Become a Tutor: How Much do Tutors Charge for Each Area of Study?

Average tutoring costs fluctuate considerably, and this is influenced by a number of factors. So how much should you really be charging as a private tutor? The platform Tutors have tracked down thousands of cost estimates over most subject areas, and depending on how you wish to conduct your lessons, the range of income you would expect are as follows: Private Tuition: $25-$80 per hourOnline Tutoring: $25-$50 per hourSAT & Test Prep: $45-$100 per hourTutoring Centers: $150-$200 per hour It's a broad range, isn't it? Well, whether you are offering your services on the lower or upper side of the scale, this is dependent, usually upon:

• Locational Preferences - also if you are traveling to and from a student's home or conducting your lessons remotely.
• Tutor Experience - the more you have, the more inclined you are to charge for your services.
• Educational Background - did you finish your education after high school or are you an accredited Ph.D. graduate?
• Subject Area - do you have any particular academic niche that you offer your students?

Your subject specialization, as highlighted above, plays a crucial part in deciding how much you charge your students. Following a quick search on the Superprof website, the volume of tutors that specialize in different subject areas varies considerably. In Los Angeles, for example, there are 1000+ available tutors that can assist in the teaching of general Literacy. There is also a high volume of tutors specializing in Maths (over 719). Now, compare this with a humanities subject. History, being an example, only has 61 available tutors, and therefore the volume of tutors available, along with academic knowledge, can influence a tutor's hourly rate.

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English, Math & Science - Reviewing Tutoring Costs for Core Subject Areas

A private tutor's hourly rate depends on multiple variables. And It will come as no surprise to discover that the three core subject areas have the highest volume of available private tutors across the United States. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that competition drives down the average rate at which tutors charge their students. Multiple factors must be taken into account, and some of the highest-paid tutors across the country do specialize in these subjects, especially those that are offering their services to highly skilled professionals and postgraduate students.

English Tutoring

According to Care.com, most students looking to develop their literacy skills will be expected to pay around $20-$40 per hour. Note to consider: These rates are national averages. Rates for supplemental instruction also vary greatly from one region to another in the US. As a result, it's vital that you also check out your local rates and competition when establishing a price. One could arguably assume that such an average would merely account for basic teachings for Elementary & High School students. Okay, good to know... But where do I start? Simply advertising yourself as an English Tutor for children between particular ages may be detrimental to your tutoring profile. Putting it simply, there are thousands of people across the country doing the same. Identifying a niche within your tutoring or English expertise is paramount in generating interest from new students, whilst acting as a platform to help justify a higher hourly rate. Take these two (anonymous) profiles as an example: 1. A 16-year-old honorary student that has recently graduated and will be starting their undergraduate in fundamental Literacy in the following semester. Firstly, due to the student's age, it is likely they have little experience in one-to-one or group-based tutoring. Due to that lack of experience, they can only provide the very basic of fundamental literacy learning, and therefore, this particular tutor can not expect to hike up their rates, especially when there is so much competition from fellow tutors with a similar profile. 2. A certified world language teacher with an undergraduate in English Literature. Worked with younger children as well as in a professional capacity with adults and has several years of experience working as a specialist language support teacher, also ESL qualified (English as a Second Language). Would you expect disparities between these individual tutoring prices... of course! From experience, educational background, as well as specializations: these tutors' profiles differ considerably. Yet, although both of the tutors may intend in attracting a similar type of student, the price should be dictating by one's capacity to conduct the most effective and consistent English tutoring sessions.

Math Tutoring

In comparison to English, hiring a Math tutor is no different. Let's take a look at available tutors in the city of Boston. The average rate per hour for an English tutor is $26 per hour, whereas for Math it is $24 per hour. Similarly, the price for a math tutor depends solely on the provider's experience, but it is also heavily dependent on the tutor's academic knowledge. From junior/pre-med biology students to academic professors, the more complex you wish to go, the more expensive you would expect it to be. At $65 per hour (roughly $40 more than the average), you will be able to hire a qualified Mathematics teacher with over 10 years of classroom experience within Algebra I/II, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB/BC, IB, and more. This extent of professional experience (within an educational setting), combined with an individual's academic expertise helps to justify an above-average hourly rate.

Science Tutoring

Split into three main areas: Biology, Chemistry & Physics, there are roughly a similar amount of available tutors within each of the three scientific principles across most states in the country. In Philadelphia, the average hourly rate advertised on the Superprof website include: Biology: $24 per hour (91 Tutors)Chemistry: $26 per hour (134 Tutors)Physics: $28 per hour (108 Tutors) With a slight difference of $2-$4 per hour, the average rate between each of the three scientific categories remains similar. Mirroring what was discussed earlier, a tutor's academic knowledge and teaching experience reflect considerably on a Science-based tutor's prices.

Tutoring in the Core Humanities Subjects

From the study of languages, philosophy, history, and religion; this is when there becomes a smaller demographic of available tutors. How does this affect prices? Again, this depends on the expertise of the educational provider.

Religious Education Tutoring

In the city of New York, the most populous city in the United States (8,175,133 - 2010 Census), there are currently 23 available tutors specializing in RE (Religious Education) on the same online platform, significantly less than the core subjects discussed earlier. Would you expect the average hourly rate to be higher due to its lower multitude of active tutors? Not necessarily. The average hourly rate for a religious educational specialist based in NYC is $28 per hour, and with the city being the most expensive to live in the country, you would have assumed that the average price would be much higher. Again, it seems to boil down to the individual's expertise, and those with a niche area in the subject tend to increase their rates to reflect their level of academic knowledge.

Philosophy Tutoring

A high volume of college and university tutors offer their services for students looking to learn more about various principles of philosophy. Having searched across some of the most populous cities in the country, no more than 23 philosophy tutors are available at any one time, and this could be dependable on-demand (in Los Angeles, there are only 14 tutors, with an average hourly rate at $24 per hour). The variation of tutor experience in the field of Philosophy did however fluctuate considerably. An example is a college lecturer of Philosophy with 30+ years of experience offering sessions for $50 per hour, as opposed to a recent high school graduate with an interest in Philosophy advertising their services for as little as $15 per hour.

How Does Subject Level Affect Rates for Tutoring Jobs?

Although it may come across as rather obvious, various components can influence a tutor's rate depending on the level of academic standing in which they teach. Let's break these down into three separate categories: Elementary Education: Yes, a tutor's academic level at this age group does not have to concur with that of a P.h.D. student, yet within early learning education, there are multiple complex strategies involved to make the process of learning more digestible for children at such an age. The various resources and specialist equipment younger children use to enhance their learning opportunities must also be familiar to the tutor, and a lack of knowledge in the more modernist approaches will limit the success of each tutoring session. High School/Undergraduate: ranging from 14-21 years (usually), this can be a tricky age to engage a student, especially if it is a reluctant teenager in which a parent has organized such sessions on their behalf. Naturally, you would expect a tutor within this field to more than an elementary educator, yet other factors may also influence this. Furthermore, if you possess any particular specialties as an educational provider i.e. behavioral management; such skills can also influence your rates. Postgraduate/Doctorate: Now it comes to the more academic side of tutoring. Students find themselves in a doctorate not because they were forced, but because they are academically inclined and motivated to succeed. Yet, when constructing a 100+ page thesis, you may require an additional hand from someone who has 'been there and done that'. The highest average price for a tutor will usually be those that can assist postgraduate students with complex learning principles that most tutors otherwise could not. With all of this in mind, you can use these suggestions as a starting point to adapt your price according to your location and experience as a tutor in your field.