Even when you compare the wages teachers receive amongst countries which maintain a similar GDP per Capita, there can be large disparities. It ranges from 70 thousand dollars US, all the way down to 20 thousand, with the first belonging to Switzerland and the latter being Israel.
Although there are a variety of factors which impact the effectiveness of an education policy, it is clear that there is at least a simple correlation between the wages teachers receive and their effectiveness. In countries where teachers receive greater respect in the rest of society, an above average income and better working conditions, these countries typically have the better results from students and are more able to recruit highly skilled individuals into the profession.
Here is the list of Average Yearly Wages of the top twenty-five OECD nations (in 1000’s $ USD):
- Switzerland: 68.82
- Netherlands: 57.87
- Germany: 53.73
- Belgium: 51.47
- korea: 47.34
- Ireland: 47.3
- Japan: 45.93
- Australia: 44
- Finland: 42.81
- Denmark: 41.71
- Spain: 41.52
- United States: 41.46
- United Kingdom: 40.91
- Austria: 37.41
- New Zealand: 34.76
- Portugal: 34.59
- France: 33.47
- Norway: 33.13
- Slovenia: 32.48
- Sweden: 31.61
- Italy: 31.46
- Iceland: 29.46
- Greece: 25.75
- Israel: 19.55