Is $20/hr too low to charge for tutoring?

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tavokeri9

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I charge $45/hr, but I'm in Chicago, and I always travel to clients. I would charge a lot less if the client came to me.
 
If you actually talk and write as you've done in the title, I have no idea how you could be anyone's tutor.

But barring that, I always charged $25/hr and did just fine. I had a stint with $30/hr but the problem I had with that was I'd most often get one-night-stands, as I'm assuming the person was able to find someone cheaper to satisfy their needs (60 bucks for two hours is difficult to swing for most). Just know that the more you lower it, the greater your potential client base. With that said, lowering price too much could indicate your services are perhaps substandard, or that you aren't qualified to provide the best tutoring. If you're going to have a high price, target the right areas (you know which ones).
 
$45 is usually the average price for traveling tutors but as a private tutor I think that is utterly awful. I did it for a while, and I felt awful even when I was doing a lot of work and teaching. $25 is what I think I would charge not including gas if you have to travel. If you make any less, you're getting a cheap end of the stick.
 
Petrichor1 said:
$45 is usually the average price for traveling tutors but as a private tutor I think that is utterly awful. I did it for a while, and I felt awful even when I was doing a lot of work and teaching. $25 is what I think I would charge not including gas if you have to travel. If you make any less, you're getting a cheap end of the stick.
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**** lol I'd go two towns over sometimes. Then again, it's not like I had a plug into the rich communities or anything, so that might have been what kept me down. I do KNOW, however, for people who know how to advertise properly (as you can see through wyzant) that $50/hr is definitely doable. However, it's not like I'm even seeing those guys securing greater than a couple hundred hours annually. Like it's great you can charge that much, but if the volume isn't there it's....eh. Good supplemental income though, without a doubt.

I just feel like there's way too many indies around preventing me from locking people into paying that much when dealing with the people I dealt with.

Plenty of students in my area work for scrap. The university tutor job is like $10/hr. If you got kids and rent due, $15's even looking pretty nice right about now.
 
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I read somewhere that parents prefer tutors that charge more. The tend to think that if something like tutoring costs $20, it's actually too low and think they're getting poor quality for the sons/daughters.

Start at $40. Play the market. In my area, according to ads on craigslist posted by tutors, they generally start at $35, and it increases depending on how complex the topic.
 
Oncie said:
I read somewhere that parents prefer tutors that charge more. The tend to think that if something like tutoring costs $20, it's actually too low and think they're getting poor quality for the sons/daughters.

Start at $40. Play the market. In my area, according to ads on craigslist posted by tutors, they generally start at $35, and it increases depending on how complex the topic.
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I literally must live in bumf*ck or something (I really don't though!). Especially the urban prices are like freaking me out. I remember some guy said $60-70 in NY. Geez.
 
………meanwhile I'm a college grad who is being paid $9 per hour as a dental assistant.

but then i don't have any marketable skills or research experiences even with my bio degree.
 
For high school? 20$/hr is absurd in my opinion. That's double minimum wage......
 
Now I'm wondering if charging $15/hr is hurting me, and I had intentionally made it lower because I lack experience. Definitely don't live in a low CoL area either
 
ConfusedChemist said:
Really? None of your business. I still think its crazy that people charge that much to teach high school kids. I don't know how you can ask that.
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Believe it or not it does affect how much people are willing to pay.
 
altblue said:
Now I'm wondering if charging $15/hr is hurting me, and I had intentionally made it lower because I lack experience. Definitely don't live in a low CoL area either
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Go to the richest richy mcrich areas to advertise your services. You may be surprised.

At how ridiculously huge their houses are.

And how beautiful they all are.

I was intimidated. It's like walking into Mt. Olympus with the golden pillars and greek gods.
 
StudyLater said:
Go to the richest richy mcrich areas to advertise your services. You may be surprised.

At how ridiculously huge their houses are.

And how beautiful they all are.

I was intimidated. It's like walking into Mt. Olympus with the golden pillars and greek gods.
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Lol, sure!

I may raise it a bit , though I can't travel to the Super rich areas.
 
altblue said:
Lol, sure!

I may raise it a bit , though I can't travel to the Super rich areas.
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Ah yes of course. They have gates and guard dogs and lasers that incinerate trespassers. How could I forget.
 
I think $15 a hour is reasonable for a high school tutor, particularly for what this guy is doing. If he had a college education, or even part of one, he could go up to $25-$30. The highest I'd pay for a high school kid tutoring (managing) another high schooler is $15-$20.
 
tavokeri9 said:
I am a senior who recently started private tutoring a 9th grader. I have about 3 years of tutoring experience - mostly TAing in school where I get $10/hr.

