How Much to Charge for Tutoring: 2024 Pricing Guide

Private Tutoring: How Much Should You Charge?

If you're a private tutor or thinking about becoming a tutor, find out what you should (or could) be earning with this comprehensive guide! Average tutoring rates can vary greatly, depending on a number of key factors.

The following breakdown of factors and considerations will provide you with an in-depth analysis of how you can accurately determine YOUR true market worth as a private tutor

Average Tutoring Rates by State

I'll start off by providing some context as to the average hourly rates for tutors by state.

As you might expect, those states with a higher cost of living, such as those in the Northeast (New England) and on the West Coast, have a higher average hourly wage, whereas states with a relatively low cost of living, like those in the Midwest and the South, have lower average hourly rates for tutors.

Top 10 States for Average Tutor Rates

Washington: $35.01

New York: $33.22

Idaho: $31.96

California: $31.32

New Hampshire: $30.82

Vermont: $30.34

Massachusetts: $30.31

Hawaii: $30.18

Nevada: $30.04

Maine: $29.60

Bottom 10 States for Average Tutor Rates

Oklahoma: $25.15

Arkansas: $25.07

Mississippi: $24.78

Illinois: $24.72

Michigan: $24.71

Missouri: $24.47

Florida: $23.98

Georgia: $23.42

Louisiana: $22.67

North Carolina: $21.74

To find out where your state ranks, check out this great article by ZipRecruiter!

Keep in mind, these are only AVERAGES! As you'll come to see, there are a number of factors that have a significant impact on tutor rates!

Subject Matter

One such factor is subject matter, which plays a major role in the average rate a tutor can charge. This is because the complexity of the subject area may require more specialized knowledge and expertise.

For example, a middle school and/or high school English teacher who is doing some tutoring won't be able to command a higher fee than, say, college tutors who specialize in tutoring college students studying organic chemistry. Also, if tutors for a particular subject are in high demand, they are more likely to be able to charge a higher price per tutoring session.

Level of Experience

Years of experience are another major factor in setting a tutor's fee. It goes without saying that more seasoned tutors can command higher rates due to their demonstrated track record of success in the field.

Tutors with more experience are also more likely to have a solid reputation and an extensive list of satisfied clients. However, offering lower rates is an excellent way for new tutors or tutors with less experience to attract clients and establish their reputations.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to set a rate that is fair for both the tutor and the student and that provides the student with the support they need to succeed

Advanced Degrees & Education Level

A tutor's hourly rate may increase if they have a higher level of education, such as a masters degree or doctorate degree. Prospective tutoring clients and/or their parents or school administrators are more likely to hire a tutor with a higher level of educational attainment, as it further reinforces to clients a tutor's commitment and dedication to their own education.

Certified Teacher

A tutor's ability to charge more depends on whether or not they are certified as a teacher, as certification shows students and parents that the tutor has met the minimum requirements to be a teacher in the classroom. Because of this, you might be able to charge more for what you offer.

The tutor's ability to specialize in a particular subject area or with a particular age group is another factor that can increase their rate of pay for their services as a certified educator. A certified educator's hourly rate as a tutor may be affected not only by supply and demand but also by the level of competition in the area.

Special Needs

If a student has special needs, a tutor may charge more because meeting those needs may necessitate extensive preparation, experience, and resources beyond what is normally available to the average student. Personalizing instruction can take the form of modifying existing materials, creating new ones from scratch, or simply paying closer attention to the needs of each student. 

Grade Level

Tutoring Elementary Students

Elementary school tutors often command the lowest tutoring prices among tutors. This is due to the simple fact that younger students will typically require far less specialized knowledge and expertise.

Other factors to consider, though, for elementary school tutors that may impact how much a tutor charges are the duration of tutoring session(s) and how many tutoring sessions per week you provide to a particular student.

Let's say, for example, we compare these two scenarios, each involving just one student:

Scenario #1:

Your Hourly Rate: $40

# of One-Hour Tutoring Sessions per Week: One

Total Income per Week: $40

Scenario #2:

Your Hourly Rate: $35

# of One-Hour Tutoring Sessions per Week: Two

Total Income per Week: $70

Even though you're charging $5 less per hour in scenario #2, your actual income is almost DOUBLE that of scenario #1.

