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English as a second language instructor salary

Average english as a second language instructor salary

$52,775

$25.37 hourly rate

Entry-level english as a second language instructor salary
$38,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Average English as a Second Language Instructor Salary

The average salary for an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor is approximately $52,775 annually, equating to around $25 per hour. This salary can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographical location, level of experience, and the specific educational institution.

Factors Influencing Salary

Instructors in urban areas often earn higher salaries due to the higher cost of living and increased demand for ESL education. States such as California and New York typically offer some of the highest salaries for ESL instructors, reflecting the competitive job market. Additionally, those with advanced degrees and specialized certifications may command higher wages.

Job Opportunities

Opportunities for ESL instructors range from teaching in public schools to private language institutions and online platforms. Understanding the salary trends can aid job seekers in negotiating better pay and identifying high-demand areas. As global demand for English proficiency grows, the role of ESL instructors remains vital, offering rewarding career paths for educators.

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Where can an English As A Second Language Instructor earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
93k
73k
53k
33k
13k
Columbus, OH$80,958
Houston, TX$43,217
Compare salary by company
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87k
67k
47k
27k
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Ohlone College$58,010
University of Arkansas$36,730

Average english as a second language instructor salary by state

The highest-paying states for english as a second language instructors are California, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average english as a second language instructor salary states are South Carolina, Ohio, and New Mexico.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for english as a second language instructors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Hampshire$67,841$32.62
2Connecticut$71,186$34.22
3California$79,045$38.00
4Rhode Island$67,780$32.59
5Nevada$67,170$32.29
6Vermont$61,411$29.52
7Delaware$63,919$30.73
8Montana$58,158$27.96
9District of Columbia$66,727$32.08
10Michigan$58,646$28.20
11Maryland$57,778$27.78
12North Dakota$60,160$28.92
13West Virginia$48,771$23.45
14New York$60,606$29.14
15Maine$55,302$26.59
16Massachusetts$54,906$26.40
17Utah$62,395$30.00
18Hawaii$57,193$27.50
19New Jersey$54,245$26.08
20South Dakota$55,838$26.85
21Wisconsin$55,017$26.45
22Louisiana$52,792$25.38
23Washington$54,988$26.44
24Nebraska$51,742$24.88
25Alaska$53,143$25.55
26Mississippi$49,551$23.82
27Tennessee$49,090$23.60
28Kansas$47,953$23.05
29Arkansas$49,976$24.03
30North Carolina$46,939$22.57
31Oregon$48,142$23.15
32Colorado$47,677$22.92
33Kentucky$47,791$22.98
34Wyoming$45,191$21.73
35Illinois$47,829$22.99
36Georgia$45,475$21.86
37Florida$43,784$21.05
38Virginia$45,678$21.96
39Iowa$45,187$21.72
40Pennsylvania$46,703$22.45
41South Carolina$42,648$20.50
42Arizona$45,701$21.97
43Missouri$47,489$22.83
44Alabama$45,185$21.72
45Texas$43,401$20.87
46New Mexico$40,686$19.56
47Minnesota$44,530$21.41
48Ohio$42,554$20.46
49Idaho$34,345$16.51
50Oklahoma$35,384$17.01
51Indiana$31,587$15.19
Top english as a second language instructor jobs near you

Highest paying cities for english as a second language instructors

The highest-paying cities for english as a second language instructors are Santa Rosa, CA, Newburgh, NY, and Madison, WI.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Santa Rosa, CA$80,958$38.92
2Newburgh, NY$61,026$29.34
3Madison, WI$54,911$26.40
4Jackson, MS$49,409$23.75
5Rockford, IL$47,891$23.02
6Henderson, KY$47,818$22.99
7Greeley, CO$47,637$22.90
8Saint Peters, MO$47,448$22.81
9Philadelphia, PA$47,005$22.60
10Fayetteville, NC$46,776$22.49
11Richmond, VA$45,503$21.88
12Savannah, GA$44,937$21.60
13Houston, TX$43,217$20.78

English as a second language instructor salary details

An english as a second language instructor's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average english as a second language instructor salary graph
Average english as a second language instructor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an english as a second language instructor's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$72,000$6,000$35
75th Percentile$62,000$5,167$30
Average$52,775$4,398$25
25th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21
10th Percentile$38,000$3,167$18

Highest paying english as a second language instructor jobs

The highest paying types of english as a second language instructors are creative writing instructor, language instructor, and english language teacher.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Adjunct Professor Of English$55,207$4,601$26.5428,417
Instructor Of Spanish$54,930$4,578$26.4125,516
Language Teacher$51,413$4,284$24.7274,479
Instructor$53,426$4,452$25.6939,273
English Professor$56,038$4,670$26.9420,821
ESL Instructor$53,226$4,436$25.5926,173

Top companies hiring english as a second language instructors now:

  1. California State University jobs (4)
  2. English jobs (12)
  3. Aeon jobs (4)
  4. Kaplan jobs (7)
  5. ESL Federal Credit Union jobs (18)

Which companies pay english as a second language instructors the most?

English as a second language instructor salaries at Ohlone College and SUNY Orange are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average english as a second language instructor salary at companies like Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Virginia's Community Colleges are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$51,000$50,400$49,800$49,200$48,600$48,000
MaleFemale

English as a second language instructor salary trends

The average english as a second language instructor salary has risen by $5,805 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average english as a second language instructor earned $46,970 annually, but today, they earn $52,775 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for english as a second language instructors over the last decade.

Compare english as a second language instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average english as a second language instructor salary over time

Compare english as a second language instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

English as a second language instructor salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$52,800$25.37+0.7%
2024$52,400$25.18+2.8%
2023$50,900$24.49+2.5%
2022$49,600$23.87+1.8%
2021$48,700$23.43+2.7%

Recently added english as a second language instructor salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
ESL Federal Credit UnionEnglish As A Second Language Instructor (ESL)Bryn Athyn, PA06/10/2025$29,218
Bristol Community CollegeNon-Credit Instructor-English To Speakers of Other Languages (Esol)--Bristol CommunFall River, MA06/09/2025$61,358
FVTCInstructor-English Language LearningAppleton, WI06/06/2025$73,900
Fox Valley Technical CollegeInstructor-English Language LearningOshkosh, WI06/04/2025$73,900
Montgomery County Public SchoolsEnglish As A Second Language (ESL) Newcomers ProgramElliston, VA05/28/2025$52,832
Montgomery County School District [VaEnglish As A Second Language (ESL) Newcomers ProgramChristiansburg, VA05/28/2025$52,832
Bristol Community CollegeNon-Credit Instructor-English Language Arts-Bristol Community CollegeFall River, MA05/22/2025$61,358
Plainville Community SchoolsSummer Session: English As A Second Language InstructorNoank, CT05/16/2025$74,443
Columbus Technical CollegeAdult Education English As A Second Language (ESL) InstructorColumbus, GA05/14/2025$52,175
ESL Federal Credit UnionEnglish As A Second Language Instructor (ESL)Bryn Athyn, PA04/28/2025$29,218

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