How Much Money Can You Make Teaching English Online?
How Much Money Can You Make Teaching English Online?
Hello everyone,
Are you looking for a way to make some extra money from home?
Teaching English online could be the perfect side gig or even full-time job for you. But how much can you really make doing this?
The amount you earn teaching English online depends on several factors, but in general, it can be a very lucrative way to make a living – especially if you’re doing it full-time.
In this lesson, we’ll go over the typical pay rates for online English teachers, what kinds of jobs and companies are available, and how to maximize your earnings.
By the end, you’ll have a good idea of the income potential for this flexible work opportunity.
Typical Pay Rates for Online English Teachers
Most companies that hire online English teachers pay between $10-$25 per hour.
The pay rate depends on your qualifications, the company you work for, whether you’re doing it full or part-time, and other factors.
On the lower end, you can expect to make around $10-$15 per hour if you have just a bachelor’s degree and little prior teaching experience.
Major companies like VIPKID and QKids tend to pay in this range for their entry-level teachers.
If you have a TEFL/TESOL certification, a teaching credential, master’s degree, or experience teaching English in-person, you can typically earn $15-$25 per hour teaching online.
Companies like Magic Ears and Cambly pay competitive rates in this range.
Some platforms like Preply and Italki allow you to set your own hourly rates as an independent tutor.
On sites like these, experienced and well-reviewed tutors can charge premium rates of $25+ per hour.
In addition to hourly rates, many online English companies offer incentives and bonuses for things like: referrals, teaching during peak hours, marking steady attendance, and receiving good feedback from students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Income Potential
For most people, teaching English online starts as a flexible part-time gig to supplement their regular income.
But it can absolutely turn into a full-time career if you’re able to work enough hours.
Part-Time:
If you’re working as a part-time online English teacher for 10-20 hours per week, your income might look like:
– 10 hours per week at $15/hr = $600/month
– 20 hours per week at $20/hr = $1,600/month
This extra monthly income can really help to pay bills, save for a vacation, pay down debt, or just give you some more disposable income.
Full-Time:
For those working 30-40+ hours per week teaching online, full-time incomes of $3,000-$5,000+ per month are definitely possible:
– 30 hours per week at $20/hr = $2,400/month
– 40 hours per week at $25/hr = $4,000/month
– Independent tutors charging $30/hr for 30 hrs/week = $3,600/month
As you can see, working full-time hours allows you to potentially earn a very livable income from the comfort of your home.
This is why many people have turned online English teaching into their main career.
How to Maximize Your Online Teaching Income
If you’re looking to earn on the higher end of the pay scale teaching English online, there are a few strategies that can help you maximize your income:
1) Get Proper Qualifications and Credentials
Having a bachelor’s degree is usually the minimum requirement, but earning a TEFL/TESOL certification, master’s degree, or teaching license will make you eligible for the higher-paying jobs.
2) Gain Experience
Companies pay more for teachers with prior experience, both online and in-person. So stick with it, and your earnings can increase over time as you gain more experience.
3) Work for Multiple Companies
Working for multiple online English teaching platforms allows you to pick up more hours and capitalize on different companies’ peak periods. It’s perfectly fine to work for several different companies at once.
4) Become an Independent Tutor
Once you’ve gained enough experience, you can start tutoring students independently through platforms like Preply and Italki. This allows you to set your own hourly rates at premium prices.
5) Offer Specialized Classes
In addition to general English tutoring, you can earn more by offering specialized classes in areas like test prep, business English, conversational practice, and more. This allows you to charge higher rates.
6) Look for Companies with Incentives
Pay close attention to the incentives, bonuses, and benefits offered by each online teaching company. Things like attendance bonuses and incentives for teaching peak hours can significantly boost your earnings.
You may want to read:
- Remote Education Jobs Opportunities
- The Role of Technology in English Teaching
- Managing Discipline in Online ESL Lessons
- The Rise of Online English Teaching
- The Ultimate Guide To Online English Teaching
The Income Potential is There
As you can see, the income potential for teaching English online is quite good – especially if you’re doing it full-time and maximizing your earnings.
From just a flexible side gig earning a few hundred dollars per month, to a full-time career making $4,000 or more monthly, this opportunity has something for everyone.
If you’re able to make online English teaching your main job, you could potentially earn $40,000 – $60,000 per year or more. And you get to do it all from the comfort of your home! Pretty great opportunity if you ask me.
The key things to keep in mind are: get the proper qualifications, gain experience, work for reputable companies that pay well, look for incentives, and consider going the independent tutor route long-term.
Follow those steps, and you’ll be maximizing your income teaching English online in no time.
Teaching English online provides freedom, flexibility, and great income potential.
Whether you want to just earn some extra cash part-time or pursue it as a full-time career, it’s an opportunity worth looking into.
Hopefully this overview has given you a clear idea of what’s possible when it comes to your earnings!
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