yes but not exclusively.

@Romeo Chang

may i ask you if you are Chinese?
just checking so i could break down a seemingly high foreign teachers pay and what is left by the end of the month.

i get this a lot when some local staff finds out what FT are getting paid.

I agree the public schools, where most kids go, are insufficiently funded. The private schools offering classes for profit with 60 kids or more per class are indeed a ripoff.

Well, I'm glad it's not exclusively. Even allowing for the more relaxed use of English on a social site like this, your spelling and grammar is often quite poor.

Yeah,I am Chinese.
Personally, I think 5000 is suitable for me

It is not fair to only measure the RMB bottom line, as I have posted on several times in the past. You need to look at the whole package, and also balance cost of living.

Big city schools like those in Kunming will pay a little bit more than schools in the towns. The state schools will also provide, accommodation, visa, return flights (or flight allowance), cheap canteen food, medical cover at a local hospital, often you can attend Chinese classes for free, and a small completion bonus.
All these have some fiscal value.
Not all private schools offer some or any of these added parts to the package. Not all employees want them.

I would also expect to earn slightly more per hour on a PT basis.

Cost of living is higher in Kunming than in many smaller cities/towns.

BTW 12-16 hours is not seen as a part time contract. 16 hours is normally the max allowed in the state schools/unis.

Another advantage of teaching in Unis is that you usually teach between 8am and noon only. Occasional evening commitments for ad hoc evening lectures or school events.

Teaching salaries in the range of 4-5k are not uncommon, but usually come with a full package.
Comparing hourly paid gigs, is like comparing apples and oranges.

Self employed, where the larger sums of money are earned, is not salaried, and is a totally different ball game.

@ The Dudeson,

Two qualifiers:

1) Working hard and making good money at what you do isn't bad (not that you said it was) and realistically it is possible to make over 250 an hour, or even much more. Though generally most teachers with that payrate aren't trying to put in 40 hours a week of billable work—again, just a reality check for MOST people. Billable wise (non-teaching) I make well over 250 an hour, but I don't get to bill all my time.

2) Conversely, I still hold that plenty of "good" teachers aren't necessarily interested in those gigs. It could be humanitarian reasons, personal preference, or just because they want to live someplace else. Same with a "good" school. An effective school makes money, an effective businessperson maximizes their income, but those are not the same as being good. Important distinction, especially for someone who teaches English.

@tigertiger You have very valid points. You have to look at the big picture I agree. However, nothing justifies 80RMB an hour as I've seen recently on an advert in Gokunming. Like I said before, those are 2006 prices at best.

@kevlar
same for yiu but i appreciate the extra attention to detail in your last post,nice!
And yep, thats all i'm thinking about. grammar and spelling as i poke my tiny mobile keyboard especially that it's an exact reflection of my classroom english.
you know that forums are communicative tools and not editorial, i assume?

yawn why is it when people have nothing valuable to say anymore it's all about grammar punctuation and other irrelevant stuff.

@Romeo
to be honest 5000rmb would be enough fir me too back home. where i have family that can help affordable health insurance, low or no travel expenses. etc.

lets say i make 10000rmb per month as a teacher.
take out:
-health insurance 2500 to 5000rmb depending on premium.
-living expenses (if off campus) at least 2000rmb month.

-annual flight tickets if not covered by school ca. 10000rmb
-retirement fund (in my case 1500rmb)
-additional tax if for example US citizen.
-student loans if apply.
-documentation cost embassy for various papers and runs incl travel. if married starting family etc
-tuition fees for school in china if applies.

plus keep in mind that teaching jobs have almost no advance chances or career options as you would have back home. with my seniority i would most likely already be a headmaster.
and there will be no credits for your work unless you work for a recognised inter. school.

many of those things don't apply for locals plus locals have a better support from family and relatives, real estate and other perks hard to get for foreigners.

to summarize the pay is not bad but just looking at the net pay doesn't mean it's what you effectively have to enjoy life.

i make effectively 2050Rmb more than my chin. coworkers.as
while they enjoy their weejends i have another job so i can support my three families.

i'm not complaining but it's not exactly high life. lol

@liuminke... agree, a stand alone gig of 80rmb per hr. is terrible money. But many uni job's salaries can work out at about that. But you get the other benefits. This is still more than many local teachers get.

I also agree that salaries really have not gone up much in 10 years.

@Tigertiger
I agree with you, and if you get a whole load of benefits than 80 RMB per hour it for sure isn't bad at all.
But let's be honest most of the time teachers won't get the whole carefree package.
But you are right, they are fully worth their monetary value.

@atwillden
Yeah and there a many different ways to teach for money.
First I didn't say that working for the highest salary is always best.

The highest paying job I ever had, I had to quit because it sucked.

I chose the job I have now for their working hours.

The boss was thrilled about my working style and efficiency and 'boom' I got a raise and a good position, one beyond a business card title.

And I didn't see a reason why that is bad. I got paid for what I am worth to the company and there I agree with you...it feels nice, to be valuable, beyond just money.

Co workers like to hear what I think or have to say, not because they have to.

I can experiment with new ideas and approaches, enjoying complete freedom. And that is fantastic.

I run my own business and if I would be really into money I could rush and push promotions and such, and cash in. But I don't want or need to, after more than a decade of working my butt off and it feels great.

Also I didn't say that efficient schools making loads of money are good, as with every teacher or manager it's up to the person and they way they do things.

But I don't buy paying less or little and filling classes, making resources scarce and impossible to get, blaming it on low tuition and all that nonsense while the school generates tons of money, knowingly. And nothing forwarded at the staff that does all the work.

I agree I worked for charity as well but at some point after a few years, there comes the point for most of us where we have to make money is not a choice but an ugly reality. And that also doesn't mean that they/ we are selling our soul but that we are trying to keep our family fed.

I don't have a car nor a house i don't indulge in luxury products and I still have to safe money to travel home visiting my folks.

SO having a good pay doesn't mean you are rich or screwing people, especially the poor,-over.

Good teachers are there where they feel needed and where there is an environment that supports them and where they can act as they are trained and see their progress, their fruits of work.

Some can handle difficulties but after some time they get tired or frustrated and seek places where they can be passionate teachers before it's too late.

And I would say, it's is not the rule. But private schools if well run are the preferred choice because they have to stay competitive and thus listen and understand the teachers.

So high pay doesn't mean you pay for rich or poor or the quality of the school but so it is for low pay jobs according to your theory.

I don't think that humanistic school program or non profit schools are necessarily without profit to pay teachers far below the standard pay. Don;t you think?

Plus there is a better chance to have a career, if at all.