A study showed that teacher salaries vary greatly around the world
The income gap among school teachers worldwide has reached enormous proportions. An analysis of data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that in some countries, educators earn salaries comparable to top managers, while in others their work is valued dozens of times less. The new Education at a Glance 2025 report shows the base salaries of upper secondary school teachers and how their earnings change after 15 years of career experience. These statistics help us understand how differently the work of those who teach children is valued across the globe.
The Highest Teacher Salaries in the World
The absolute world leader in financial support for the education sector turned out to be Luxembourg. This country is renowned for its multilingual and very strong school system.
Beginning teachers in Luxembourg are paid nearly $100,000 per year, which converts to approximately 9 million rubles (roughly 750,000 rubles per month). After 15 years of experience, this amount grows to $137,000, and the most experienced specialists can earn over $170,000 per year.
Besides Luxembourg, two other European countries made the top three:
- Germany — the starting salary is approximately $90,500 (8.1 million rubles per year), with the income ceiling exceeding $122,000;
- Switzerland — newcomers earn just over $90,000, while experienced educators make up to $137,000 per year.
Lower in the ranking are countries such as the Netherlands, Austria, and Australia, where an experienced teacher’s income consistently exceeds $80,000 per year (approximately 7.2 million rubles).
How Much Do Teachers Get Paid in the USA
The average starting salary for a teacher in the USA is nearly $53,000 per year (approximately 4.7 million rubles), which is slightly above the average across all OECD countries. However, these averaged figures don’t reflect the real situation, as the education system in America is highly decentralized.
The National Education Association of the USA notes that teacher incomes depend on the specific region. For example, in California the average teacher salary exceeds $100,000 (over 9 million rubles per year). Meanwhile, in the state of Minnesota, this figure is roughly half that — about $48,900.
Despite the seemingly large sums, many American educators say they feel undervalued. They note that the level of stress and number of working hours don’t correspond to the pay, especially compared to representatives of other professions requiring a similar level of higher education.
Teacher income levels in the USA directly depend on the state
How Much Do Teachers Earn in Russia
The official OECD report contains no data on Russia, as the country is not a member of this organization. However, Rosstat statistics allow for comparison.
As in the USA, Russia experiences a colossal income gap depending on location. According to Ministry of Education/Rosstat data, the average salary for school teachers in the first half of 2024 was 71,400 rubles, and by the end of 2025 in the education sector — 71,345 rubles.
The situation changes dramatically from region to region:
- In Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and northern regions (for example, Chukotka or Yamal), teacher incomes can exceed 100,000–130,000 rubles per month (approximately 1.2–1.5 million rubles per year);
- In most central oblasts and republics, the average figure remains at 30,000–40,000 rubles per month;
- In some regions with budget deficits, young specialists may start with amounts barely exceeding the minimum wage (approximately 20,000–25,000 rubles per month).
This is noticeably below the average figures for OECD countries, although when comparing, one must account for differences in cost of living, taxes, and real estate prices.
How Teacher Salaries Affect Student Performance
At the bottom of the OECD ranking are countries with the most modest teacher incomes. For example, in Greece the starting salary is only $23,000 per year (just over 2 million rubles, or about 170,000 rubles per month). And in countries not part of the organization, the figures can be even lower. In Indonesia, by some estimates, a school teacher earns less than $3,000 per year (approximately 270,000 rubles).
A natural question arises: does a teacher’s financial well-being affect children’s knowledge? Science doesn’t yet have a definitive and simple answer, but studies link higher teacher salaries with improved student performance.
Education quality often correlates with school funding
Scientists note that decent pay reduces the percentage of students who drop out and positively impacts final test results. When the teaching profession is well-compensated, stronger university graduates enter it, and the educators themselves burn out less frequently and are less distracted by the search for side jobs.
The data presented does not account for differences in cost of living across countries — it’s clear that $100,000 in Switzerland buys less than in other places. Nevertheless, this ranking clearly shows which countries are willing to make the biggest investments in those who shape their future.