I bring this up because even though it may seem you'll earn less by charging less per hour, if charging just a little bit less per hour helps you get more billable tutoring hours, you'll actually come out MUCH more ahead! A lower rate is likely to encourage parents and/or schools to provide you with more opportunity to tutor their children or students

Tutoring Middle School Students

When it comes to tutoring students in middle school, tutors are typically able to charge a slightly higher rate than elementary school tutors for their services. Often times, students at this grade level may have a need for more structured and interactive learning experiences. When deciding how much to charge for tutoring middle school students, it's also important to consider that these students may need more help than younger students as they make the transition from childhood to adolescence.

Tutoring a High School Student

There's a fairly noticeable gap in terms of the average tutor rate between a middle school tutor and a high school tutor, and there are a handful of important reasons why. First and foremost, high school tutors have the ability to charge higher hourly rates because the high school curriculum has much more breadth and depth than that in middle school. Students have much more opportunity to delve into subjects that simply aren't even available to them in middle school.

Secondly, the cost of tutoring rises for high school students because they're preparing for college entrance exams. Simply put, parents are much more willing to foot the cost of a private tutor if it means the difference between their child going to a specific, more desirable college or even getting accepted to a college at all. The stakes are huge, and thus, so too, is the demand for test prep tutoring.

Tutoring College Students

Private tutor costs for college students are often the highest. As you may have noticed, the average cost of a tutor goes up as you move from elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school, and from high school to college. Again, the reason for this simple, college-level degree coursework is that it is the most rigorous and demanding.

No university student will hire a tutor who doesn't themselves have at least a college degree

The following factors are crucially important and essentially a necessity when it comes to tutoring college-level students:

• Formal Qualifications
  • Very few college students will even consider a tutor without any formal qualifications
• Extensive Experience
  • Likewise, very few college students will seek inexperienced tutors

Online Tutoring Services

Since the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, online tutoring services have exploded in popularity. Connecting with students and providing them with tutoring sessions can be done quickly and easily through these channels. It's worth noting, though, that online tutoring may present its own difficulties, such as a lack of face-to-face interaction or technical difficulties. While the average pay rate for online tutoring services is likely to be lower than that of in-person tutoring, there may be additional costs associated with using an online platform.

Group Tutoring

A tutor's hourly rate may change if they work with a group of students, as they will be able to spread the cost of their time and materials across a larger number of people. Therefore, the cost per pupil may be less than with private tutoring. It's possible that a tutor would charge more for group tutoring if they had to spend extra time preparing materials or if they were giving specialized instruction. Another factor that can affect the per-student cost is the class size.

Travel Time and/or Geographic Location

The average price can vary significantly depending on the often overlooked component of your geographic location. For example, a high school algebra tutor in Los Angeles who has five years of tutoring experience is likely to charge more than a high school algebra tutor in Wichita, Kansas, who has the same exact qualifications, simply because L.A. has a relatively high cost of living. It's also important to consider the going rate in your area for similar services.

Another consideration is travel time. Time is money, and if you're spending a bunch of time, say 15-20 minutes plus getting to your tutoring session, that also means you're very likely taking 15-20 minutes after the session to get back to wherever you came from. And if so, using this example, that's 30–40 minutes you weren't compensated for, and the more you do that, the more time you're basically giving away for free! 

ALWAYS consider how long it will take you to get from your location to wherever you'll be providing your tutoring services!

If someone wants to hire you as a tutor and they're a half hour or more away from you, I strongly encourage you to take that into account when deciding what to charge them.

Trial Period

Tutors can gain the trust of their students and demonstrate their expertise by offering them a free trial session. A trial period allows the tutor to demonstrate their abilities and determine whether or not they will be a good fit for the student. This can increase the tutor's client base as happy students return for more sessions and spread the word to their friends.

Summary: Going Rate for Private Tutoring

If there's anything that this article is able to prove, it's that tutoring rates vary wildly and are dependent on a number of factors. When trying to figure out what you should be charging for your tutoring services, take into account the various factors pointed out above. 

Some factors are more important than others; it all depends on your situation as a tutor. For example, your credentials, level of relevant experience, where you're located, what subject matter you're looking to be a tutor in, etc. 

Whether you're a seasoned tutor or just looking to get started, I hope that this article has provided you with some valuable guidance and information when it comes to how much you should charge for private tutoring!

Thank you for reading!

-Jillian (a.k.a. the "Lesson Plan Guru")