Tutoring rates vary dramatically depending on a number of different factors:
- How experienced is the tutor?
- What is the subject or focus of tutoring?
- Is it a private tutor or a tutor working for a large company?
- Is it online or in-person tutoring?
- Where is the tutor or tutoring company located?
With so many factors affecting the rate, a one hour tutoring session could cost you anywhere from $15 – $450. That’s a huge range, so let’s break it down into some common categories: Peer Tutors, Marketplace Tutors, Tutoring Companies, and Specialists.
Peer Tutors
Peer tutors are current students who provide academic support in subjects that they’ve recently learned. Peer tutoring is the most common and most affordable type of tutoring, with rates typically varying from $15 – $25 per hour (your actual cost could be even lower through a subsidized school program.)
Most colleges have a student learning center staffed by peer tutors, and it’s common for high schools and middle schools to offer some sort of peer tutoring program. Peer tutors also work privately, getting students through referrals or through online marketplaces such as Wyzant and Care.com.
While peer tutors tend to be less experienced in the subjects they tutor and less experienced with pedagogy, they can still be quite effective. Fresh off the learning experience themselves, peer tutors are uniquely positioned to explain concepts in a way that resonates. That might be all that a student needs.
Marketplace Tutors
Marketplace tutors are private tutors that connect with students through online marketplaces such as Wyzant, Care.com, Thumbtack, etc. Most marketplace tutors are online only, but some are available to meet in-person. They tend to be more experienced than peer tutors (though not always), with rates ranging from $20 – $75 per hour.
Depending on the marketplace, there may be some sort of vetting process. At the very least, there is usually an identity verification and sometimes a background check. But you don’t necessarily need a lot of experience or credentials to get started. In other words, tutor quality is a bit of a mixed bag.
While more experienced tutors tend to charge higher rates, there are great tutors that undercharge and not so great tutors that overcharge. It pays to do your research—make sure to read through different tutor profiles and take a close look at their reviews before making a selection.
Tutoring Companies
Tutoring companies run the gamut. There are large national brands such as Mathnasium and Kaplan that tend to be more standardized, as well as local tutoring organizations that tend to be more personalized.
While different tutoring companies excel in different areas, you can be more certain about tutor quality when hiring a tutor company vs. when hiring a private tutor. They vet and hire tutors themselves, taking the guesswork out of tutor selection. But you pay for the convenience, with rates typically varying from $40 – $150 per hour.
Tutor companies also provide some extras that you don’t typically get with private tutors. Depending on the company, they may provide their own curriculum, or offer small group tutoring. They may work with uncommon subjects or be specialized in supporting students with learning differences.
If taking a chance on a private tutor doesn’t suit you, tutoring companies are a good alternative for consistently good results.
Specialists
Most tutors will fall under one of the three categories listed above. However, there are some private tutors who build personal brands and operate mostly outside marketplaces. Rates vary dramatically, with some tutors charging as much as $450 per hour! However, most charge between $60 – $175 per hour.
Specialists that work off referrals succeed because of their reputation. While finding a quality tutor through a marketplace can be difficult, you can be more certain about a private tutor who has built their own personal brand.
But specialists also tend to go where the money is, working primarily in high value areas related to college admissions, or in high demand subjects such as math. As their reputation grows, so does their rate.
Other Considerations
As with anything else, the cost of tutoring is location dependent, tracking along with the cost of living. Online tutoring rates are generally lower than in-person rates, especially if you search for tutors located in less expensive areas. STEM subjects are generally more expensive, as are high value areas like college admissions and SAT test prep.
While most students still prefer in-person tutoring, there are more online tutoring options now than ever before. But even with online tutoring, you’re often better off finding a local tutor who is familiar with the local school system. With that in mind, location, subject and preferred modality are often fixed.
From there, cost will vary mostly depending on whether you choose a peer tutor, marketplace tutor, tutoring company, or specialist.
Emergent Education is a K-12 Portland tutoring company. We offer in-person tutoring locally and online tutoring to students across the U.S. You can check out our rates on our pricing page.
