I know it's been asked before, but how much $ for piano lessons?

[Julie in CA]

How much do you pay for piano lessons, and what are the teacher's qualifications?

[LimitBreak]

We pay $15 for 30 minutes. The teacher was highly recommended by my Aunt. The teacher is a music director at a church. As far as a music degree, I don't know if she has one.

 

Her three teenage kids play a musical instrument. She also has 20+ young pupils.

 

She focuses on the Lesson Book & Techniques. I tutor Theory at home & have my son practice lessons daily.

[northcoast]

In the Cleveland, OH area it's any where from $15 to $25 for 30 minutes of private lesson. Some teacher that have done it for years and have music degrees charge only $15 and others $25. Go figure. Get good recommendations from friends and interview the teacher.

 

northcoast

[Harriet Vane]

In our area the range is $15-$30 for half an hour, with $30 being the more common asking price.

[Colleen]

 

How much do you pay for piano lessons, and what are the teacher's qualifications?

The rate here is commonly $20 and up per half hour for teachers educated in the field. Both of our instructors over the years have studied music pedagogy. I actually think they could charge significantly more so I appreciate their reasonable rates (again, in light of their educational backgrounds in the field). I imagine a teacher who is merely a church pianist or some such would charge less.

 

[Julie in CA]

Get good recommendations from friends and interview the teacher.

 

northcoast

I should have explained why I want to know. :001_smile:

We have an excellent piano teacher, with a master's degree and concert experience. We started with her two years ago, when my dd outgrew her previous teacher. I love the teacher, but the prices have gone up two years in a row, and I think we've surpassed my maximum. Actually, I'd set my maximum to $80 per month for a one hour lesson every two weeks, but now I've received a notice that prices have been raised to $84. Add to that the fact that the teacher lives a great distance away, so it's costing a lot in gas, and I'm torn about what to do. I just wanted to check and see if my expectations were out of line.

 

Thanks,

Julie

[Julie in CA]

The rate here is commonly $20 and up per half hour for teachers educated in the field. Both of our instructors over the years have studied music pedagogy. I actually think they could charge significantly more so I appreciate their reasonable rates (again, in light of their educational backgrounds in the field). I imagine a teacher who is merely a church pianist or some such would charge less.

Colleen! Where have you been?! (Don't answer that, I can guess). Good to "see" you, friend! :001_smile:

[Colleen]

 

We have an excellent piano teacher, with a master's degree and concert experience. We started with her two years ago, when my dd outgrew her previous teacher. I love the teacher, but the prices have gone up two years in a row, and I think we've surpassed my maximum. Actually, I'd set my maximum to $80 per month for a one hour lesson every two weeks, but now I've received a notice that prices have been raised to $84. Add to that the fact that the teacher lives a great distance away, so it's costing a lot in gas, and I'm torn about what to do. I just wanted to check and see if my expectations were out of line.

So the rate is $40 per hour? I do consider that reasonable, given her qualifications. If your daughter is serious about her music studies, I suggest you pay the increased rate. If, on the other hand, it's more a matter of learning piano purely for the enjoyment, I'd look for another teacher. Or perhaps you can talk to the teacher. Explain that you don't feel you can continue paying increased rates, particularly as you have to drive some distance. If she thinks your daughter is a proficient and serious student, she may be open to working something else out.

 

[Laurie4b]

Son's music teacher charges $26/half hour. Quals: excellent musician, excellent teacher, degree

Son charged $15/half hour Quals: excellent musician, patient teacher for beginners.

[Colleen]

 

Colleen! Where have you been?! (Don't answer that, I can guess). Good to "see" you, friend! :001_smile:

I've been sitting here waiting for you to start a thread so I could reply and achieve my 5000th post.;) Yes, life is all-consuming. Most of my online time is confined to the Sonlight board, since that's my primary curriculum. This is fair week, btw. Craziness!

 

[Julie in CA]

Dd is a very serious student, and always has been. Practices for her own enjoyment, with nary a reminder to do so. At the same time, I don't think dd has aspirations for her playing beyond being able to serve the church with her talent, and perhaps being able to pass her love of playing on to some beginning students of her own some day. I'm not saying the teacher isn't worthy of her price, just wondering if I could find another teacher that would also be closer to where we live, since we've just passed my budget max of $80 per month for lessons. I can certainly squeak the extra $ out of another area of my budget if need be, but times are hard and I'm scrutinizing every dollar, kwim?

