420k yen a month at an international school, is this salary enough?

38 comments

1. You’d be making more than 90% of people on here. Yes, more than livable. You could live a comfortable middle class lifestyle and raise a family with that salary. Whether its worth the paycut is up to you.

2. What qualifications do you have to land a job at an IB school?

3. This is fine and more than comfortable for most, especially no dependents.

   1. Where would you be living? You don’t have to live in the most expensive part of town, of course.
   2. What sort of contract? Other benefits?
   3. Bonus would typically be X months of salary beyond that.

   It can add up quick, or it might not.

   There are plenty of public IB programs that don’t have that much coming home each paycheck; you’d be alright. Japan is comfortable but not insane for teachers; I know very few making over pulling over $100K+ as salaried teachers, even with IB. That being started, if this is where you’re starting and you’re not already in your 50s or whatever, you might have a great position ahead of you.

4. Feel we are in an odd spot with how bad the yen has fallen. Especially if you are converting salaries it makes things look really bad. Though living here, while costs have gone up, they are rather stable and not as doom and gloom as it looks from the conversation alone.

5. That’s like 30% more than me lol

6. After taxes n deductions you’ll still be living pretty well imo, especially since youre single. I know couples who make that combined and theyre just fine. Plenty would jump at that opportunity.

7. Dang I wish I had a salary like that.

   I think you’ll be just fine since you’re single with no dependents. You can save money and still have a good amount left over for spending.

8. I wish my job paid me that much, please take it!!!!!!

9. That sounds like a very good salary, as long as there’s no huge red flags with the school I’d take that offer *now*.

10. I get 190 000 a month for an ALT job so… yeah, its a big YES for me lol

11. Does it include rent allowance and bonus?

12. Can I have this job pls

13. If it’s not enough for you I’ll have it.

    Edit; also how can you “save a little”. You could stick 1/4 away at least.

14. I just about barely get to 300,000¥ and I’m at an IB certified school. Bonus of 50000¥ for winter/resign each year.
    420k a month seems waaaaaay above average.

15. 420k is more than the members of the ALT/eikaiwa club are making by a lot. Assuming you don’t need to spend every night in Roppongi or some garbage like that, you’ll be fine.

16. The salary is “ok” – it’s not a high salary by any means but you won’t be paycheck to paycheck. You are taking a paycut compared to what you get in other countries. Japan is notoriously low-paying for international schools

17. I live in Osaka. Average salary here is 300k. So it’s great. I wish I was offered such salary too

18. Low?? Are you crazy? Me and my husband live with 200.000yen/month… Unless you plan to throw money through the windows and live a VERY LUXURIOUS lifestyle, it’s more than enough…

19. Are you getting that much in summer as well?

    Sounds like a starting salary at a school outside of the top 5 (or 10?) in Tokyo.

20. Before or after tax? Depends also if it’s Tokyo or elsewhere.

    I’d say that’s a pretty average salary for international schools, especially for teachers without additional duties (HoD, assessor, etc).

    Single with no dependents, assuming not Tokyo, you’ll live very comfortably IMO. I make similar and also single, and I put about 120k away in savings without having to actively ‘be careful’ about my spending. Shinkansen to Tokyo/Osaka 1-2x a month, eat out/delivery 3-5x a week, go to events, etc.

21. It’s not super competitive for international schools – but also depends on the location. Rent in Tokyo is insane and so the schools there naturally pay more.

    Japan, in general, doesn’t have great pay. Especially with the yen recently. There was a post on international teaching some time ago where a lot of people shared salary if you can find it.

22. That’s sounds pretty good to me. I have 300,000 a month something before taxes.
    And I feel that’s underpaid. The only thing that makes me stay is that I get like 800,000 in bonus after tax per year. Otherwise, fuuuuck that!

    You’re good mate!

23. Don’t think it’s a good salary for an international school teacher. Especially if you have IB experience

24. Fuck me. I got 150k a month working for a certain company. Not only that the branch I worked for only had a 9 month contract. Load of shit.

    I would happily work for 420k a month.

25. You can live comfortably anywhere in Japan with 420k.

26. Jesus! That’s more than enough. I made only 130k a month.

27. Bruh, the average monthly gross income for ALTs is something like 250-300k. If you’re turning that shit down, hook me up with the employer, because I want that gig.

28. Disclaimer: not a teacher but I am very aware of the current situation and salaries and have many friends in the industry.

    Depends where you will be working prefecture-wise. It is a comparatively great salary without a masters in education. Very doable and you could save a bit if you are willing to live in the countryside.

    If you have a masters/PhD you can work up and possibly earn enough for retirement? You are single now, what happens if you fall in love and have kids?

    You said it’s a pay cut. IMHO, Unless Japan is the only place you can see yourself, don’t ‘step down’ into Japan.

29. Does the contract include a rent subsidy and travel/moving expenses? If so, that’s then pretty standard.

    I think the people that are saying it’s crazy high don’t realise that you’re a qualified teacher subject teaching at an actual secondary high school.

30. How bad do you want to go back?
    Honestly, it’s “fine” even for Tokyo.
    If the work is great that also counts towards quality of life, not all things are quantifiable by salary alone.

    If you plan to live here long term, well…you need to start somewhere in order to come back. If you’re goal is to get back to Japan and start working a stable salary job, it’s not bad by any means.

31. I quit teaching and I would go back in a heartbeat for that pay. I worked 400k before I got kicked out due to the “5 year rule” and lived extremely comfortably in Japan

32. (JET ALTs pass out after reading this post)

    My first 3 IT jobs paid less than that.

33. I just get 170000 🙁

34. “I’m making more than average in Japan, is it enough?” lol

35. I lived there and was earning ¥235,000 a month in Yokohama. 420k is really good for a teacher.

36. The salary is decent for starting at a mid-level IB international school, assuming you only have a few years of teaching experience. However, you neglect to mention your teaching experience so it is hard to make a strong comparison. If you have 10+ years of experience, you should be able to get quite a bit more.

    Are there benefits as well? You’re a foreign hire so the higher level schools usually include free flights back home every year and housing subsidies.

    If you are desperate to be in Japan, take the job and complete the 2 years. Then you can transition to a different school.

37. OP is obviously trying to flex his salary on ALTs.
    For IB school its actually a massive lowball but he knows he’s making more money than all the alts and eikaiwa grinders.

38. Hey OP,

    If you don’t mind me asking what qualifications do you need in order to work at an international school in Japan?