Overall, while all five countries saw a significant rise in teacher earnings over time, Luxembourg consistently maintained the highest salary levels. Notably, educators in Australia and Denmark reached their maximum pay scales much faster than their counterparts in other nations.
Regarding initial earnings, Luxembourg topped the list at $80,000, more than doubling the starting salaries in Denmark ($35,000), Australia, and Korea (both at approximately $30,000). After 15 years of service, salaries in Luxembourg surged by $39,000, while those in Australia and Korea followed an identical upward trend to reach $48,000.
At the highest pay grade, Luxembourg’s teachers earned a peak of $132,000 after 30 years. In contrast, it took Japanese and Korean educators significantly longer (37 and 34 years respectively) to reach their maximum salaries of $86,000 and $62,000. A striking feature is that teachers in Australia and Denmark attained their top salary levels in just 8 years – roughly four times faster than in the other surveyed countries.