[Colleen]

 

Dd is a very serious student, and always has been. Practices for her own enjoyment, with nary a reminder to do so. At the same time, I don't think dd has aspirations for her playing beyond being able to serve the church with her talent, and perhaps being able to pass her love of playing on to some beginning students of her own some day. I'm not saying the teacher isn't worthy of her price, just wondering if I could find another teacher that would also be closer to where we live, since we've just passed my budget max of $80 per month for lessons. I can certainly squeak the extra $ out of another area of my budget if need be, but times are hard and I'm scrutinizing every dollar, kwim?

Given your daughter's aspirations, yes, I'd look for another teacher. Aside from the cost of lessons, the drive would bother me. Unless I had a child who intended to pursue music study at a higher level, I wouldn't go any great distance to lessons.

 

[Krista in LA]

We pay $55/month for a weekly 30 minute lesson. I'm not sure exactly of the teacher's qualifications, but she has been teaching for years and years and is a former president of the state music teachers association. She is very patient and has done a great job teaching both of my kids.

[MBM]

How much do you pay for piano lessons, and what are the teacher's qualifications?

 

Around our area just north of Chicago, the going rate is about $25 per one-half hour session.

 

My son, a sax player, is tutored by a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a clarinet player, and he charges us $25, but some students pay $50.

 

Piano rates are similar.

[sleepymommy]

I'm paying $10 for a 1/2 hour right now with ds's teacher, those are her summer rates, it will go up in the fall. She is not a professional music teacher (no degree), she plays for her church and assists in a preschool class.

 

I looked into 2 other teachers in my area. Both were professional (degree in music) teachers. One charged $35 for half hour the other charged by the month at $170. She charges this rate even when there is a 2 week holiday in December.

 

My goal for ds is just exposure, so I didn't see the need to pay the extra bucks. But if in the future he becomes serious about it I would probably seek out a teacher with more degree-like certifications.

[RamonaQ]

I am just saying, I am moving to wherever y'all are. I have not heard anything less than $30/ 30 min where we live, for anyone. To me, $84/ mo would be fantastic. We look for someone who will teach theory, technique and has a degree in piano performance-- which it sounds like this teacher does.

 

Personally, I think if your daughter loves it, is doing well, I would continue with it-- from what I have heard, serious piano studies look great for college apps. Does your daughter do any piano competitions or adjudications? My dd piano teacher has had students win college scholarships at these.

[lisabelle]

Ds has been taking piano through our district's Homeschool Resource Center for 3 years now. His teacher is allowed to use her space for private lessons after school hours. She charges us the same as she does her homeschool students--$20 for a half-hour lesson. I know she has a degree in music from University of Minnesota. If I were find a teacher via a music store or someone teaching out of their home, the rate would be more like $45 for a half-hour lesson. And at a music store, it would probably be a group lesson.

 

It'll be nice for ds's piano teacher to be able to fold ds into the regular school day this year, instead of teaching him at 4 in the afternoon.

[thepoteetteam]

Depends where you live and on the teachers history/experience.

Beginning teachers - $8-$10 half hour

Established teachers - $15-$20 half hour

Well known teachers - $20+ half hour

[AngieW in Texas]

My youngest is taking guitar rather than piano. Her teacher charges $20/half-hour lesson, but he's added another $5/lesson for the room rental charge. He's driving 45 minutes in traffic to teach a block of private lessons. So his total charge is $25/half-hour lesson. I could get the $20/lesson rate if I was willing to make the 45 minute drive myself to where he has free room rental, but then I'd have to pay at least $5 for parking as well. As long as he's willing to drive up here, I'm willing to pay for him at this rate.

 

I checked around for prices for guitar lessons when my dd's teacher was looking for room rental (because where he used to teach closed down) and mostly got prices around $25-35/half-hour lesson.

[Wildiris]

Julie~

I live in CA. Our piano lessons are about what you quoted, $75-$85 an hour. We can only continue through scholarship given by both the piano teacher and the local piano teacher organization that puts on festivals and recitals. In 13 years of piano lessons I've seen the number of students playing piano dwindle and prices for lessons go up. My DD is a big fish in a little pond, so the piano teachers found a way for her to continue when I could not pay the fees last year. We are reapplying for scholarship again.

[Mabelen]

I am also in California but in my area I haven't found anybody for less than $25.00 for half an hour lessons. The well established teachers with a degree are $35.00 to $40.00, that's what I'm paying right now for my oldest. It is a lot of money but the incredible progress my daughter has made with this particular teacher in the last year makes it well worth it! She is absolutely loving it and planning on continuing piano through High School but not looking into Music studies or anything like that at the University level.

