000 KRW/month
    - Other Cities/Jeju – 2,100,000 KRW/month
    - Other Provinces – 2,200,000 KRW/month
Level 3
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline
  - Busan/Incheon – 1,800,000 KRW/month
  - Other Cities– 1,900,000 KRW/month
  - Jeju 2.000,000 KRW/month
  - Other Provinces – 2.100,000 KRW/month
- INCREASE TO LEVEL 2 - Get Online TEFL Certification and receive a discount as a Footprints Teacher! CLICK HERE

SMOE - Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education - Salary Scale

If you are a level H teacher right now and obtain a TEFL certificate (click here), you can move up to a level G salary. Please see the salary scale below for details.

Level A: 2,700,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - At least FOUR (4) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education.
  - At least FOUR (4) full years of English teaching experience in their home country as a present public or private school teacher with a recommendation by the superintendent or the school principal.
Level B: 2,600,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - At least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education.
  - At least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience in their home country as a present public or private school teacher with a recommendation by the superintendent or the school principal.
  - Employed as Level C at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.
Level C: 2,500,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - At least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education.
  - A teacher certification with specialization in English Education with at least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Employed as Level D at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.
Level D: 2,400,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - A Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education
  - A Master’s degree in Education with at least ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Meet the Level G qualification with at least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Employed as Level F at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.
Level E: 2,300,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - A Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education
  - A Master’s degree in Education with at least ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Meet the Level G qualification with at least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Employed as Level F at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.
Level F: 2,200,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - A teacher certification with specialization in English Education
  - A Master’s degree in Education.
  - In addition to one of the requirements for Level G, ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
  - Employed as level G at the SOME for ONE (1) full year.
Level G: 2,000,000 KRW/month
- Must have one of the following:
  - A valid teacher certification for either elementary or secondary level schools.
  - A Bachelor’s degree in Education.
  - A Bachelor’s degree in English, English Education, English Literature, or Linguistics.
  - A TESOL/TEFL or an English teaching certificate comprised of a minimum of 100 course hours.
  - A Master's degree.
  - A Bachelor's degree with at least ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
Level H: 1,800,000 KRW/month
- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in one of major English-speaking countries with the instructions taught in English.
- [A TESL/TEFL course is highly recommended for level H teachers to move up to level G] - click here to get online certification