How much can you make teaching online?

[2009]

The 40something a month salary in Thailand kinda sucks, right?

 

Is the grass really greener online?

 

If you teach online, how much do you earn a month?

Edited May 30, 2020 by 2009

[simon43]

100,000+ thb, but I limit my teaching hours nowadays - used to earn about 150,000 thb per month, but it was tiring!

[Why Me]

21 minutes ago, simon43 said:

100,000+ thb, but I limit my teaching hours nowadays - used to earn about 150,000 thb per month, but it was tiring!

Can I ask what you taught? Were most of your students Thai?

[simon43]

I have 1 Thai student in Surat Thani. I have about 50 other one-on-one students in the USA, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, Brazil etc etc.  I teach ESL-with-science to elementary grade students, also some robotic, Arduino, maths and French lessons.

[kwak250]

Now this is interesting I was thinking online teaching would only get about 20-30k tops

[ChakaKhan]

Where would one find these gigs?

[randy723]

On 5/31/2020 at 5:41 PM, simon43 said:

 

100,000+ thb, but I limit my teaching hours nowadays - used to earn about 150,000 thb per month, but it was tiring!

did you know you can go to hell for lying?

[Pilotman]

24 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

Now this is interesting I was thinking online teaching would only get about 20-30k tops

It does. I would not take too seriously anyone who claims to make more than 40K Baht a month, max and you would be working max hours 5/6 days a week to reach that total. I make around US$10 an hour, so do your own maths. Some online providers pay more, maybe up to US$25 per hour, but then work is with Chinese brats and I would rather stick needles in my eyes than do that gig. Take income claims for online teaching with a real big pinch of salt. Most people can't do it and those that can, can't do it all day, every day. 

 

I forgot to add that to make the 'big bucks' with the Chinese kids, you will only be accepted by the good (better payers) online schools if you are a fully qualified teacher and experienced.  They make you do a long test and they are ruthless in rooting out pretenders, who think they can teach but cannot. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Pilotman

[Paiman]

On 5/31/2020 at 5:41 PM, simon43 said:

100,000+ thb, but I limit my teaching hours nowadays - used to earn about 150,000 thb per month, but it was tiring!

This post grants you a seat with the government.   Staying close to the truth is instant qualification.

[recom273]

100-140K, every month for the over the past two years. Teaching English to Chinese kids. It’s a thankless task, and I hate it, but it’s possible. I know a few people who have been making 200K a month since Xmas.

 

There are plenty of companies out there where you can make 100K+ you need to be lucky and hard work to succeed, some people can just hit a gold seam after joining a company, others either fail to be assigned lessons or just get a couple of lessons a night.

 

I don’t understand why anyone would say that it’s not possible. I can prove it.

[maprao]

1 hour ago, randy723 said:

did you know you can go to hell for lying?

I would agree. Except it coming from @simon43 and he has been here a long time and to me is one of the more reliable posters.

[seancbk]

1 hour ago, kwak250 said:

Now this is interesting I was thinking online teaching would only get about 20-30k tops

 

Depends what you teach and how you teach. 

I have a friend making many multiples of $1000 a month from online courses.  He records the lessons once and sells them 1000's of times.

[thecyclist]

Whatever the pay grade right now is, if you're not already established, it is very hard to get a foothold in the online market :The providers are swamped with applications due to the Pandemic. 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, recom273 said:

100-140K, every month for the over the past two years. Teaching English to Chinese kids. It’s a thankless task, and I hate it, but it’s possible. I know a few people who have been making 200K a month since Xmas.

 

There are plenty of companies out there where you can make 100K+ you need to be lucky and hard work to succeed, some people can just hit a gold seam after joining a company, others either fail to be assigned lessons or just get a couple of lessons a night.

 

I don’t understand why anyone would say that it’s not possible. I can prove it.

There are exceptions to every situation.  You are a very, very rare exception to be making that kind of money. Sorry, but the 200K a month, US$6,452 at today's exchange rate,  is just not believable. If my maths is even remotely in the right range, that would equate to approx making US$258 per day for 6 days in any week, 4 weeks a month.  Payment at "Cambly Kids", one the biggest providers,  is US per hour,$15,  so, teaching kids for 17 odd hours a day for 6 days a week? Really?   

