Contrary to popular perceptions, teaching and tutoring are not synonymous terms for a similar profession.
A teacher cannot teach or deliver lessons according to the capabilities of a particular student, as he has to teach numerous students at once.
Conversely, a tutor must construct teaching lessons according to students’ learning abilities. The tutor’s job is to step down to the student’s mental level and then teach him accordingly.
In short, a tutor has to focus on each student specifically. People facing difficulty comprehending basic teaching lessons opt for specialized tutoring lessons.
That is why a tutor has to be much more experienced and professional than an ordinary teacher. Having specialization in the field a person is tutoring is a must.
Whether you are working as a home tutor or an online tutor, your position remains complicated. It would be utterly wrong to suggest that teaching and tutoring characteristics are alike.
They are two different aspects of the same field.
Not only is the teaching style of these two aspects different, but their rates also drastically vary. If you want details on tutoring payment rates, check out the following blog.
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Why Are Tutoring Fees Higher Than Teaching Rates?
Compared to teaching lessons, tutoring lessons are more focused and targeted. The teacher’s attention is divided among multiple students in the teaching field.
While the tutors have to focus on each student entirely, these tutoring lessons are much more personalized and advanced than other teaching forms.
Due to such a difference in teaching and tutoring, their payment rates also differ. Unfortunately, many tutors make the mistake of charging the same tutoring fee for their services.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that distinguish the services provided by teachers and tutors. This will help you understand why tutoring fees are higher than teaching rates!

Teaching Method
The method involved in tutoring is utterly different from general teaching. Tutors are hired for deep learning development, in which all the aspects of the subjects are well-perceived by the student.
Tutors are concerned about whether students understand all the points and completely grasp their lessons.
When it comes to typical teaching, students have to make an effort to understand the teacher’s lessons.
This is because teachers are not meant to go desk by desk and teach students according to their comprehension level.
Personalized Lessons
The factor that makes tutoring better than teaching is that tutoring lessons have to be more targeted than the lectures created by teachers in institutions.
As mentioned earlier, the tutor’s responsibility is to approach the student’s capabilities on their terms. Thus, the lessons delivered have to be way more personalized.
They are made according to one’s interpreting abilities. For every student, the tutor has to make a specific teaching pattern.
Undivided Attention
One of the prominent reasons many students prefer tutoring lessons over general teaching is that the tutor’s attention remains undivided in tutoring.
Most tutoring classes consist of a small number of students. Besides, if these are online tutoring jobs or a home tutor job, they can even be one-to-one.
In this way, the tutor focuses on each student’s needs. With undivided attention, the teacher gets more time to develop their concepts.
Plus, the student also gets to understand and concentrate on the lessons better.
This teaching method proves to be highly beneficial if one wants to learn something within a short period or wants to master a particular subject.
Professionalism
Not every teacher can offer tutoring services. It is a more targeted approach than teaching and is designed to perfect particular aspects of the student’s capabilities.
That is why for online tutoring jobs or hiring a home tutor, a professional person with sufficient expertise in the related field is required.
Besides, students seeking tutoring classes also prefer professionals and specialized teachers to typical ones.
Since professionals charge a high fee for giving lessons, tutoring payment rates ultimately become higher, too.
Flexibility
Another reason tutoring lessons are more in-demand and charge higher fees is that they are more accessible and flexible than teaching classes.
No matter which part of the world you live in, you can get customized tutoring lessons via online tutoring websites.
Similarly, students are free to schedule one-to-one tutoring lessons according to their choice.
These factors add to the overall effectiveness of services provided by tutoring lessons. It is evident that tutoring is a more beneficial approach than typical teaching classes.
That is why the payment rates of online tutoring jobs or fees of a home tutor are higher than teachers.
Factors Affecting The Tutoring Payment Rates

