Israeli Teachers Fare Better Than Expected Globally, Despite Wage Gaps

A recent OECD report, "Education at a Glance 2026," reveals that while Israeli teachers' salaries have fallen behind those of academics compared to international averages, their overall professional standing is stronger than commonly perceived. In 2023, the average salary of an Israeli primary school teacher was 73% of that of an academic, a significant drop from 86% in 2022 and lagging behind the OECD average of 87%. This widened the pay gap between teachers and other academics from 14% to 27%, placing Israel fifth from the bottom among 26 reporting countries.

Despite the salary concerns, the report indicates a substantial increase in the number of teachers in Israel. Between 2015 and 2024, the number of full-time primary school teachers grew by 97%, far exceeding the OECD average of 13% and second only to Luxembourg's 57% increase. This growth occurred while student numbers rose by only 18%, suggesting a potential oversupply of teachers in some areas, particularly the state secular education system.

Teacher attrition rates in Israel are also lower than the OECD average. In 2024/25, only 2.5% of qualified primary and middle school teachers left the profession, compared to the OECD average of 6.4%. Notably, two-thirds of those leaving were retirees, with only a third resigning. However, a significant issue remains: 77% of resigning teachers had less than five years of experience, the highest proportion among reporting countries, indicating a struggle to retain early-career educators.

The proportion of unqualified teachers in Israel is also relatively low, at 7.1%, below the OECD average of 9.1%. Furthermore, Israel performs well in attracting career changers to teaching, with 12.1% of middle school teachers coming from other professions, compared to the OECD average of 8.4%.

While 83.8% of Israeli teachers are satisfied with their jobs, this is lower than the 91.2% satisfaction rate among other academics, a gap that ranks sixth largest among 28 countries. However, Israeli teachers work fewer hours per week (38.8) than other academics (45), a contrast to the near-equal hours in the OECD average. Job satisfaction regarding non-salary conditions is higher (61.2%), though still below the developed countries' average (68.4%). A significant 70% of Israeli teachers feel their profession is not valued by society, yet this sentiment is less pronounced than the global average of 78%, placing Israel sixth from the top in perceived professional esteem.