An investigation by the Iran Open Data Website revealed a stark disparity between Iranian teacher salaries and those of other countries.
In 2024, the minimum monthly wage for Iranian teachers stands at ten million tomans, roughly equivalent to 159 US dollars based on the average April exchange rate in the open market.
Both Iran and its western neighbor, Turkey, have faced economic turmoil in recent years, landing them among the top ten countries with the highest inflation rates in 2023. However, Turkish primary school teachers reportedly saw their monthly salaries rise to 39,781 liras, which translates to 1223 US dollars based on the current exchange rate.
Comparing Iran’s minimum annual teacher salary to countries with stable economies reveals a significant gap. Assuming a constant dollar price of 63,000 tomans until year-end, an Iranian teacher’s annual salary would not exceed 1908 dollars.
Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that annual salaries for primary school teachers without work experience in stable economies typically range between 14,000 and 70,000 dollars, representing a difference of 7 to 35 times the Iranian figure.
For years, Iranian teacher organizations have advocated for increased salaries and improved benefits for educators and retirees, as well as free education. While the regime claimed to implement a ranking law in 2022 that raised official teacher salaries, the Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organizations of Iranian Teachers and other groups contest its execution and report the exclusion of certain union activists.
On May 1st, education expert Mohammad Reza Niknejad emphasized that even doubling teacher salaries from 15 million tomans to 30 million tomans wouldn’t solve the underlying problems in education. He stressed that “providing a livelihood and improving teacher dignity is a necessary but not sufficient condition.” He further stated that these necessary conditions remain unfulfilled, and until teachers’ financial well-being is addressed, their dignity and the quality of education will continue to suffer.
Highlighting the global efforts to secure teacher livelihoods, Niknejad pointed out that “teachers’ salaries worldwide are typically enough to manage a normal life.” He cited examples like New Zealand, where teachers earn an annual salary of 90,000 dollars, the US with an average of 44,000 dollars, and Finland with nearly 40,000 dollars per year.
