The average cost of tutoring can vary based on a number of different factors. While it used to be something only the wealthy could afford lower costs and new technologies are making it more accessible.
For example, working with a private tutor in a large city, will likely be more expensive than working with a tutor remotely.
This article dives into tutoring costs and some of the things you’ll want to consider before you begin working with a tutor.
What Is The Average Cost Of Tutoring?
According to Tech Cruncher, the average hourly rate of a private tutor ranges anywhere from $15 to $80 an hour. The rate a tutor charges varies based on a number of factors including:
- Grade Level
- Location
- Subject matter
- Level of Expertise
A tutor in Des Moines who works with elementary students to improve their reading comprehension is going to charge a lot less than a tutor working with college students in New York City to help them prepare for the LSAT. The average cost of tutoring for test prep is around $45 to $100 per hour which is much higher than the overall average hourly rate of general tutors.
According to data from Care.com, these are the average hourly rates for tutoring broken down by grade level:
Grade Level | Average Hourly Rates |
|---|---|
Elementary school | $18 to $75 |
Middle school | $21 to $88 |
High school | $20 to $98 |
College | $20 to $110+ |
Test prep | $21 to $100+ |
Other factors that affect the cost of tutoring is how tutoring is provided. Attending an enrichment center might be more expensive than working one-on-one with an independent tutor at your local library. Tech Cruncher reports that tutoring centers and established businesses can charge hourly rates well over $125.
In-person tutoring will tend to be more expensive than working with a tutor online. Some private tutors offer discounted rates for virtual sessions over Zoom, while platforms like Wyzant or Care.com give students access to tutors all over the country. This gives students the chance to access tutors at different levels of expertise and at different hourly rates no matter where they’re located.
Here is the average cost of tutoring in different cities based on data compiled by Care.com:
Location | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
Brooklyn, NY | $24.76 |
Portland, OR | $21.76 |
Chicago, IL | $21.09 |
Charlotte, NC | $19.79 |
San Antonio, TX | $18.26 |
Des Moines, IA | $17.14 |
Tutoring costs also vary depending on the subject matter a student is seeking support. According to Tech Cruncher, these are some of the rates you can expect to pay for subjects like math and English:
Subject | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
Chemistry | $75 |
Mandarin | $75 |
Math | $52.50 |
Physics | $40.50 |
English | $32.50 |
Science | $27.50 |
Spanish/French | $27.50 |
Unlike teaching, becoming a tutor doesn’t require extensive education. If you’re looking for help with your physics homework, you can work with a tutor who studied it in college or someone who’s a rocket scientist but tutors on the side. The more experienced a tutor is, the higher their rates will be.
How To Find Affordable Tutoring
Tutoring can be an important resource to take advantage of as part of getting an education. Parents might look to tutoring to help a struggling student overcome a difficult subject while college students might enroll in tutoring to help boost their GPA. Finding an affordable tutor can make it easier for any student to access supplemental education.
Location is probably going to be one of the biggest factors that affects the average cost of tutoring. Tutoring in high cost of living cities will be much more expensive than it will be in a smaller city. Looking for an online tutor can help lower the cost. Online tutoring can be found at sites like:
- Wyzant
- Care.com
- Chegg Tutors
Another option is to look for group tutoring instead of working with a private tutor one-on-one. This is especially true when it comes to test prep. Tutoring centers offer group sessions that can make the cost of tutoring more affordable. Some of these centers include:
One affordable option for tutoring that is becoming increasingly prevalent is subscribing to a tutoring platform. Sites like Brainly and Khan Academy offer homework assistance while Varsity Tutors offers on-demand test prep. While you might not get to work with a tutor one-on-one, memberships to these platforms can be a cost-effective alternative.
Is Paying For A Tutor Worth It?
Depending on your goals and expectations, paying for a tutor can be worth it.
If you want to get into a competitive college or need help preparing for an upcoming AP exam, working with a tutor can improve your performance. If you’re looking for help with homework, however, there may be other options that don’t require a tutor at all.
Some schools offer tutoring programs where older kids help younger kids with their homework after school. There are also a number of programs run out of local libraries or community centers that offer reading support for free.
Depending on a student’s learning style, working with a tutor one-on-one can be more effective than a group class. Figure out what your needs are and the options that are available then find a tutor that fits within your budget.
Amanda Claypool is a writer, entrepreneur, and strategy consultant. She’s lived in the Middle East, Washington, DC, and a 2014 Subaru Outback but now calls Asheville home. Amanda writes about money, crypto, emerging tech, and the future of the economy on Medium.
Editor: Colin Graves Reviewed by: Robert Farrington
