High job satisfaction in education

Korean teachers are relatively well paid compared to those in member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or the OECD. According to OECD educational statistics last year, entry-level Korean teachers are paid the OECD average but those with 15 years of experience are paid far above the average. Just a few countries such as Germany and Luxembourg pay teachers with 15 years of experience more than Korea does. The U.S., the U.K., Finland and Japan pay less than Korea. Since the relative statistics consider each country’s purchasing power index, the results can be controversial. It is clear, however, that Korea offers relatively fair salaries to its teachers.

The state-run Korea Employment Information Service surveyed job satisfaction in 759 occupations, and found that five educational occupations were included in the top 20. Elementary school principals were ranked at the top, university professors seventh, university deans 14th, and elementary school teachers 16th. In addition to economic and social benefits, job security, late retirement and time all raised satisfaction scores.

Cultural and art occupations also ranked high in the level of satisfaction. Voice actors (second), composers (fifth), curators (sixth), and traditional Korean musicians (eighth) were included in the top 10. Jobs in culture and art have usually meant poverty. According to the National Tax Service, the average yearly income of composers in 2010 was 6.6 million won (5,860 U.S. dollars), painters 9.78 million won (8,680 dollars), and singers 8.48 million won (7,520 dollars). A winner-takes-all mentality is dominant in culture and art. For this reason, those who work in this sector suffer from a lot of stress. Nonetheless, they have high satisfaction because of lack of retirement age and a sense of accomplishment through creativity.

Doctors ranked 44th and lawyers 57th in the job satisfaction survey despite their high incomes, reflecting a paradigm shift. In the past, income was the absolute standard of selecting an occupation. Today, quality of life is increasingly important. If people have a different take on a job, deep-rooted problems such as excessive competition for college entrance can be resolved. The Korean Occupation Dictionary published by the employment service this year includes 9,298 occupations, up by 1,318 from 2003. The world is rapidly changing. Young people need a different perspective on jobs when starting a career, breaking with the prejudice of their parents.

Chief Editorial Writer Hong Chan-sik (chansik@donga.com)