How much to charge for tutoring?

[Quiver0f10]

My 17 year old is thinking about tutoring other home schooled math students. What do you think would be a fair amount for him to charge?

Edited November 30, 2010 by Quiver0f10

[rlugbill]

I think it's great he wants to tutor math. It's a great learning experience. Learning to run his own business, solidifying his math, etc.

 

What should he charge? What the market will bear. In my area, college students tutor for about $20/hour. If you have a degree and experience, it's only a little more- maybe $25 or $30/hr.

 

But without a degree or college, he's probably not going to get as much at first. Parents are going to be the ones judging whether or not he would be good. If they already know him and think he'd be good, that would help. Otherwise, they might be wary of a 17 yr. old tutoring their kid.

 

There are different strategies for pricing. One is to price at the going rate. The norm. Then, you will compete on quality. Does he have something special to offer the others don't?

 

Another strategy is to price for less than the going rate to get more clients. This would be the tendency for someone new without experience, especially 17 yrs. old. But, if you underprice, sometimes people think you're not as good.

 

The other strategy is to set the price high so people think you are worth it. You do have to deliver in terms of quality because people will have high expectations of you.

 

He could price his services at the going rate but add a quality guarantee to distinguish himself from his competitors. For example, guarantee a certain % increase in test scores if you use him for a year or your money back.

 

Does he have any training or experience he can advertise?

 

If this is a friend that he is going to tutor and you are concerned about relationships and fairness, not business concerns, then you would look at it differently, of course. But you don't want to under-price it and then start to feel resentful that it isn't enough. Or they don't take it seriously because they aren't paying much for it anyway.

 

Somehow, if people aren't paying for something, even though you are doing them a favor, they don't take it seriously, and show up late or cancel at the last minute or they don't bring what they are supposed to or don't prepare. Charging a reasonable rate helps for everyone to take it seriously.

 

If you are looking for fairness, find a method, rather than a price. Find an objective method, so it's not just some number you got out of thin air. And agree to the method, rather than the price. That way, you aren't negotiating with a friend, which can be awkward:tongue_smilie:.

 

For example, you both agree the price will be based upon calling another tutor in the area who does similar work and ask him what is fair, given the circumstances- 17 yr. old, no experience, etc.

 

That way, you are not setting the price, it's based on an objective analysis.

 

I hope this is helpful.

[StephanieZ]

Depends on where you live, what the norms are, whether he'd go to them or they'd come to him. . .

 

For *here*, I pay $15/hr for a native Spanish speaker who teaches both uni. & high school classes! That is a *steal*, but I guess it is the going rate here. ..

 

So, if I were in your shoes, I'd consider. . .

 

$10/hr if the kid came to your kid (at your home or a library)

 

+ $5 travel charge if your kid had to go to the kid's home (or any other place that isn't particularly convenient/1st choice for your son).

 

Those rates are assuming elementary to early high school level math. If your son is tutoring Calculus or higher, then I'd surely charge at least $5-$10/hr higher (as competence in higher math is a much rarer skill!)

 

Now, when I lived in Northern VA, those rates would have been doubled or tripled!! But, I live in low-wage WV.

[SonshineLearner]

My daughter charged $10 an hour. For us, we would also want the "safety net" of another adult in the part of the house that the student would be in... because I'm a bit nervous about my teens being one on one with a student. Not at all because of my kids... but because that's our "family rule"....

 

:)

[Brindee]

My daughter charged $10 an hour. For us, we would also want the "safety net" of another adult in the part of the house that the student would be in... because I'm a bit nervous about my teens being one on one with a student. Not at all because of my kids... but because that's our "family rule"....

 

:)

:iagree: My oldest tutored math--Algebras, Geometry and Pre-Calc for other high school students. It was through the school he was going to, and it went straight on his bill, but that's what was charged, and there was always an adult nearby!

[Ester Maria]

For *here*, I pay $15/hr for a native Spanish speaker who teaches both uni. & high school classes! That is a *steal*, but I guess it is the going rate here. ..

A native speaker, with an advanced degree in the language (I assume, being that she teaches at university), teaching at a university, working for the kind of fee I was going to propose for this kid? Wow, you must really not have any shortage of native educated Spanish speakers where you live for the price to be there.

 

Ontopic, I agree with your suggestions of fees.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all. We did plan on having another adult nearby for accountability. He decided on $12 an hour.

[StephanieZ]

A native speaker, with an advanced degree in the language (I assume, being that she teaches at university), teaching at a university, working for the kind of fee I was going to propose for this kid? Wow, you must really not have any shortage of native educated Spanish speakers where you live for the price to be there.

 

Ontopic, I agree with your suggestions of fees.

 

I am very fortunate. I live in a university town. I sent an email (& called to follow up) to the language dept requesting a tutor. . . asked it to be forwarded to grad students/etc. . . and had at least a dozen offers within the day. $15/hr seemed to be the high end of going rate. Insane, I know. But, it does make it possible for me to hire the tutor for all 3 kids (90 min -- I round up to $25). .. . every other week. I couldn't do it at 30/hr. . . It's just reality around here. . . If you want work, you don't ask for a lot of $$. Many, many college-educated folks work for near minimum wage (7.25/hr).

[Julie in MN]

I am very fortunate. I live in a university town. I sent an email (& called to follow up) to the language dept requesting a tutor. . . asked it to be forwarded to grad students/etc. . . and had at least a dozen offers within the day. $15/hr seemed to be the high end of going rate. Insane, I know. But, it does make it possible for me to hire the tutor for all 3 kids (90 min -- I round up to $25). .. . every other week. I couldn't do it at 30/hr. . . It's just reality around here. . . If you want work, you don't ask for a lot of $$. Many, many college-educated folks work for near minimum wage (7.25/hr).

 

Stephanie, this is a great idea.

 

I have a question. I did something similar years back, when I hired a university couple from China as babysitters. However, I found that they were taking the job in order to *learn English.*

 

I also hired a French teacher to tutor my dd, which was fine but in the back of my mind I felt there was more talking in English going on that I would have preferred.

 

So was your experience that the tutor actually speaks the language with your children rather than trying to learn English or ending up chatting in English?

 

Just wondering,

Julie

[Guest bandgeek-16]

how much should i charge per hour for teaching a mother and her daughter the guitar? knowing the fact that i am in high school and have had experience playing guitar.