Salary advice - Teaching English part-time

[smilingwithmyca]

Hi, everyone,

I'm looking for help figuring out what a reasonable hourly salary is for teaching English part-time in local Hong Kong schools. I've received several job offers from private teaching centres that send teachers into local secondary schools to teach classes in English. What is a good hourly salary in these types of situations? I am a native English speaker with bachelor's and master's degrees in related fields, as well as 10 years of teaching & tutoring experience, primarily with university students. I am not credentialed to teach secondary school.

For reference, one centre is offering $350/hour (only in-class time is paid), with a slightly higher rate ($400/hour) when there is significant travel time involved (e.g., travel 40 minutes to only teach for 80 minutes). Given my qualifications, does this seem reasonable, or should I try to negotiate for a higher salary?

Thank you in advance for your help! I'd really appreciate as many reference points as I can get.

[jimbo]

Seems cheap given your skills and experience. I know people with zero experience commanding that. $500 plus should be nearer the mark
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[smilingwithmyca]

Thanks, Jimbo. I really appreciate your quick reply. I got the sense that $350 was low, given my experience. Sounds like my instincts were correct.

I'll be interested to hear other people's opinions.

[smilingwithmyca]

Seems cheap given your skills and experience. I know people with zero experience commanding that. $500 plus should be nearer the mark
Posted via Mobile Device

Hi, Jimbo,
I forgot to ask: do the friends you mentioned teach with centres/agencies, or are they charging that amount through private tutoring?

I know that I could get much more through private tutoring, but I'm wondering about good salaries with teaching centres/agencies.

Thanks.

[chingleutsch]

The thing is that centres & agencies don't charge the schools or students more than private tutors do, but they do take their cut out of your pay for administrative and other stuff. With appropriate qualifications and 20+ years experience the best offer I could wring out of a very reputable place was $350 per hour + travel allowance. (Of course it could just be that I'm a lousy negotiator).

[bryant.english]

The thing is that centres & agencies don't charge the schools or students more than private tutors do, but they do take their cut out of your pay for administrative and other stuff. With appropriate qualifications and 20+ years experience the best offer I could wring out of a very reputable place was $350 per hour + travel allowance. (Of course it could just be that I'm a lousy negotiator).

I could be wrong but when I do private I can get 500HKD per hour but I have to get there, say 5 minutes early to set up, chat to the parents for 10 - 20 minutes when I'm leaving, travel to the next job. Use my own materials and be subject to last minute cancellations, etc. I get paid less working for an agency in schools but right now I'm enjoying two weeks off paid, four weeks after enjoying two weeks off paid for Christmas. I have four hours contact time and use the materials provided by the school. I know how much I'm getting paid each month and if I'm sick, (it will happen in Hong Kong!), I get paid! 350HKD is okay mate. A lot of tutors brag about getting 600-700HKD but truth is, they don't tell you about the 200HKD jobs they're doing and the travel time or some of the other crap that goes with private work.

[rocky22]

i have been teaching english in Hong Kong for 3 years. I have worked mostly in kindergartens, had a short stint in a language centre and done some tutoring jobs too.

JUST THIS WEEK i found the invoice from my kindergarten to my teaching agency.

$1600hk per day
=$200hk per hour

the income i generate on my own is

=$32,000hk per month

However my teaching agency (teacher supply company) only pays me

$900hk per day
=$112.5hk per hour

the income i receive per month

=$17,920hk per month

My agency takes a cut of

$14,080 every month
=$140,800 per year (10 months/40 weeks)

This is the most useful/up to date/un-biased info u will find on the web about what kindergartens are willing to pay for a native english teacher right now in 2012. $200/per hour its a modest total but hard to get your hands on it with all the greedy agencies out there.

P.M if ur interested to know what agency im talking about.

[drumbrake]

i have been teaching english in Hong Kong for 3 years. I have worked mostly in kindergartens, had a short stint in a language centre and done some tutoring jobs too.

JUST THIS WEEK i found the invoice from my kindergarten to my teaching agency.

$1600hk per day
=$200hk per hour

the income i generate on my own is

=$32,000hk per month

However my teaching agency (teacher supply company) only pays me

$900hk per day
=$112.5hk per hour

the income i receive per month

=$17,920hk per month

My agency takes a cut of

$14,080 every month
=$140,800 per year (10 months/40 weeks)

This is the most useful/up to date/un-biased info u will find on the web about what kindergartens are willing to pay for a native english teacher right now in 2012. $200/per hour its a modest total but hard to get your hands on it with all the greedy agencies out there.

P.M if ur interested to know what agency im talking about.

Why don't you approach the kindergarten and offer to work for them at $175 an hour?

[shenwen]

i have been teaching english in Hong Kong for 3 years. I have worked mostly in kindergartens, had a short stint in a language centre and done some tutoring jobs too.

JUST THIS WEEK i found the invoice from my kindergarten to my teaching agency.

$1600hk per day
=$200hk per hour

the income i generate on my own is

=$32,000hk per month

However my teaching agency (teacher supply company) only pays me

$900hk per day
=$112.5hk per hour

the income i receive per month

=$17,920hk per month

My agency takes a cut of

$14,080 every month
=$140,800 per year (10 months/40 weeks)

This is the most useful/up to date/un-biased info u will find on the web about what kindergartens are willing to pay for a native english teacher right now in 2012. $200/per hour its a modest total but hard to get your hands on it with all the greedy agencies out there.

P.M if ur interested to know what agency im talking about.

Given what you just posted about tax on the other thread, I think the tax man may be interested in that 32k you don't appear to be declaring.

[rocky22]

32 k is not for me bone-head