[digger70]

On 5/31/2020 at 6:08 PM, simon43 said:

I have 1 Thai student in Surat Thani. I have about 50 other one-on-one students in the USA, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, Brazil etc etc.  I teach ESL-with-science to elementary grade students, also some robotic, Arduino, maths and French lessons.

Great, I teach Pigs to Fly, Not easy but very Rewarding. ???? 

[Caldera]

I wouldn't know how much an online teacher can make, but now must be about the worst time to get started. "Too many" people have lost their regular jobs and now think, "Let's work online!".

 

Would have been better to be ahead of the herd.

[recom273]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

There are exceptions to every situation.  You are a very, very rare exception to be making that kind of money. Sorry, but the 200K a month, US$6,452 at today's exchange rate,  is just not believable. If my maths is even remotely in the right range, that would equate to approx making US$258 per day for 6 days in any week, 4 weeks a month.  Payment at "Cambly Kids", one the biggest providers,  is US per hour,$15,  so, teaching kids for 17 odd hours a day for 6 days a week? Really?   

Yes really.

That’s over 20 lessons per day, he is the highest earner in my company, which isn’t Camberly kids. This is just from teaching, the situation in China is pretty crazy at the moment.
 

In addition to my evening classes, I do 40 lessons every weekend because that’s where the demand is now Chinese schools have returned, parents are relentless. I work 7 days a week and take very little holiday, some parents want classes at 6.30 to 7.30 am while their kids are eating breakfast, that’s not for me, but I do have lunchtime classes on some days.

 

A year or so ago, guys were making similar on VIP and Dada, but they were also getting recruitment and sales bonuses. (Teachers with these companies don’t seem to be doing So well these days, I know)
 

I do agree with you on some points, I was invited to join this company 3-4 years ago when there were just 10 teachers, but I think if you established yourself over the past year then $3000 per month is going to be an achievable figure. Most companies are restricting recruitment at the moment, if you could get a start you would be lucky to get 0-3 lessons a day, 

 

I have to say, it’s really soul destroying, you become a teaching robot, repeating pre-planned lessons, sometimes multiple times a day, and most of the guys I know who are making $3000-$4000+$5000 per month have plans to retire early in life, It’s just a matter of pushing yourself while it’s there. Last month was a slight drop as the schools returned, but it’s all good, it’s very easy to burn out.

 

You or whoever can believe what you want, it’s happening.

Edited June 5, 2020 by recom273

[Ventenio]

i heard some companies only pay 50% for whatever reason.  Imagine if you have a bad connection, maybe fired.  If one kid complains, maybe it's over.  sounds like fun.  

 

and with covid, many families have less money and tons of farangs are probably "teaching" online and spending most of their time trying to hire farangs because it's a pyramid scheme.  

 

website:  $10.  hosting:  $10.  English fluency:  free.   

 

now go get it you nomads....

[Pilotman]

5 hours ago, recom273 said:

Yes really.

That’s over 20 lessons per day, he is the highest earner in my company, which isn’t Camberly kids. This is just from teaching, the situation in China is pretty crazy at the moment.
 

In addition to my evening classes, I do 40 lessons every weekend because that’s where the demand is now Chinese schools have returned, parents are relentless. I work 7 days a week and take very little holiday, some parents want classes at 6.30 to 7.30 am while their kids are eating breakfast, that’s not for me, but I do have lunchtime classes on some days.

 

A year or so ago, guys were making similar on VIP and Dada, but they were also getting recruitment and sales bonuses. (Teachers with these companies don’t seem to be doing So well these days, I know)
 

I do agree with you on some points, I was invited to join this company 3-4 years ago when there were just 10 teachers, but I think if you established yourself over the past year then $3000 per month is going to be an achievable figure. Most companies are restricting recruitment at the moment, if you could get a start you would be lucky to get 0-3 lessons a day, 

 

I have to say, it’s really soul destroying, you become a teaching robot, repeating pre-planned lessons, sometimes multiple times a day, and most of the guys I know who are making $3000-$4000+$5000 per month have plans to retire early in life, It’s just a matter of pushing yourself while it’s there. Last month was a slight drop as the schools returned, but it’s all good, it’s very easy to burn out.