Just like teaching, tutoring has grown to become a pretty diverse field. There are certain factors upon which the payment rates of a tutor can depend.
For example, you need to know what the tax laws are for tutors in the US so you can set your rates accordingly.
Here are some factors that heavily influence the fee rates of tutoring lessons!
Qualification Of Tutor
Your qualification will play a primary role in determining your designation and payment rates as a tutor.
If you only have a bachelor’s degree, then the payment rates of a postgraduate or Ph.D. holder tutor will ultimately be higher than yours.
Thus, the tutors with higher demand will automatically charge a higher fee.
Experience In The Related Field
Besides qualification, experience and training in the related field can also tremendously impact charges. Tutors with sufficient expertise are considered more worthy and thus, are better paid.
Level Of Students
The type and level of students you are tutoring can also impact your tutoring rates. For teaching university-level students, the complexity level increases.
For instance, to tutor university subjects, only field professionals are hired.
Therefore, the fee charged by these professors is undoubtedly higher than the tutors that teach primary or middle school students.
Subject Demand
The demand for the subject you are tutoring will significantly determine your fee. If it is a highly-demanded subject like Algebra or Biology, the price will be comparatively higher.
However, if the demand for your subject is not that high in the market, then the rates will be lower.
So, if you want to become a tutor online, it is viable to tutor a popular subject among students to be paid higher.
Complexity Of Subject
The tutoring rates will also depend upon the level of complexity of the subject.
For instance, if you provide tutoring classes for history, the tutoring fee will be lower than the fee charged for advanced and professional level subjects like accounting and genetics.
The Location In Question
Last but not least, your tutoring rates can also depend upon the area in which you are providing your services. In some localities or cities, the demand for a tutor is higher, while in others, they aren’t.
That is why the fee for tutors may broadly vary from area to area. However, if you want to become an online tutor, this factor will not affect you.
It only restricts a home tutor or an offline tutor who provides physical classes.
As a result, online tutoring is getting tremendously popular because it helps tutors get global exposure.
But contrary to what some people think, for providing tutoring services online, one should first learn how to become a tutor for online platforms.
Online tutoring websites work more cohesively than physical classes. Thus, it is essential to master the field first before jumping into it.
Moreover, one needs also to consider the legalities of becoming a tutor in the US before offering their services.
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Variation Of Payment Rates Among Different Tutoring Roles
The following table aptly describes the difference among tutors’ fees depending on their field.
The difference among the fee of tutors exists due to variation among the complexity level of their subjects, public demand, abilities of students, and qualification.
Tutoring Niche | Average Fee Per Hour In The US |
---|---|
Accounting | $25 to $90 |
Zoology | $35 to $60 |
Mathematics | $25 to $80 |
English | $25 to $40 |
History | $35 to $65 |
Pre-Medical | $50 to $300 |
Mechanical Engineering | $50 to $100 |
Fine Arts | $30 to $60 |
Painting | $5 to $30 |
Calligraphy | $5 to $50 |
Why Is Online Tutoring Pays Better Than Physical Tutoring Classes?

A decade ago, people considered online tutoring an inefficient teaching method.
But with time, a transition in people’s perspective has occurred. People are finally acknowledging online tutoring as a more accessible and better method.
Online teaching methods have drastically improved over the period. That is why online tutoring platforms are now considered the future of education.
These platforms not only prove to be beneficial for students, but for tutors, these online tutoring jobs have also made a significant difference.
Indeed, online tutoring websites give global exposure to tutors and are a great way to advertise your services.
Through these platforms, tutors can provide their services on a more significant level and attain students worldwide.
Besides providing flexibility to students, it is also a more accessible tutoring approach for tutors.
They get to divide their time between multiple students and thus, attain more online tutoring jobs. This level of flexibility is simply not provided by physical teaching methods.
With more exposure and flexibility, online tutoring jobs ultimately prove to be financially better than physical teaching jobs or the job of a home tutor.
Besides these reasons, the demand for online teachers has also increased enormously. Thus, in terms of future perspectives, this field is extremely rewarding.
That is why getting into the online tutoring field is a viable option, as this field will have exponential exposure in the future.
Master Your Tutoring Skills With Superprof
Due to the high demand for online tutors these days, many tutoring agencies have shifted their business online.
With such an increased number of tutors available these days, the quality of online tutoring has undoubtedly decreased.
Not all online tutors and online tutoring websites are sufficiently professional. Thus, while opting for an online tutor, you should prioritize quality and professionalism.
At Superprof, we have the best online tutors from all over the world. They are known for their effective teaching methods and expertise in their respective fields.
No matter which subjects you want to master, at Superprof, you will find an online tutor for every field. You can even learn to become a tutor on our platform.
Our services are not only efficient but also remarkably affordable.
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Join the Superprof community and share your knowledge with interested and motivated students.