How to hire an esl instructor

How to hire an esl instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step esl instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an esl instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new esl instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an esl instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the esl instructor you need to hire. Certain esl instructor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect esl instructor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of esl instructor salaries for various roles:

   Type of ESL Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   ESL Instructor	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$17-37
   French Teacher	A french teacher specializes in teaching the french language among students. Although the extent of their responsibilities usually depends on their institution or company of employment, it usually includes preparing lessons and coursework plans, presenting audio and visual learning materials, organizing individual and group activities, administering examinations, grading quizzes and tests, and assisting students as necessary... Show more	$18-30
   Language Teacher	Language teachers primarily impart knowledge on multidimensional language through classes and activities. The teachers create conditions and develop activities allowing students to practice what they learned with significance... Show more	$16-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Grammar
   • Classroom Management
   • Language
   • English Language
   • Vocabulary
   • Kids
   • Curriculum Development
   • Math
   • Professional Development
   • Learning Environment
   • Study
   • Syllabus
   • Classroom Environment
   • Teaching Methodologies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Specialize in assisting low level learners using creative and modern teaching strategies to achieve unprecedent EFL movements.
   • Supervise and manage class; facilitate and teach conversational Tagalog including cultural aspects.
   • Prepare lesson plans according to establish syllabus and record student performance and submit IRS.
   • Work with faculty members on a special committee to enhance the EFL writing program.
   • Mentore a number of ESL students, create custom at-home practice material to supplement tutoring session work.
   • Develop course syllabus, curriculum and instruction materials.

   More esl instructor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your esl instructor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An esl instructor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, esl instructors' average salary in indiana is 62% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level esl instructors 54% less than senior-level esl instructors.
   • Certifications. An esl instructor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an esl instructor's salary.

   Average esl instructor salary

   $53,226yearly

   $25.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level esl instructor salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average esl instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$87,234	$42
   2	Nevada	$71,962	$35
   3	New York	$70,151	$34
   4	New Jersey	$63,577	$31
   5	Maryland	$62,356	$30
   6	Hawaii	$60,524	$29
   7	Idaho	$57,418	$28
   8	South Dakota	$56,842	$27
   9	Colorado	$55,924	$27
   10	Nebraska	$52,836	$25
   11	Arizona	$52,181	$25
   12	Massachusetts	$52,052	$25
   13	Arkansas	$50,596	$24
   14	Illinois	$48,468	$23
   15	Ohio	$48,241	$23
   16	Iowa	$47,831	$23
   17	Virginia	$47,514	$23
   18	Missouri	$42,424	$20
   19	Texas	$41,195	$20
   20	Georgia	$40,850	$20

   Average esl instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boston Public Schools	$74,476	$35.81	5
   2	Kern Community College District	$71,593	$34.42	18
   3	California College of the Arts	$69,744	$33.53	1
   4	Commonwealth	$57,943	$27.86
   5	Virginia's Community Colleges	$57,240	$27.52	149
   6	The GEO Group	$55,976	$26.91	3
   7	Greater Bergen Community Action	$55,536	$26.70
   8	LSS INC	$55,508	$26.69	1
   9	Rbscc	$55,488	$26.68	4
   10	Metropolitan Learning Institute	$55,488	$26.68
   11	SSL Americas, Inc.	$55,488	$26.68
   12	Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr.	$55,478	$26.67	14
   13	Embassy C E S	$55,395	$26.63
   14	iBridge	$55,314	$26.59
   15	LTC Language Solutions	$55,182	$26.53	7
   16	The Waldorf School of Garden City	$55,139	$26.51
   17	Alliance Co	$54,744	$26.32
   18	New Mexico Junior College	$54,721	$26.31	3
   19	Arkansas State University, Mountain Home	$54,591	$26.25	6
   20	Vista Unified	$54,490	$26.20

4. Writing an esl instructor job description

   An esl instructor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an esl instructor job description:

   Esl instructor job description example

   Provide student-centered, hybrid instruction for English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education, and High school equivalency classes to students from various cultural and educational backgrounds. Assist students with setting and achieving SMART goals. Maintain required documentation.
   
   • Provide classroom instruction both face to face and via Zoom to students from various cultural backgrounds and levels of proficiency
   • Prepare course syllabi in compliance with federal, state, and local requirements
   • Prepare daily lesson plans that coincide with the Texas Standards Curriculum. Submit lesson plans to the Lead Instructor on a weekly basis.
   • Incorporate basic computer, job readiness, and job search skills into instruction
   • Utilize Burlington English and Essential Education as Distance Education curricula.
   • Assist students with setting and achieving short and long term SMART goals
   • Ensure that student goals and achievements are documented on ITEC plans
   • Refer students to the Intake Coordinator for testing as needed
   • Maintain student assessment forms
   • Meet and document all state-mandated performance measures for AEL gains and outcomes.
   • Maintain required student files in accordance with HGAC and Alliance requirements
   • Maintain and submit daily attendance sheets to the TEAMS specialist
   • Submit one success story per session to the Program Manager at the end of each session
   • Meet individually with students as needed during the program period
   • Follow up with students with poor attendance as needed
   • Provide discipline and guidelines for students in the classroom.
   • Complete required pre-service and in-service training
   • Attend required meetings
   • Some travel to various sites required
   • Other duties as assigned
   
   REQUIREMENTS:
   • Must have a Bachelor’s degree (From the United States or the evaluated equivalent)
   • Excellent computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, TEAMS, Zoom, and Adobe
   • Experience with Distance Learning Curricula
   • Experience with remote instruction
   • Strong preference will be given to applicants with ESL teaching certification and/or teaching experience with adult students and students from different cultural backgrounds
   • Bilingual a plus
   • Access to a vehicle

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right esl instructor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with esl instructors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit esl instructors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your esl instructor job on Zippia to find and attract quality esl instructor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting esl instructors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new esl instructor

   Once you've found the esl instructor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new esl instructor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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