"Before we even talk, can you tell me the price?" If messages like that have you wondering what to charge for tutoring, this is for you.
The short answer: What you should charge for tutoring depends on your subject and experience, but most private tutors charge between $25 and $80 an hour, with general K–12 tutoring around $30 to $50. If you want to charge much more, raising your rate usually isn't the answer. Specializing is.
I got that message all the time.
I couldn't tutor for less than $65 an hour. I sold it as monthly tuition, but $65 was the base rate underneath. And there was always someone who would do it for less: the retired teacher who tutors a few kids after school, the homeschool mom tutoring on the side. They're often wonderful at it. So most families who reached out were comparing.
I don't compete on price. I compete on quality, professionalism and the results I deliver. But too often, price was the only conversation people wanted to have.
How much should I charge for tutoring per hour?
Tutoring rates depend on the subject, the grade level and whether you work online or in person. Here's the 2026 picture from Wise's average tutoring rate guide:
- Overall range: about $25 to $80 an hour
- General K–12 tutoring, online: about $30 to $45
- General K–12 tutoring, in person: about $35 to $50
These are market benchmarks, not an official average. Test prep and advanced subjects sit at the top of the range.
Why can't I just raise my rate?
You can, a little. But general tutoring is a crowded field, and families can always find someone cheaper.
And there's a ceiling. You only have so many after-school hours. At $65 an hour, 15 hours a week for a school year is about $39,000, before cancellations and taxes. To earn more, you work more evenings or charge more than the market wants to pay for general tutoring.
So the real question isn't "how much should I charge?" It's "what am I charging for?" (I break down the full math in how much tutors really make.)
How do I charge for tutoring as a specialist?
Specialize. When you're the person for one specific, hard problem, families stop comparing you to the tutor down the street. A few specialties that earn more:
- High-level math and science. AP, college-level and advanced STEM.
- Dyslexia and dyscalculia. Families look hard for someone trained in this.
- College admissions essays. A high-stakes project with a deadline.
- Executive function coaching. Helping kids plan, get started and follow through on all their schoolwork, not just one subject.
Outside of a specialty, most tutors stay stuck at the lower price point, no matter how good they are.
Why did I choose executive function coaching?
Because the parents I tutored for were already asking me about it. They rarely lay awake over the math. They worried about the missing work, the meltdowns at 9 p.m., and how their kid would ever do this on their own.
At the kitchen table: I was being paid for the subject while the real need sat right next to it. Once I could help with that, I wasn't "the math tutor" anymore. I was the person in that kid's corner.
And the price conversation changed. Families stopped asking what I charge per hour, because they weren't buying hours anymore. My private coaching for tweens and teens is one 12-week package at $2,397. In my first 87 days of coaching, I made $10,100.
The market backs this up. Advertisers pay about twice as much per click on Google for "executive function tutor" (about $17) as for "tutoring rates" (about $8), according to Google Ads keyword data pulled in November 2026. Families looking for this help are worth more, because the problem is bigger.
So, are you ready for more?
There's no wrong answer here. You have two good roads.
You can stay where you are. Keep tutoring, keep your rate fair, and keep doing good work for the families you love. That's a real and honorable choice.
Or you can decide you're ready for more. More income, more impact, and more of the work that made you want to teach in the first place. If that's you, the path is already built. I walked it, and I'd love to show you. Start with the tutor-to-coach path and the 2-minute "Are you ready for more?" check.
How do you become an executive function coach?
There is no legal governing body for executive function coaching, and there is no legally required certification. I got certified anyway, through the Executive Function Coaching Academy, because it gave me a proven structure and a way to find families from day one. It's the path I recommend to every tutor who asks me.
I wrote up what it was really like, including the cost and how it paid off, in my honest review of the certification I took.
Disclosure: I'm an affiliate of the Executive Function Coaching Academy. If you enroll through my link, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The tutor-to-coach series:
- How much should I charge for tutoring? (you're here)
- How much do tutors make? The honest numbers
- How to run a tutoring business that actually pays
- Tutor vs. academic coach vs. executive function coach
- Executive function coach certification: which one is right for you?
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for private tutoring?
Most private tutors charge $25 to $80 an hour depending on subject and experience, with general K–12 tutoring around $30 to $50. Specialists charge more.
Should I sell tutoring packages instead of hours?
Yes, but only if the package is built around a result. Hours bundled by the month still get compared to someone cheaper.
Should I charge more for online or in-person tutoring?
In-person rates usually run a little higher. Online opens you up to more families, but also to more tutors competing on price.
Do I need a certification to become an executive function coach?
No. There is no legal governing body for executive function coaching, and there is no legally required certification. Many coaches get certified anyway for the training and structure.