[GraciebytheBay]

We pay $17.50/half hour (with a slight discount for 2 children). Our teacher has her own studio, graduated from college with a music degree and has multiple awards for performance. We live in western New York.

[mktkcb]

$30 per half hour, piano. Older lady (60's). Very very good teacher - has been head of MTA, Julliard trained, etc. I worship the ground she walks on to have put up with my somewhat musically gifted/SPD/quirky to the max 13yo for 6 going on 7 years LOL! worth her weight in gold :o).

[mktkcb]

Oh...forgot to say, S. CA. And if anyone lives in the Santa Clarita area, she is fabulous. Ring my bell, and I'll tell all. ...but there are quite a few good teachers around here :o).

[kitten18]

Oh...forgot to say, S. CA. And if anyone lives in the Santa Clarita area, she is fabulous. Ring my bell, and I'll tell all. ...but there are quite a few good teachers around here :o).

 

Sent you a PM :).

[Firestar Academy]

I pay $35 for 45 minute lesson plus pay for books when needed. The teacher comes to MY HOUSE on a sunday night. I'm not sure of his qualifications, but he worked in a school forever (retired now), he plays for his synagogue, he has 2 children who are both involved in music. His dd plays for an orchestra , his son plays in a band while at med school. he doesn't charge for missed lessons and we are both very flexible about our schedules. He just returned from a 3 week vacation. Sometimes we pick up an extra lesson during the week if sunday doesn't work out.

 

Now, my youngest dd7 will start maybe tomorrow or soon after. he is not going to give us a deal on the lesson $ but I will not have to pay for any music books for either of them.

 

Robin in NJ

[mktkcb]

Sent you back a PM :o).

[mom2abcd]

Given your daughter's aspirations, yes, I'd look for another teacher. Aside from the cost of lessons, the drive would bother me. Unless I had a child who intended to pursue music study at a higher level, I wouldn't go any great distance to lessons.

 

I agree. I'm a professional organist and have taught piano lessons. If your dd is wanting to try for a piano scholarship, it might be worthwhile. Otherwise, my vote is no. Save yourself the money. I hope you find another good teacher.

[Mimm]

I'm paying $55 a month per kid. She has 40+ years of piano teaching experience and has written a line of books on piano instruction, plus she's a member of some music guild or something and has a long list of awards and things she's participated in that I haven't bothered to read.

 

Mostly she seemed nice and enthusiastic about teaching. She invited us over to see where we teach, to talk about how she teaches. I liked the way she interacted with my kids. They're both beginners so I didn't really look for a teacher that had a ton of qualifications, but rather a teacher who had experience teaching children and who actually likes to teach children. I want a teacher that isn't going to kill off their love of music.

[Veritaserum]

MA in music, $70/mo. for 4 45 min. private lessons and 1 45 min. group lesson (composer study)

[Anke]

$115/mo. Weekly lesson is 30 minutes (guitar or piano). I thought that amount was pricey when DD first started taking lessons, but our music teacher is worth more than her weight in gold!

[catz]

How much do you pay for piano lessons, and what are the teacher's qualifications?

 

The range here is typically $25 to $35 for a half hour lesson with a degreed teacher. I pay a small fortune for a 45 minute lesson with a experienced teacher that has his doctorate. My son is probably intermediate to late intermediate level. Our teacher is also worth his weight in gold! :001_smile:

[angela in ohio]

We take from a Pastor's wife who has a degree in performance, I believe (it's beena while since she told me.) She's in her sixties and has many, mnay years of experience. This is in a suburb of a large-ish city in the Midwest. We pay $16 per half hour, which is about the going rate around here. We would pay more than that to move up to the next "level" of teacher, I'm sure.

 

I'm feeling pretty fortunate paying that for two and $20 for 45 minutes for flute for the other, after I called a clarinet teacher who plays with the symphony and holds a teaching position at the university. :ack2:

Edited August 27, 2010 by angela in ohio

[Jilly]

I pay $130.00 a month for 30 minute lessons once a week. We live in Southern California, and the teacher has a master's degree, so I think the rate is reasonable. Plus she works with special needs kids which is what my son needed. He has selective mutism and has never said a word to her. Yet somehow they connect, and my son adores her and his lessons.

[ilovemy6kids]

I pay 25.00 for a one hour lesson with a lady that comes to my house. She has an advanced degree and we just LOVE her!!! She has really inspired my kids. My dd works ahead in her book just to see how thrilled Mona is. She also teaches them voice lessons.

Sheri