What Does Tutoring Cost?

What Are My Child's Tutoring Options?

Finding the right tutor can truly transform your child's educational experience and potential. The value of a personal tutor depends on many factors, including location, duration, likeability, guaranteed results, tutor-to-student ratio, expertise, subject area and cost. Tutoring services vary greatly to meet the specific needs of students. The average tutoring fee depends on the cost of living in your area and your tutor's level of expertise and education.

If you hire a private tutor, you may be able to negotiate a reasonable hourly fee. If you hire a tutor who works for a learning center, you probably will have less flexibility in negotiating the fee because companies usually have set rates. Another option to consider is online tutoring for your child. Free tutoring may be available through local public libraries and community volunteer programs.

To find the highest quality and most affordable tutors, determine what factors are most important for the overall success of your child. Once you know your specifications, call around to local tutoring centers or check the classified ad sections of newspapers and online directories.

Private Tutors

Although tutor costs vary throughout the country, the middle half of in-home tutors earned $19.04-$20.35 per hour in May 2011, according to PayScale.com. Some private tutors are willing to negotiate costs and give you a discount in order to get your business. You can find individual tutors through a local newspaper or an online job board. Various websites list classified ads for private tutors. Online tutor matching services are also available.

Learning Centers

A large number of local and national learning centers are available for you to choose from. If you buy tutoring hours from a private company, you may not be able to negotiate a lower cost because companies often have set rates and less flexibility to adjust costs for individual customers. PayScale.com indicated that the middle-half salary range for tutors employed by major tutoring providers in May 2011 was between $10.10 and $17.50 per hour.

These services screen and train tutors for you, and may even offer you a money back guarantee if your child's grades don't improve. A drawback, however, is that you may not get the personalized service from a franchise that you might receive from a private tutor.

Online Tutors

If you choose online tutoring for your child, you may end up spending less. Some companies offer tutoring for a monthly fee. Other companies charge by the minute. This type of arrangement can be useful if your child only needs help on a couple of math problems or one particular reading assignment.