 

You or whoever can believe what you want, it’s happening.

that's not 'teaching' not in any real sense of the word.  I don't care who they are, No 'teacher' can give their best, or even their average , over 20 sessions a day,  or by teaching 7 days a week. 

[Pilotman]

To add to my last post. I teach aviation students on specialist subjects, using an online teaching portal as the facilitator.   My students are highly motivated and intelligent and eager to learn and to progress in their chosen profession of flying. I teach for a maximum of  4 days per week, maximum 4 one hour sessions per each of those days. I do the occasional ad hoc hour for those who's  exams are imminent.  That can be and often is exhausting.  The research and application required by me and my students is not at all easy and I for one could not do any more, without seriously degrading the service I give to those young people.  Teaching English to anyone, but most especially kids, is a specialist activity, that requires the same level of dedication. The difference is, I am not motivated by money, or by having to make a set amount per month, therefore I can give of my best, as much as I can.   Some others are clearly motivated just by the money and not  at all by the results of their 'effort'.   Frankly, if tutors are now being restricted to just a few students a day,  then that is an excellent move and is doing them and their students a favour.  

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

6 hours ago, Caldera said:

but now must be about the worst time to get started

The train was already leaving the station back in February. The virus still hadn't made its way everywhere, and I was just thinking of extra work over the break, when I put in my app to Cambly. Then came the flood of Corona cases. Then the lockdowns. Then Cambly said their onboarding was taking longer than usual. Then finally they shut the door, saying they "must protect their existing tutors". Heh. Luckily my physical school got us started doing online lessons, getting me acquainted with the kids who should be returning to the classrooms next month.

 

I agree with the comments regarding making online a hardcore gig. As my current online teaching experience has revealed to me, a mishmash of video conferencing and learning platforms, it has too many limitations to be considered very effective, let alone a replacement for the face to face, old school teaching experience. Finding yourself running into technological limitations, and giving the same canned responses to which you'll rarely get thoughtful replies, lacks the satisfaction of the more personal conversations and interactions you'll find yourself having with real life students, contributing to a more meaningful learning experience for both you and them.

[Scott]

Troll posts and replies removed.  

 

[Pilotman]

Certainly in these months of frequent storms, so frequent internet and even electricity outages, it can be very frustrating for both tutors and students. It is sometimes difficult to convince a Russian student living in Novosibirsk that Thailand is subject to tropical storms and internet outages, at all the wrong times.  Mind you, is there ever a right time? 

[nausea]

Interested, don't need that much, maybe 20-30 thou a month, even 10 thou would be a bonus. Certainly have a wealth of experience, having taught in Thailand 10 years+. Always was lazy though. Pinching other guy's ideas, don't think I ever developed an interesting idea of my own. It's an interesting concept though, what do you need to make this happen, computer wise.

[simon43]

To those who don't believe my 100,000 baht/month income, I'll explain how I do it ????

 

Firstly, I'm not teaching ESL.  I promote myself as an elementary grade science teacher, who is also an NES.  Many young students want to learn about science AND practice their English at the same time.  I also teach Arduino/robotics.

 

Secondly, I don't work for any of the big Chinese employers, many which pay low rates and require the teacher to act like a clown.

 

Most of my teaching is booked on the iTalki platform, and my typical hourly rate after commission is $20 USD.  (Others have told me that I could charge much more than this, but I get enough income to live and save $ in the bank...).  I've taught about 900 lessons so far on iTalki.

 

I teach every day, but structure my lessons to teach a few hours in the early morning, then again in the late afternoon and early evening.  So I have about 5 hours free time from the late morning until late afternoon to walk around town, ride my bike up the hills etc.  Friday all day is a holiday for me.  At the weekend, I teach from about 10 am through to 8 pm.  But I mainly teach 30 minute lessons on a 2-lessons-on, 30-minutes-off format. That allows me to relax every other lesson.

 

Update:

 

Also...

 

That can be and often is exhausting.  The research and application required by me and my students is not at all easy and I for one could not do any more, without seriously degrading the service I give to those young people.  

