Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between esl instructors and esl teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an esl instructor has an average salary of $53,226, which is higher than the $52,701 average annual salary of an esl teacher.
The top three skills for an esl instructor include grammar, classroom management and language. The most important skills for an esl teacher are kids, whiteboards, and classroom management.
| ESL Instructor | ESL Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $53,226 | $52,701 |
| Hourly rate | $25.59 | $25.34 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 26,173 | 63,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
An ESL instructor is responsible for teaching the English language, usually to non-native speakers, discussing all the disciplines of the English language, both written and verbal, and in some cases, even its nature and history. ESL instructors create a comprehensive lesson plan for the English language learners, prepare learning materials, and conduct individual and group activities to test the learners' knowledge and progress. They also evaluate the learners' performance by identifying areas of improvement and adjust teaching strategies to address each learner's difficulties and maintain an engaging classroom environment.
An ESL teacher specializes in teaching the English language to non-native speakers of all ages, usually in a virtual setting. Their responsibilities revolve around devising lesson plans, organizing learning materials, evaluating progress, and coming up with strategies to make learners feel comfortable. Furthermore, they must maintain a healthy and safe learning environment, whether the lessons are in a one-on-one or group setting. When it comes to virtual learning, an ESL teacher must have the necessary equipment, a stable internet connection, and an obstruction-free teaching location.
Esl instructors and esl teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| ESL Instructor | ESL Teacher | |
| Average salary | $53,226 | $52,701 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $78,000 | Between $40,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Pace University |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between an esl instructor and an esl teacher in terms of educational background:
| ESL Instructor | ESL Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between esl instructors' and esl teachers' demographics:
| ESL Instructor | ESL Teacher | |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 9% |