SMOE Salary Levels
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education uses 6 letter grades (S–E), with A–E mapped to standard EPIK levels (1+ to 2). Your grade is set by your degree, certificate, and English-teaching experience.
Quick Answer
How much do SMOE (Seoul) teachers earn in 2026?
₩2.3M–3.0M
Monthly Salary Range
6
Letter Grades (S–E)
E
Entry Grade (Min)
S
Top Tier Grade
SMOE teachers earn between ₩2,300,000 and ₩3,000,000 per month depending on grade placement. Seoul uses six letter grades (S, A, B, C, D, E), and grades A–E map to standard EPIK levels (1+ to 2). Grade E is the entry tier; grade S is the highest in the system but is largely reserved for veteran teachers and curriculum developers.Source: Official SMOE “Seoul Pay Scale 2026” (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education).
Monthly Salary by Grade
| Grade | Monthly Salary | Qualifying Conditions (meet any one) |
|---|---|---|
| STop grade | ₩3,000,000 |
|
| ALevel 1+ | ₩2,800,000 |
|
| BLevel 1+ | ₩2,600,000 |
|
| CLevel 1 | ₩2,500,000 |
|
| DLevel 2+ | ₩2,400,000 |
|
| ELevel 2 | ₩2,300,000 |
|
Source: Official SMOE “Seoul Pay Scale 2026” (서울 고용등급별 급여 및 자격), Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education — the Korean original governs; English is a courtesy translation. Amounts are base monthly pay before bonuses and allowances. SMOE makes the final pay-level determination based on your documents, and each school may add extra pay depending on assigned duties.
How Seoul Differs from Other EPIK Regions
SMOE's grade structure is unusually detailed — here are the key differences to understand.
Letter Grades Mapped to EPIK Levels
Seoul uses 6 letter grades (S, A, B, C, D, E). Grades A–E correspond to standard EPIK levels (1+, 1, 2+, 2), and S sits above them. Your letter grade reflects your degree, certificate, and years of public-school English teaching.
Mostly Experience-Tiered
From E up to A the baseline qualification is the same — a bachelor's in TESOL/TEFL or English education, a teaching license, or a 100-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate. What raises your grade is years of public-school English-teaching experience (E entry, D 1yr, C 2yr, B 3yr, A 5yr) or a relevant master's degree.
Grade S Is Largely Reserved
Grade S (₩3.0M) needs 7+ years of public-school teaching with a TESOL/TEFL master's plus a superintendent/principal recommendation, or a curriculum-developer role with a doctorate. The official scale notes that teachers at regular elementary, middle, and high schools can be upgraded only up to grade A (₩2.8M).
Entry Is Level 2 (Grade E)
Seoul's lowest grade, E, maps to EPIK Level 2 (₩2.3M) — there is no Level 3 placement on the Seoul scale. A bachelor's degree alone is not enough; grade E still requires a relevant major, a teaching license, or a 100-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate.
SMOE Salary FAQ
Q.How does SMOE decide my pay grade?
SMOE assigns one of six letter grades (S, A, B, C, D, E). Grades A–E are tied to a standard EPIK level (1+, 1, 2+, 2), and S sits above them. Your grade — and therefore your salary — is based on your highest degree and its field, your TESOL/TEFL certificate, any teaching license, and your years of full-time English-teaching experience at public institutions. SMOE makes the final determination from your submitted documents.
Q.What is the minimum I need to teach in Seoul?
You need to qualify for grade E — EPIK Level 2 (₩2.3M). That means a bachelor's degree plus one of: a primary/secondary teaching license, a major in education, English, English literature, or linguistics, or a TESOL/TEFL certificate of at least 100 course hours. There is no Level 3 on the Seoul scale, so a bachelor's degree on its own is not enough.
Q.Can I realistically reach grade S (₩3.0M)?
Not as a regular classroom teacher. Grade S requires 7+ years of public-school English-teaching experience with a TESOL/TEFL master's degree and a superintendent or principal recommendation, or a curriculum-developer position with a doctorate. The official pay scale states that teachers at regular elementary, middle, and high schools can be upgraded only up to grade A (₩2.8M).
Q.How do I move up a grade?
Two ways. First, renewal: after one full year at your current grade with SMOE you move up one grade (E→D, D→C, C→B); reaching grade A requires two full years at grade B. Second, qualifications and experience: more years of public-school English teaching or a relevant master's degree can place you higher from the start. SMOE re-evaluates your documents at renewal.
Q.Are bonuses and allowances included in these figures?
No — these are base monthly salary only. SMOE/EPIK teachers also receive a settlement allowance (₩300,000), an entrance allowance, a contract-completion bonus (₩1,300,000 at contract end), severance pay (about one month's salary), 50% of national health insurance premiums, and provided housing or a housing allowance. See SMOE Benefits for the full breakdown.
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