 

... which is exactly why I don't teach higher-level science.  It would give me a serious headache to grapple with Maxwell's Equations after so many years away from college.  "Teacher Simon, I want to learn about animal habitats today" suits me just fine ????

 

 

Edited June 14, 2020 by simon43

[Wongkitlo]

On 6/5/2020 at 6:52 PM, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

The train was already leaving the station back in February. The virus still hadn't made its way everywhere, and I was just thinking of extra work over the break, when I put in my app to Cambly. Then came the flood of Corona cases. Then the lockdowns. Then Cambly said their onboarding was taking longer than usual. Then finally they shut the door, saying they "must protect their existing tutors". Heh. Luckily my physical school got us started doing online lessons, getting me acquainted with the kids who should be returning to the classrooms next month.

 

I agree with the comments regarding making online a hardcore gig. As my current online teaching experience has revealed to me, a mishmash of video conferencing and learning platforms, it has too many limitations to be considered very effective, let alone a replacement for the face to face, old school teaching experience. Finding yourself running into technological limitations, and giving the same canned responses to which you'll rarely get thoughtful replies, lacks the satisfaction of the more personal conversations and interactions you'll find yourself having with real life students, contributing to a more meaningful learning experience for both you and them.

Do you think this situation will change once the school's start in Thailand next week? I have read people are stuck in USA, Europe  etc trying to get back to Thailand to start work. I guess a lot of them would be teachers. Wouldn't that lead to a shortage in schools which might mean people who are teaching online will migrate to front of class work leaving a shortage of online teachers?

[2009]

Just curious, out of the 45% of people who indicated they earn less than 40k, how many of them are doing this as a full-time job and how many are doing it part-time (and aren't really trying to make more).

Edited July 5, 2020 by 2009

[bodga]

On 6/14/2020 at 9:09 AM, simon43 said:

To those who don't believe my 100,000 baht/month income, I'll explain how I do it ????

 

Firstly, I'm not teaching ESL.  I promote myself as an elementary grade science teacher, who is also an NES.  Many young students want to learn about science AND practice their English at the same time.  I also teach Arduino/robotics.

 

Secondly, I don't work for any of the big Chinese employers, many which pay low rates and require the teacher to act like a clown.

 

Most of my teaching is booked on the iTalki platform, and my typical hourly rate after commission is $20 USD.  (Others have told me that I could charge much more than this, but I get enough income to live and save $ in the bank...).  I've taught about 900 lessons so far on iTalki.

 

I teach every day, but structure my lessons to teach a few hours in the early morning, then again in the late afternoon and early evening.  So I have about 5 hours free time from the late morning until late afternoon to walk around town, ride my bike up the hills etc.  Friday all day is a holiday for me.  At the weekend, I teach from about 10 am through to 8 pm.  But I mainly teach 30 minute lessons on a 2-lessons-on, 30-minutes-off format. That allows me to relax every other lesson.

 

Update:

 

Also...

 

 

 

... which is exactly why I don't teach higher-level science.  It would give me a serious headache to grapple with Maxwell's Equations after so many years away from college.  "Teacher Simon, I want to learn about animal habitats today" suits me just fine ????

 

 

Some  people  have no  idea  what you can earn  in Thailand, I  once told someone how  much my Wife  was earning a month and they totally trashed it as  rubbish.

Up to them but as she's  kept  me for over 10  years I'm laughing my  head  off. At her peak it was 500-600k baht a month a  few  years  ago, however it was almost 24/7 365 days a  year but she  knew it was at a  time in her  life (mid thirties) when nothing else  mattered and an opportunity not to be  missed.

Times have changed  and it's  less  now but we invested that money wisely and we're  doing just  fine.

[simon43]

In another 'life' back in the UK, I earned the equivalent of $40,000+ each month!  I developed the AI software and operated adult SMS text chat services in the UK and about 10 other countries, including the US (no 'smutty' chat allowed over there...).

 

Now, quite how I managed to spend/lose all that income is another topic ????

[jak2002003]

Poster teaching 20 lessons a day... Are the lessons 5 minutes each? 

 

A lesson is usually an hour...so you would only have 4 hours to sleep, eat, shop and shower.