The International Schools Review Forum

Can anyone tell me what an average package would be in Shanghai? I am single with 1 high school aged son. I was offered a job yesterday at I guess a tier 2 school. It would be my 1st international position and I know I'm not in a position to be super picky considering I don't have any international experience. I'm trying to research and figure it out, but I don't know whether to take it or go to the ISS job fair which I signed up for. It's hard to tell if it's just average or really poor. I can post the package, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed since I've never seen anyone post $$ amounts on here!! Can anyone offer any assistance???

I would guess an average salary would range from 18000 to 30000 + RMB/month, with the current exchange rate hovering around 6.1 RMB/Dollar. A good school will also provide suitable housing or housing allowance. You can get 2 bedroom apts between 4-10,000 RMB depending on where in the city you rent and what you need.

You can post the package...you could also post the school and ask about the reputation.

Do you have access to the paid side? You can look there also.

In the past, I have also searched the forum for "Shanghai" or something to that effect to read about other posts.

I PMed you. It may be the same school I just interviewed with.

Mysharona's salary range and housing info is correct. In addition, the top schools pay 10% retirement! pay full premium for international health care! annual flights home and have a contract completion bonus of $2,000 starting in year three. The best way to compare packages is the ability to save. In a top tier school in Shanghai you can save between 35% to 50% of your salary depending upon how much you travel. As a single teacher with a teenager, you would probably be closer to 35%.

Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone for your replies. You have been really helpful!! This will be my 1st international job, so I'm just trying to figure out what is normal. Thanks again.

My salary is around 38000 RMB per month + 10% for retirement. Housing is provided. We are also given a flight home allowance each year.

My husband and I are at a two-tier school in Shanghai (I think it is 2+). Our salaries are between 18,000 and 25,000 RMB per month - but I have many years experience so started up the pay scale, and school pays housing, school fees, health insurance, flights once a year plus a bonus after 3 years. We send all my money home and live off my husband's salary. We don't live extravagantly, but we do buy imported food and wine, and live pretty well- a family of four on one wage. We don't go out much though as we have young kids. Good luck with your decision!

Well I think 18,000 rmb is low for a Tier 2 school. Web and Wall Street - two ESL schools in Shanghai - pay close to 16,000 rmb. Some friends worked at a crappy Tier 2, borderline Tier 3 school and were paid, including housing, 24,000 rmb.

As I know people from several schools, I can tell you what they told me they make and a little about working there:

Dulwich - 31,000 rmb: they work you to the bone - 31 classes a week
Shanghai American School - 40,000 rmb: lots of work, some pressure
British International School- similar deal and situation as SAS
Concordia - 35,000 rmb: Christian ethos, well run
Shanghai Singapore International School - 30,000 rmb: school with good work-life balance

Seansmith7 wrote:

> Dulwich - 31,000 rmb: they work you to the bone - 31 classes a week
> Shanghai American School - 40,000 rmb: lots of work, some pressure
> British International School- similar deal and situation as SAS
> Concordia - 35,000 rmb: Christian ethos, well run
> Shanghai Singapore International School - 30,000 rmb: school with good
> work-life balance

I'm curious about the package info above. SAS's website says they pay, from $35,669 to $65,795 plus an undisclosed retirement amt, I'd guess around 10%. Concordia's website puts their scale at about 50-80K plus 10% retirement. Both schools are tax free. Doesn't Concordia have the best package?

Nikkor, your numbers for SAS are just a bit low and it improves next year. The retirement pkg is 10% and then there is a longevity bonus as well after year 3. The SAS salary is after taxes, and I have alway heard that teachers at Concordia have to pay a portion of their taxes. If not, then the Concordia salary is definitely better

mysharona wrote:
> Nikkor, your numbers for SAS are just a bit low and it improves next year. The
> retirement pkg is 10% and then there is a longevity bonus as well after year 3.
> The SAS salary is after taxes, and I have alway heard that teachers at Concordia
> have to pay a portion of their taxes. If not, then the Concordia salary is definitely
> better

Really? I took the info straight from each school's website. I'm not sure why SAS would under report their figures.
Teachers at Concordia no longer pay taxes on their salaries. They are both great packages to be sure.