To provide every child in the world with primary and secondary education, countries over the next 12 years would have to hire an astounding 68.8 million teachers, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This "global teacher shortage" is exacerbated by the fact that in one-third of the world's countries, less than 75% of teachers are trained to national standards, as reported by Global Citizen. Many teachers receive notoriously low salaries, work longer hours than other similarly compensated jobs, and lack access to wider support systems—all of which makes teacher burnout commonplace in many parts of the world.
To get a comprehensive picture of pay scales for educators worldwide, Stacker examined data collected by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). That group mined information from Brazil, Costa Rica, and all OECD nations except Belgium and the United Kingdom, and compiled it in ascending order. The data includes salaries of primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary teachers at two points: entry-level, and teachers with 15 years of experience. Numbers listed are the average teacher's gross salary after pension and social security contributions and before taxes and deductions.
Read on to find out where teachers earn more money—and where they might deserve a raise.
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DolfinVik // Shutterstock
1 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $14,494 (#37 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $14, 494 (#37)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $14,494 (#37)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
2 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $14,545 (#36 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,090 (#32)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $16,161 (#33)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,090 (#32)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $16,161 (#33)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $23,433 (#31)
Maarten Zeehandelaar // Shutterstock
3 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $14,775 (#35 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $14,775 (#36)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $14,775 (#36)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
Anna Nahabed // Shutterstock
4 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $15,339 (#34 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,553 (#31)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $15,339 (#35)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,553 (#31)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $15,339 (#35)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,553 (#32)
Staff Sgt. Alan Abernethy // U.S Air Force
5 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $16,140 (#33 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,428 (#28)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $16,140 (#34)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,428 (#28)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $16,140 (#34)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,428 (#28)
Peace Corps // Flickr
6 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $19,624 (#32 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $35,788 (#22)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $19,624 (#32)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $35,788 (#23)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $19,624 (#32)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $35,788 (#23)
Glacierfanclub // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $19,825 (#31 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,198 (#29)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $19,825 (#31)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,198 (#29)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $19,825 (#31)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $26,198 (#29)
Mindaugas Gelunas // Shutterstock
8 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $20,255 (#30 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,084 (#33)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $20,255 (#30)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,084 (#33)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $20,255 (#30)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $21,084 (#33)
Kalah_R // Shuttestock
9 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $20,852 (#29 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $33,076 (#24)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $26,560 (#23)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,316 (#19)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $50,776 (#4)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $62,678 (#7)
Positiffy // Shutterstock
10 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $21,276 (#28 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $31,532 (#25)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $21,389 (#29)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $34,860 (#24)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $22,629 (#27)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $33,449 (#25)
Cosmin Sava // Shutterstock
11 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $21,854 (#27 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $24,273 (#30)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $21,854 (#28)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $24,359 (#30)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $21,854 (#29)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $24,359 (#30)
EU2017EE Estonian Presidency // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $22,178 (#26 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $22,178 (#27)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $22,178 (#28)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
MARCELODLT // Shutterstock
13 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $23,747 (#25 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $34,577 (#23)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $23,747 (#26)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $34,577 (#25)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $24,555 (#26)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $35,763 (#24)
Margus Vilbas // Shutterstock
14 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $24,239 (#24 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $30,709 (#26)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $25,251 (#25)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $31,994 (#26)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $25,251 (#25)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $31,994 (#26)
el_cigarrito // Shutterstock
15 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $25,955 (#23 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $28,545 (#27)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $25,955 (#24)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $28,545 (#27)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $25,955 (#24)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $28,545 (#27)
Areipa.lt // Shutterstock
16 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $28,031 (#22 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,111 (#19)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $28,031 (#22)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,111 (#20)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $28,031 (#23)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,111 (#20)
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly // Flickr
17 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $30,403 (#21 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $36,604 (#21)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $32,725 (#17)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $39,840 (#21)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $32,725 (#18)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $40,952 (#21)
elmimmo // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $30,560 (#20 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $51,339 (#11)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $30,560 (#21)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $51,339 (#12)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $30,560 (#22)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $51,321 (#14)
Reiner Girsch // Flickr
19 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $30,872 (#19 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $37,700 (#20)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $32,492 (#19)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $39,320 (#22)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $32,492 (#19)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $39,320 (#22)
Pixabay
20 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $30,890 (#18 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,311 (#13)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $31,392 (#20)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,950 (#13)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $31,894 (#20)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $48,589 (#16)
Bitzra // Shutterstock
21 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $32,485 (#17 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $57,179 (#9)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $32,548 (#18)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $57,242 (#9)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $31,799 (#21)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $56,493 (#11)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $33,516 (#16 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $43,280 (#16)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $33,516 (#16)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $43,280 (#17)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $33,516 (#17)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $43,280 (#19)
Rido // Shutterstock
23 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $33,916 (#15 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,180 (#18)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $36,629 (#14)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $45,555 (#16)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $38,842 (#14)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $49,175 (#15)
Jacob L. // Shutterstock
24 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $36,553 (#14 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $61,534 (#7)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $36,553 (#15)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $62,135 (#7)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $36,553 (#16)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $62,135 (#8)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $38,336 (#13 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,369 (#17)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $38,336 (#13)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $42,369 (#18)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $37,335 (#15)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $46,228 (#18)
CsanadyES // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $38,559 (#12 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,387 (#12)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $38,559 (#12)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,387 (#14)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $46,914 (#5)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $51,838 (#13)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
27 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $39,131 (#11 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $45,636 (#15)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $40,348 (#10)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,323 (#15)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $40,823 (#12)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,470 (#17)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $39,937 (#10 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $67,301 (#3)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $39,937 (#11)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $67,301 (#4)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $39,937 (#13)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $67,301 (#4)
US Dept of Education // Flickr
29 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $40,067 (#9 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $62,404 (#6)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $40,602 (#9)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $64,467 (#5)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $41,430 (#11)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $64,426 (#5)
Pedro Lozano // Flickr
30 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $40,813 (#8 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $47,107 (#14)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $45,509 (#5)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $52,506 (#11)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $45,509 (#7)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $52,506 (#12)
Robert Hoetink // Shutterstock
31 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $42,133 (#7 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $63,413 (#4)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $43,132 (#7)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $76,006 (#3)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $43,132 (#9)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $76,006 (#3)
Timelynx // Shutterstock
32 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $42,702 (#6 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $51,788 (#10)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $42,277 (#8)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $54,407 (#10)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $41,918 (#10)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $59,627 (#10)
Eva Rinaldi // Flickr
33 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $44,287 (#5 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $63,098 (#5)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $44,247 (#6)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $63,393 (#6)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $44,247 (#8)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $63,393 (#6)
Danmarks Designskole The Danish Design School // Wikimedia Commons
34 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $48,989 (#4 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $57,206 (#8)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $49,482 (#4)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $58,349 (#8)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $46,383 (#6)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $60,278 (#9)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
35 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $58,017 (#3 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $65,010 (#3)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $73,250 (#2)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: data not available
hannahalkadi // Pixabay
36 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $60,507 (#2 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $74,486 (#2)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $67,163 (#2)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $80,993 (#2)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $70,749 (#3)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $85,206 (#2)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 37- Primary school starting salary: $74,400 (#1 among listed countries)
- Primary school salary with 15-years experience: $108,624 (#1)
- Lower secondary school starting salary: $84,320 (#1)
- Lower secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $116,312 (#1)
- Upper secondary school starting salary: $84,320 (#1)
- Upper secondary school salary with 15-years experience: $116,312 (#1)
