How Much Money Can an ALTs Make in Japan?

Moving to Japan can be a fantastic experience as we have learned from my guests in episodes 14, 16, 23 and 29. However, I am sure many of you are asking how much money can I make in Japan?

Answer: As much as you are willing to work for.

The truth is money can be a mystery and it is the same in Japan.
Let me explain this some more. If you have never wondered why some people have money and others don’t kudos to you. But industries are built around teaching people about how to make money so I have no shame in admitting that I am curious about money.

But I do not want to stray too much from the point. What I am saying is that if you know how to make money you will make money in Japan and if you don’t well you will get the salary that you sign up for.
The law in Japan states that companies must pay you at least minimum wage so you will not be working for free.

As we speak today the low rate is 230,000 yen (if a company is hiring you for less than this please reconsider your position) this works out to about 2,050 US dollars a month. but this, however, is not always the same; I will talk about this later.

On the high side some companies might pay 280,000 yen and if you are really lucky you can get 300,000 yen each month. The company that hires you will state this as your monthly salary however in most cases you will be working per diem, therefore you get paid daily, so if you don’t work you don’t get paid. This can get very interesting when school is on break in summer, winter, and spring. During these months you get a percentage of your regular pay (By the way this is not a hidden thing, companies explain this in your contract).

Factors to consider

Two factors to consider, because they can change your pay grade, are, where will you live and who will you work for. If you live in a rural area you are likely to get less than a person who is in the city. But the biggest factor that affects your pay rate is most certainly the organization that you are working for.

If you are a direct hire by the city education board you will usually be paid a higher salary than if you are working with a dispatch company. The only problem is city education boards do not hire from outside of Japan.

You will have to get to Japan via a dispatch/recruiting company before you can consider working with a city education board.

But if you are considering a move to Japan don’t let the above deter you. Japan has a dwindling population and the Japanese are constantly looking into ways to improve immigration.

I have met all types of foreigners in Japan. People who make 230,000 yen and are quite happy and those who make 230,000 yen and can’t wait to leave.

In between those persons are people who have started their own private lessons and make an extra 10 to 50,000 yen each month.
Or persons who work a second job that brings in an extra 100,000 yen each month. And you have some persons who do all three; regular job, second job and private classes with their own students.

What about living expenses?

Well, this too will vary greatly from person to person. Japan is a country that has a vast disparity between rich and poor lifestyles. You can see a Luis Vuitton store a stone throw away from a convenience store that sells a filling meal for less than $5 dollars.

For a deeper look at living expenses in Japan go over to www.expatistan.com. If you have even more questions about what the lifestyle in Japan is like feel free to email me at ryan@globalinsidersgroup.com.

So in concluding I will reiterate that the amount of money that you make really depends on you and the specific goals that you have.
If you enjoyed this episode feel free to check out the other episodes I have interviewed people about life in Canada, France, the United States and Japan. You may also find further information about working in Japan as an ALT at globalinsidersgroup.com.

Thank you and continue striving towards your goals.