What to Expect From a CELTA Certified Teacher Salary

As a CELTA certified teacher, you’ll be well on your way to securing a job in the world of international education and the teaching of foreign languages! While you may have heard of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), you may not have heard of the more prestigious qualification, CELTA, which stands for “Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults” but which is now known as “Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages”. 

With your CELTA certificate, you’ll feel prepared to be in a classroom.

CELTA, a brand of TEFL Certification awarded by Cambridge University, is referred to as the best English language teaching qualification you can have, and is often a prerequisite for many international teaching positions. With a CELTA certificate, your earning potential exponentially increases, and you’ll have many more job opportunities to choose from.

The strict standards and practiced instructors that come with a CELTA certification guarantee you quality training, as opposed to other types of TEFL programs, which require quite a bit of research to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

Oxford TEFL is a good place to start if you’re thinking of securing your spot in a CELTA qualification program—they offer both 4-week and 14-week online CELTA courses.

Let’s dive a little deeper into CELTA abroad!

How much does CELTA cost?

As with most everything, the best usually comes with a bigger price tag. So, just how much does CELTA cost? A CELTA certification can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,700, depending on which authorized center you go to.

You can take part-time or full-time courses, but they usually end up costing the same if you’re going through the same program. Online certification usually costs a bit less overall (since there are no associated travel costs), and comes with the same syllabus and expectations. Definitely consider a virtual experience if in-person instruction isn’t right for you, or if a CELTA course center isn’t nearby.

The higher earning potential you will have as a CELTA certified teacher makes the initial cost well worth it. CELTA cost directly correlates with what you get: tutorial support and consultation, assessed teaching practice, peer observation, supervised lesson planning, and directed observation of lessons taught by experienced English Language Teaching professionals. 

The job opportunities after CELTA will be higher-paying, you’ll be better qualified, and better prepared to enter an actual classroom abroad. Already convinced? Learn more at Oxford TEFL.

How much can I earn as a CELTA certified teacher?

With a more advanced qualification, comes a bigger salary.

So you know how much a CELTA course is, but how much can you earn with a CELTA certificate? With a regular TEFL program, you could reasonably expect to make 2,000 USD to 3,000 USD per month as a first-time teacher (depending on destination); with a CELTA certification, you could be bringing in upwards of 4,000 USD per month!

Salary is dependent on the country you’ll be teaching in, and the position you secure, but a CELTA qualification ensures you high earning potential than TEFL alone. Let’s explore this higher salary potential and other benefits of completing a CELTA qualification program.

Why CELTA certification will earn you a higher salary vs. TEFL

1. Better opportunities

You’ll never forget your teaching experience abroad, so why not make those memories the best they can be by teaching at a supportive and welcoming school?

You should have your own requirements when accepting an international teaching position, and make sure the school will be a place where you can learn and grow professionally.

Most likely, if the school is requiring a CELTA certification and looking for highly qualified teachers (in fact, 75% of employers prefer CELTA-qualified teachers), they are in a position to offer you great opportunities.

Often, you’ll also have opportunities to meet other teachers at your new school. Being a CELTA certified language instructor will make you valuable in a school that may already have international English language teachers. It will also be a great opportunity to expand your global network!

2. Better pay compared to most other certifications

If you want to invest your money in the smartest way, go for the CELTA.

Bottom line: With better qualifications come better teaching positions, and with better teaching positions comes better pay. The majority of teaching positions open to international instructors require CELTA certification. Within that majority are some of the most renowned schools, that offer the most support to international staff, and which offer higher paying positions.

3. Expected salary

A CELTA salary can range anywhere from 40,000 USD per year to 60,000 USD per year, depending on the country, school, and position. When considering the CELTA cost, it’s important to remember that the certification does not expire. That’s quite a good deal since you’ll be able to pay it off relatively quickly from what you’ll expect to make as a CELTA qualified teacher!

4. Recognition of certification

The CELTA certification is recognized almost everywhere around the world (over 25,000 organizations worldwide!); it’s truly hard to find any exceptions! Being a qualified CELTA teacher ensures that not only can you go anywhere in the world, you’ll have your pick of positions. As CELTA is a Cambridge-certified program, it comes with the prestige of a world-class university.

CELTA courses are standardized, so you know what you’ll be paying for, and schools will know what they’re getting when they hire you. You can also rest assured that even if you opt for the online version, you’ll still end up with the same certification and experience as if you attended courses in person.

5. Job opportunities after CELTA

Your CELTA will open doors to lots of new places!

Job opportunities after CELTA include a plethora of teaching opportunities at renowned schools around the world.

CELTA coursework includes developing practical skills and hands-on teaching practice, which is experience you can utilize further along in your career as well, even if you decide to change directions down the road. 

Additionally, if there’s more than one candidate for any given teaching position, you’re far more likely to secure the job with a CELTA certification.

6. Learn specialized skills and teaching techniques

CELTA qualification is specialized to make sure you learn techniques to teach younger and older students, those who pick up English quickly, and not as quickly, and those that may not have the same learning styles as you do. You also have the chance to view teachers in action, learning from their experience and teaching methods.

7. Hands-on experience interacting with students

It can’t be said enough, that CELTA abroad stands out above the rest of TEFL programs because you are guaranteed hands-on experience in a classroom, whether that be online or in person.

There is nothing scarier than standing in front of a classroom of students or peers, and not being prepared; with CELTA qualification, that won’t happen! You’ll have all of the tools in your toolbox to teach English in an international classroom and make a positive difference in lives around the world.

Talk to our Online Advisor and get matched with 5 CELTA or TEFL courses—for FREE!

Pad your bank account as a CELTA certified teacher!

Travel the world with your fancy new CELTA!

There are many great reasons to get a CELTA certification! Pad your bank account with a CELTA salary, stand out from the crowd when applying to the best international teaching positions, and gain hands-on, interactive classroom experience.

A CELTA qualification is more than a certificate you hang in your office (although that’s quite nice!). It's a learning experience that you’ll never forget, one that lasts a lifetime, and will further your career goals long after your CELTA course completion. What are you waiting for? Start your international teaching journey today!

Explore ALL CELTA & TEFL Courses on GoAbroad.com

This article was written with help from Oxford TEFL. Oxford TEFL offers both online and in-person CELTA certification. Founded in 1998, they have trained more than 4,000 teachers around the world.