Teachers' Salaries Around the World Vary Greatly: How Much They Earn in Ukraine and Other Countries

After the increase in September, a Ukrainian teacher can receive up to 37 thousand hryvnias gross, but this is still significantly less than certain salary rates in Germany and Canada - about 280-300 thousand hryvnias in conversion. The comparison shows a large gap, but the figures describe different categories of workers. Details of the Ukrainian increase can be found in the article about new teachers' salaries. This is discussed in the article by the Ministry of Finance.

How Much Do Teachers Earn in Different Countries

The figures provided cannot be directly considered the average salaries of all educators in these countries. Some figures refer to specific salary categories with certain experience, while others pertain to broader segments of education. All amounts in hryvnias are approximate conversions.

• Ukraine: the full monthly salary ranges from 16.6 to 37 thousand hryvnias before tax deductions. After taxes, this is approximately 12.8-28.5 thousand hryvnias.
• Germany: a teacher in category E13, level 4 according to the TV-L salary table earns 5873.56 euros per month - about 298 thousand hryvnias.
• Canada: in the Vancouver school district, the annual salary for category Cat 5, Step 10 is 106,060 Canadian dollars. Converted to a monthly amount, this is approximately 279 thousand hryvnias.
• Japan: in Tokyo, a teacher with 15 years of experience earns about 440,700 yen per month, or approximately 125 thousand hryvnias. The annual income also includes seasonal bonuses.
• Finland: the basic salary for a primary school teacher starting in August 2026 will be 3325.47 euros, or about 169 thousand hryvnias per month.
• China: the average salary for educators in urban non-state institutions for 2025 was about 74.4 thousand hryvnias per month. In the private education sector, the figure was lower - approximately 35.6 thousand.

Why Comparing Teachers' Salaries is Challenging

The Ukrainian amount of up to 37 thousand hryvnias is the top level of gross salary, which depends on the position, qualifications, experience, workload, and bonuses. After taxes, the highest cited payment is about 28.5 thousand hryvnias. Since September 1, the salaries of educators have been increased by 20%, and the total increase throughout the year compared to 2025 is expected to be around 50%. Read more about the second stage of the increase in a separate article.

The German and Canadian examples show the rates for specific categories, while the Chinese data covers a broader education sector. Therefore, the difference in hryvnia conversion does not mean that every teacher in these countries earns exactly that. Income is influenced by salary level, experience, allowances, and payment systems. In Ukraine, the actual amount also depends on bonuses, including prestige pay, and the overall increase in teachers' pay in 2026 is planned in two stages.