How much does an ESL teacher make?
a year · about $30 an hour
A typical ESL teacher in the United States makes $61,540 a year, about $30 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They set out picture cards and worksheets, then lead a group practicing useful English words and conversation. They check learners’ work, help someone one-on-one, and adjust the next lesson for different skill levels.
Did you know? In a 2004–05 U.S. survey, 44% of adults in ESL classes said helping their children with schoolwork was one reason they studied English.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $41,810 and $98,030How do you become one?
In the U.S., a bachelor’s degree is the usual starting point; adult-education courses teach methods for helping adults learn. Public-school jobs usually require a state teaching certificate, often with student teaching, and rules vary by state.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like helping and teaching and creating
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay differs by location and employer: schools, community colleges, and private education providers may pay differently. Many jobs are part-time, so hours matter; experience and teaching credentials can also affect pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($102,030), lowest in Ohio ($47,190).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $41,810 | $61,540 | $98,030 | about 37,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $102,030 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $81,100 | about 1,000 |
| New York | $78,010 | about 3,000 |
| Minnesota | $76,800 | about 3,000 |
| Washington | $69,990 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: Teach or instruct out-of-school youths and adults in basic education, literacy, or English as a Second Language classes, or in classes for earning a high school equivalency credential.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/adult-literacy-and-ged-teachers.h
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-3011.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/adulted/tables/table_2.asp
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY