Teachers' salaries in New Zealand: Top paying roles

Key takeaways: 

• Lecturers are the highest-paid teaching roles in New Zealand, with annual salaries ranging from $90k–$105k. 
• The average teacher salary sits at $78k per year. 
• Pay varies by role and experience, with primary school teachers earning $80k–$90k, kindergarten teachers $75k–$80k, and early childhood educators $70k–$80k. 
• Location has a strong impact on salary, as remote or hard-to-staff areas may offer isolation allowances and additional incentives such as the Voluntary Bonding Scheme. 
• Teaching careers provide opportunities for growth, and higher qualifications, specialisation, or teaching level can influence both pay and advancement.

Teaching is a vital profession, and teachers play a key role in shaping learning outcomes and the nation’s future growth. Demand for qualified educators remains strong across New Zealand’s education system. As a result, schools continue to prioritise recruitment to maintain staffing levels across primary and secondary classrooms.

With this demand expected to remain high over the next few years, it’s important to know how qualifications, experience, teaching level, and work setting impact teacher salary. This guide explores some of the highest-paid teaching roles in New Zealand and provides an overview of average teacher salaries across different specialisations.

Here’s what we will cover:

• Teachers’ salary in New Zealand: By role 
• How much do teachers get paid in New Zealand: Salary overview
• Highest paying teaching roles in New Zealand
• Explore more about teachers’ salaries in New Zealand

Teachers’ salary in New Zealand: By role 

Below is an overview of average salaries for key teaching roles in New Zealand:

How much do teachers get paid in New Zealand: Salary overview 

The teacher salary in New Zealand typically falls between $75k–$80k. The pay can shift depending on experience, teaching level, and whether the role is in early childhood, primary, secondary, or tertiary education. Some schools in hard-to-staff or isolated areas, such as Franz Josef and Tinopai, offer isolation allowances, which can increase pay.

In early‑childhood education, funding-linked pay and pay-parity schemes also contribute to variation in salaries. Additional incentives, such as the Voluntary Bonding Scheme, for newly graduated teachers who commit to teaching in areas of need for five years, further influencing overall pay. 

Highest paying teaching roles in New Zealand 

To work as a teacher in New Zealand, one must have a recognised teaching qualification, practical classroom training, and complete an approved Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme. Teachers must also be registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and hold a current practising certificate.

Teachers are employed across public and private schools, early-childhood centres, tertiary institutions, and specialist education organisations. Below are some of the highest-paid teaching roles in New Zealand:

• Lecturers 
• Primary School Teachers 
• Kindergarten Teachers 
• Early Childhood Teachers

These roles tend to offer higher pay due to higher qualifications, specialist training, or working with specific age groups. Let’s take a closer look at these roles, starting with their pay and a quick summary of what each role involves. 

Lecturers' salary

Lecturers' salary in New Zealand generally falls in the range of $90k–$105k. These salaries are influenced by experience and the academic environment in which they work. Lecturers teach at universities, polytechnics, and other tertiary institutions. They deliver courses through large lectures and small tutorials.

The role includes preparing course materials, assessing student work, and sometimes contributing to research or academic outputs. University lecturer roles usually require a PhD. Polytechnics may accept lower-level tertiary qualifications.

Primary school teachers’ salary

The primary school teacher salary typically ranges from $80k-$90k. Primary school teachers work with children aged five to twelve, teaching core subjects and supporting overall development. Their work involves preparing lessons across multiple subjects, running assessments, and managing classroom behaviour.

They also organise school activities and regularly update parents on progress and challenges. To become a primary school teacher in New Zealand, a recognised Bachelor of Education in Teaching or equivalent qualification is required, along with registration with the Teaching Council. 

Kindergarten teachers’ salary

Teacher salary for this role usually falls between $75k–$85k, depending on qualifications and setting. Kindergarten teachers focus on the earliest years of learning. They care for and educate children from infancy to age five.

Their work includes planning play-based activities that support social, emotional, and physical development. They need a recognised early childhood teaching qualification. Registration with the Teaching Council is also required and can influence salary levels.

Early childhood teachers’ salary

Salaries for early childhood teachers usually sit between $70k–$80k. The position involves teaching children from infancy through preschool, focusing on structured learning and developmental growth. They plan and deliver activities that support cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Teachers in this role must hold a recognised qualification, register with the Teaching Council and maintain a current practising certificate. Early childhood teachers are often supported by early childhood educators, who assist with daily care and learning activities. The early childhood educator salary typically ranges from $70k–80k.

Explore more about teachers’ salaries in New Zealand 

Compare your options with confidence. SEEK’s Explore Careers highlights New Zealand salaries, recent growth trends, key requirements, and satisfaction insights for this career.

Source: SEEK data, roles based on average advertised salaries of over $150,000 for job ads listed on SEEK from July 23 to June 24 to July 24 to June 25. A minimum threshold of job ads on SEEK is required for a role to appear in this table.