I am charging $20/hr for private tutoring. The student comes to my home and usually does most of the work on her own; I don't have to teach her anything other than just making sure that she is finishing her HW in a timely manner and occasionally quiz her on material before exams…so my job is more like "manager" rather than "tutor."

I also live in the Northern VA area. Can someone tell me whether I am getting paid well or lower than usual? I just told the girl's mother that I will charge $20, but I don't want to get ripped off in case tutors are being paid more in my area. Should I change my price and ask for more? Or is this a decent price for my locality?
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It depends how cute you are.
 
If you were teaching a college level class to a student, I would say easily 40/50$; but you are "managing" a high schooler, so I think 20 is about right.
 
StudyLater said:
**** lol I'd go two towns over sometimes. Then again, it's not like I had a plug into the rich communities or anything, so that might have been what kept me down. I do KNOW, however, for people who know how to advertise properly (as you can see through wyzant) that $50/hr is definitely doable. However, it's not like I'm even seeing those guys securing greater than a couple hundred hours annually. Like it's great you can charge that much, but if the volume isn't there it's....eh. Good supplemental income though, without a doubt.

I just feel like there's way too many indies around preventing me from locking people into paying that much when dealing with the people I dealt with.

Plenty of students in my area work for scrap. The university tutor job is like $10/hr. If you got kids and rent due, $15's even looking pretty nice right about now.
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I know that website you're referring and btw they take about 50% out of your gross income unless until you become pro accumulating many hours. I honestly didn't like their overpriced rates and I earn more doing $25 an hour independently. It's a good supplemental income but nothing to count on as it comes and goes really fast. Rather, I make it a goal that my advices help the student to not pursue long time tutoring. I just can't see that student succeeding in the future if they need spoon-feeding all the time.
 
Petrichor1 said:
I know that website you're referring and btw they take about 50% out of your gross income unless until you become pro accumulating many hours.
Click to expand...

For me it was 40 when I first joined, and it gets down to 20 later on. But yeah everyone using it kind of dislikes it, though it does provide a healthy amount of business for those charging exorbitant rates. I will say though that people with grad degrees and PhDs dominate that market, though, since the type of parent looking to pay $50+ is clearly looking for the best possible help.

Petrichor1 said:
I honestly didn't like their overpriced rates and I earn more doing $25 an hour independently. It's a good supplemental income but nothing to count on as it comes and goes really fast. Rather, I make it a goal that my advices help the student to not pursue long time tutoring. I just can't see that student succeeding in the future if they need spoon-feeding all the time.
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Agreed.
 
I charge 60$/hr but I'm like reteaching them.
 
StudyLater said:
Tutor/stripper?

Price just went up to $100/hr
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I know a -very handsome- guy who used to tutor English, but he had to stop because he ended up sleeping with most of his students and it wasn't too good for business! 😵
 
TheBiologist said:
If you were teaching a college level class to a student, I would say easily 40/50$; but you are "managing" a high schooler, so I think 20 is about right.
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Lol, I'm not sure I'd like charging $50, even if people would pay it! Sure, it doesn't make sense, but I'd never ever pay that much, and the price puts pressure on me.

StudyLater said:
Don't even drink actually.

But if you got some coke we can talk.

(kidding)

(am I?)

(No yeah I am.)
Click to expand...
😕
 
My university paid me (a grad student) 15$/hr to tutor physics for college students.
 
Doudline said:
I know a -very handsome- guy who used to tutor English, but he had to stop because he ended up sleeping with most of his students and it wasn't too good for business! 😵
Click to expand...

I could see that. Particularly with HS students....
 
Doudline said:
I know a -very handsome- guy who used to tutor English, but he had to stop because he ended up sleeping with most of his students and it wasn't too good for business! 😵
Click to expand...

You're talking about yourself right?
 
Meeehai said:
You're talking about yourself right?
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Oh no! I'm only a 9/10 on a good day.

That guy was easily 11/10. The "I'd pay him to punch me in the face" kind.

jensenabouttojizzhispanties-1.gif
 
Wow...I'm going about this all wrong then...I tutor for my school and only get paid $7.50/hr
 
StudyLater said:
Go to the richest richy mcrich areas to advertise your services. You may be surprised.

At how ridiculously huge their houses are.

And how beautiful they all are.

I was intimidated. It's like walking into Mt. Olympus with the golden pillars and greek gods.
Click to expand...

Ya, houses like that are ridiculous though. How do you maintain houses like that? I'd say you pretty much have to have a butler or maid at that point.
 
I do like 22 an hour but it's pretty much one of those jobs where I just come in when someone needs help with their SAT or something so I don't always have work, which is fine by me.
 
I just scored a consistent, $20/hr gig. So I guess I'll take that. 🙂
 
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