Saudi Arabia Releases Official Salary Scale for Foreign University Professors and Teachers

• Saudi Arabia published an official document detailing salary scales and employment regulations for university staff, including foreign academics
• The pay structure covers five academic ranks, from Teaching Assistant to full Professor, and includes a 15% raise endorsed by Royal Decree
• Beyond base salaries, foreign staff recruited from outside the university are entitled to housing, transport, air tickets, and a deputation allowance

Saudi Arabia has made public an official document outlining the salary structure and working conditions for university academic staff, including foreign teachers and professors employed at institutions across the kingdom.

The pay scale incorporates a 15% increase endorsed by Royal Decree No. a/227, dated 16/7/1426 H and effective from 1/9/1426 H, and spans five academic ranks.

What each academic rank earns in Saudi Arabia

At the entry level, a Teaching Assistant takes home between SR 5,780 and SR 10,820 monthly, with an annual increment of SR 360. A Lecturer earns between SR 7,620 and SR 13,780, gaining SR 440 each year.

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Senior academic positions attract notably higher pay. An Assistant Professor receives between SR 11,100 and SR 18,030 per month with annual raises of SR 495, while an Associate Professor earns between SR 13,980 and SR 22,030 with increments of SR 575. At the top of the scale, a full Professor earns between SR 16,015 and SR 24,905 monthly, with an annual increment of SR 635.

The document also addresses part-time professors, stipulating that their pay should match the basic salary from their most recent academic appointment. Where no prior employment history exists, the University Council determines remuneration based on Scientific Council recommendations, subject to a cap at the Assistant Professor basic salary level.

Guest lecturers brought in from outside the university are compensated on an hourly basis according to rank. Professors earn SR 400 per hour, Associate Professors SR 350, and Assistant Professors SR 300. Ministers and senior officials invited to teach are paid SR 1,000 per hour, a rate equivalent to that of military generals.

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Benefits, Discipline, and Retirement Rules

Staff recruited from outside the university or its branches receive additional entitlements on top of their salaries. These include a return air ticket, a deputation allowance, and university-provided housing, transportation, and related expenses for the duration of their service.

On disciplinary matters, the document states that a staff member under investigation may be suspended for up to three months, extendable to a maximum of one year per case. During suspension, net salary is reduced by 50%, though the withheld amount is returned if the individual is acquitted or penalised with anything short of dismissal. Staff have 30 days from written notification to appeal any disciplinary decision, with unresolved cases referred to the University Council for a final ruling.

Mandatory retirement is set at 60 years under the Hijri calendar. However, service may continue until the end of the academic year, and can be extended further to age 65 with the recommendation of the University Rector and approval from the Higher Education Council.

Source: YEN.com.gh