Over the past decade, the number of educators under the age of 30 in Ukrainian schools has halved. Experts cite the low starting salary for young professionals as the main factor behind this phenomenon, rather than a lack of graduates from pedagogical institutions.
This is reported by Finway
Young Educators: Reasons for Staff Exodus
Each year, pedagogical education institutions graduate about 10,000 students, which fully meets the needs of the education system for staff renewal. However, less than 20% of graduates take up teaching positions. Approximately 8,000 young specialists choose other professions immediately after obtaining their diplomas each year. This results in the average age of a Ukrainian teacher now being 47–48 years.
The head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, Serhiy Babak, explains that the salary calculation system for educators is based on a low base salary and numerous allowances for various types of activities. Newcomers, who lack experience and categories, receive the minimum salary and only the basic allowance for the prestige of the profession. In 2025, a young teacher could expect to earn about 8,000 UAH, while experienced teachers with 30 years of service earn around 20,000 UAH.
“If the salary is doubled for everyone, a young teacher will earn about 16,000, while an experienced one will earn about 40,000. We are not solving the problem of the young teacher at all… It’s a chasm,” explains Serhiy Babak.
Plans for Salary Increases and Retaining Young Talent
International studies by the OECD confirm that the quality of education directly depends on the income level of young teachers. To attract qualified professionals to the school system, the starting salary must be no lower than the national average, which currently stands at about 27,000 UAH.
A reform of the salary system is being prepared to address the staffing crisis. It is expected that most small allowances will be included in the base salary, making teachers’ salaries transparent and competitive. According to the ministry’s plans, a young educator could earn nearly 25,000 UAH, while experienced specialists could earn up to 40,000–50,000 UAH.
Currently, the average salary of a teacher in Ukraine is only 14,100 UAH.