How Much Do Teachers Make? (Classroom vs Virtual)

Wondering how much do teachers make?

This article will attempt to provide an answer to the question ‘How much do teachers make?' Teaching is one of the oldest vocations in our society. It’s changed a lot throughout the ages – and the coming of the modern world brings modern teaching.

More and more teaching is being conducted through virtual ‘classrooms’ over the internet, and each passing year sees more and more people signing up for online teaching jobs.

But how much money are people really making through teaching these days?

Does online teaching pay you anything near as much as traditional classroom teaching?

Note: This article was originally written in 2019 so therefore the below figures may not be completely accurate and should merely be taken as a ball-park figure and not as absolute.

How much does a teacher earn in a traditional classroom?

Recent estimates suggest there are well over 3.5 million teachers working in classrooms throughout the US. The pay of a teacher is very much dictated by the State in which they’re working.

High School vs Elementary School Pay (How Much Do Teachers Make?)

High School teachers earn more money than elementary school teachers, with the former earning $80,000 and the latter $83,000. However, these figures are representative of teachers in New York, who earn the highest salary out of all the States.

How Much Do Teachers Make in Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, the lowest-paying State, teachers can expect to earn almost exactly half; somewhere between $40,000 and $42,000.

There’s no help for teachers earning less money either. They receive no handouts or benefits, and they often suffer from having inadequate funding in their schools.

Teacher Earnings in the UK

The UK doesn’t have a State-by-State system, but it does have this notion of ‘centralised wealth’.

A teacher living and working in London can expect to earn up to £5000 more than teachers across the rest of the country.

A Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) salary will fall somewhere between £23,000 and £29,000 depending on geography.

Scotland doesn’t recognise the NQT, but would recognise such a position as a probation – a probationer could expect earn approximately £22,000 as a consequence of their distance from London.

As a teacher progresses through the ranks of employment they can expect to bring home anything from £23,000 to £25,000 depending on their location.

Any teacher working in and around London may well be closer to £43,000 once they’ve moved up the ladder.

How does classroom teacher salary compare to teaching online?

Referred to as an online teacher, remote teacher, virtual teacher, or online instructor – online tutoring consists of teaching through a video platform online. This can be done through laptop, desktop computer, or even mobile device with platforms like Palfish.

How much do online teaching platforms pay?

Each online teaching platform is subject to its own scales of pay. Some will have a set flat rate for all like Cambly, whereas others will allow you to set your own rate.

What one pays you won’t necessarily be matched by a different service.

Some online teachers report anything from $200 a month to $2000 a month.

There’s a distinct lack of consensus, with as many teachers floundering in obscurity and struggling to make ends meet as there are teachers supposedly raking in the cash.

The relatively low requirements for online teaching make it a more readily available position.

Consequently, it can be harder to earn enough to keep yourself going.

What you’re willing to teach will have a significant impact on your ability to earn. You can teach any language to adults on a platform like Preply. You may even want to teach any subject from art to science to kids on Outchool. Or perhaps you would rather just teach English to kids on Cambly Kids.

English is one of the highest paying subjects, because it’s so highly sought-after; but you’ll also encounter a lot of competition in the market on platforms where you make your own profile like AmazingTalker.

Teaching online is definitely something you should pursue if you have the passion and the drive, but if you’re looking to set yourself up for life then it still has some way to go before it rivals a traditional classroom.

Is there anything you can to do improve your chances of earning better money online?

When it comes to battling it out in the online market, how you present yourself says a lot about who you are.

Make sure your profiles are slim and professional, like a job application.
Clearly highlight your accomplishments and advertise your services.
Get ahead of the game by exploring AI tools to optimise your teaching methods.

One of the key aspects to teaching online is the public rating system. It’s important to have students rate a high level of satisfaction with your classes and teaching style if you want to keep students coming back.

If you’re concerned about your ability to teach then there are an abundance of resources available to help you improve your skills on the Online Teaching Jobs FAQ

There are also numerous resources available in book format:

75 Ways to become a better teacher tomorrow

This book is renowned for helping teachers, new and old, hone the skills necessary to run a classroom.

At an affordable price, you’re guaranteed to learn something that will immediately transfer into your own lessons.

50 Ways to be a Better Teacher: Professional Development Techniques

This book is available for an exceptionally competitive price, and focusses on making teaching easier.

It will help you deal with the stresses of teaching while also giving you the skills you need to approach this stressful environment and succeed.

There Has to be a Better Way: Lessons from Former Urban Teachers

This book asserts that with nearly 50% of teachers abandoning the profession within the first five years, there must be a better way of dealing with the stresses of teaching.

This book is somewhat more costly, with a price tag greater than we see with the previous books listed – but the testimonials insist it’s well worth the money.

One of the key aspects of teaching online that you must never forget is the technological aspect.

Teaching online requires you to have the technology necessary to deal with teaching in the virtual world. Examples of this include:

Final Thoughts on the Question of ‘How Much Do Teachers Make?'

This article has given an overview of figures earned by classroom teacher in USA and UK and depending on their geographical location. The conclusion is that you will 100% be earning more in classroom roles compared to online teaching. However, this is due to teaching online being more of a side-gig rather than a career path. Despite, of this, it still proves to be a great way to earn some extra cash to supplement your income:

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