For parents and students
Hourly rates for math tutoring range from about $15 to well over $100. I can only offer my own opinion on why, but here it is.
Why some tutors charge very little
First, $15 an hour is real money, and I don't look down on anyone who charges it. College tutors are usually paid less, and so are tutors at tutoring centers. Still, I think there are a few reasons rates dip below what a competent tutor can ask:
- Experience. A tutor who isn't yet strong in the subject or in explaining it may charge $15 to $25, which is more than they could earn at another job they're qualified for. For a student who is not lost and needs a little help, a bargain tutor may be just fine.
- Not knowing their worth. Someone living at home may find $20 an hour fantastic. But $20 an hour is $40,000 a year only if you work 40 hours every week, with no taxes, no health insurance, and no travel costs. And full-time one-on-one tutoring is almost impossible. It's more demanding than a regular job, and eight hours of tutoring is often a twelve-hour day once you add driving.
- Tutoring on the side. Some tutors have regular jobs and tutor for a little extra money or just because they like it. They don't need to hustle for students, so they don't charge more.
There's one more thing, and it's basic supply and demand. A good tutor who charges too little is quickly swamped with students. Once their hours fill up, they turn people away, and the natural response is to raise the rate. So very good tutors with low rates don't stay that way for long.
What about the very high end?
I've seen ads for $120 an hour. I honestly can't see what skill justifies a rate that far above the market, so I'd be careful about it. The old saying that you get what you pay for mostly applies. A fair rate is one that pays a good tutor for focused work and keeps the tutor in the field for the long run.
My own rates are on the Rates page, with no registration fee, no contract, and a first hour at half price.