How much does a high school teacher make in Japan?
Answer: The average high school teacher in Japan makes $44,407 (¥6.66M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $2,873 × 12 + bonus $9,927. Average age 43.9; about 79,000 people work in this job. Well above the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
High school teacher pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $44,407 | $46,357 | $40,517 | 43.9 |
| Big company | $53,691 | $57,061 | $45,413 | 45 |
| Mid-size | $44,252 | $45,909 | $40,906 | 43.6 |
| Small company | $40,258 | $41,907 | $37,357 | 44.1 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can differ with experience, local pay rules, and whether a teacher works for a public or private school. Full-time, part-time, evening, or correspondence-school jobs may have different pay arrangements, while a subject-specific license determines what the teacher can teach.
What if you were…
In Japan, age and company size matter mostPick a company size, sex or age to see that group's average here.
How it changes with age
Tap an age to update the number above (Any company size, men and women combined)
How it changes with company size
What does a high school teacher do?
What's a typical day like?
A teacher plans lessons, prepares worksheets or lab activities, then teaches classes and checks what students understand. They grade tests, guide students on future plans, and may coach a club or help run school events.
How to get this job
Study your subject and teacher training at a Japanese university, do teaching practice at a high school, then earn the subject-specific license. Next, pass a public-school hiring exam or a private school's selection to be hired.
Did you know?
A high school teacher in Japan may also coach a club and travel with students to matches or tournaments—not just teach classes.
What about the US?
Nearly the same jobJapan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.
Similar jobs
Education jobsEarn more in the same field
Education jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (regular workers, by occupation) (e-Stat). Yearly pay = monthly contractual cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus. Averages for regular workers at firms with 10+ employees. Public employees (teachers, police, firefighters) and company executives are not in this survey. e-stat.go.jp
Pages used for the text
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/183
- www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/kyoin/main13_a2.htm
- www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/kyoin/20220913-mxt_kouhou02-1.pdf
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/kyuyo/1394392.htm
- www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/shiritsu/index_00001.htm
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY