The table chart compares five countries in terms of the salaries of secondary and high school teachers in 2009.
Looking at the illustration, it is immediately evident that Luxembourg recorded the highest figures in most categories, whereas the opposite was true for Japan. Additionally, most countries surveyed showed an overall upward trend in salary over time.
In terms of starting salary per year, Luxembourg dominated the chart at 80,000 USD, which was roughly 33,000 USD higher than Denmark. Australia ranked third at 34,600 USD, while Korea and Japan came in fourth and fifth at 30,500 USD and 28,000 USD, respectively. After 15 years, Luxembourg still occupied the top position in the table with 112,000 USD. Denmark, with a salary of 54,000 USD, ranked behind but remained higher than Korea by about 1,400 USD. Finally, Japan and Australia received 49,000 USD and 48,000 USD, respectively.
On the maximum salary that teachers receive in different countries, despite some fluctuation, clear differences appear when comparing the amount and the time required to reach it. Luxembourg offered the highest top salary at 139,000 USD, but teachers had to wait 30 years to get there. Korea and Japan also required long periods—37 years and 34 years—to reach 84,500 USD and 62,400 USD, respectively. In contrast, Denmark and Australia provided lower maximum salaries, at 54,000 USD and 48,000 USD, but teachers could achieve these levels much faster, in just 8 years and 9 years.