Tutoring Rate Calculator
Enter the take-home pay you want, the hours you teach, how much unpaid preparation each hour needs and the level you teach at. The calculator returns an hourly rate, the price of a lesson, a block of ten with your discount, and what an hour of your work really earns once prep and travel are counted.
Your numbers
Resources, exam board materials, software, insurance, background checks, marketing.
Your teaching
Term time only is often 36 to 40.
As a share of taught time. 25% means a quarter of an hour of prep for each hour taught.
Each level is priced against the standard rate. Exam and university work carries more preparation and more at stake.
Result
Hourly rate, secondary
$45
$43.13 an hour covers it at the standard level. Adjusted for the level and rounded up.
- Turnover you need in a year
- $34,500
- Hours taught in a year
- 800
- Standard (secondary) hourly rate
- $43.13
- Price of a 60-minute lesson
- $45
- Block of 10 lessons
- $405 ($40.50 each)
- Hours worked a week, with prep and travel
- 25
- What an hour of work really earns
- $36
The true hourly figure shows what you earn once unpaid preparation is counted. If it looks low, the fix is a higher rate or fewer hours of prep per lesson, not more lessons.
Sell blocks of lessons and fill the term
BookingMachine lets students book a weekly slot, pay for a block up front and get reminders before each lesson, with your cancellation policy applied for you.
How the rate is worked out
The money you want to earn, plus what the business costs to run, has to come from the hours you actually teach in a year. That gives a standard hourly rate. Levels are then priced against it: primary a little below, exam preparation and university work above, because they carry more preparation and more at stake for the student.
Preparation and travel are not paid for directly, so the calculator shows them as a lower true hourly figure instead. If that figure is uncomfortable, the rate is too low for the prep the lessons need, or the lessons need less prep.
Online or in person, and blocks of lessons
Teaching in person adds travel to every lesson. Many tutors charge the same rate and lose the difference; others add a travel fee or charge more for home visits. The calculator shows the true hourly effect either way, so you can choose with the number in front of you.
A block of ten lessons paid in advance means fewer gaps in the term and fewer late cancellations. Keep the discount modest and the block tied to a term, so it is a commitment rather than a bargain.
Questions
How many hours a week can a tutor teach?
Fewer than a full-time job suggests, because lessons cluster after school and at weekends. Fifteen to twenty-five taught hours is typical for a full-time tutor once preparation, travel and admin are counted. Enter the hours you really teach, not the hours you are available.
Should I charge more for exam preparation?
Usually. Exam work needs specific preparation, familiarity with the board and the paper, and the student's family expects results. A higher rate reflects the extra work and the demand for it.
Should online lessons be cheaper?
They cost you less, because there is no travel, but the teaching is the same. Many tutors charge the same online and add a travel fee for home visits instead. Either way, the calculator shows what each option earns per hour of your time.
How much preparation time should I allow?
It depends on the subject and how many students you teach the same material to. A quarter of an hour per taught hour is common once you have a bank of material; a new course or a bespoke student can need as much prep as teaching.
What discount is normal on a block of ten lessons?
Between 5% and 10%. The discount buys you a term of committed lessons and payment up front; it does not need to be large.
Keep reading
More free tools
- Deposit CalculatorWork out how much deposit to take on a booking, from what a no-show actually costs you.
- Cancellation Policy GeneratorBuild a cancellation and no-show policy in your own terms, ready to paste onto your booking page.
- No-Show Cost CalculatorSee what missed appointments cost you in a year, and how much of it a deposit would recover.
- Booking Payment Fee CalculatorSee the card fees on a deposit and balance, what you keep, and what to charge to net your price.
- Book Now Button GeneratorMake a Book Now button and QR code for any booking link, then copy the code onto your website.
- Photography Pricing CalculatorFind the session price that pays you properly, counting editing time and the cost of your kit.
- Pet Sitting Rate CalculatorWork out what to charge per visit or walk, with the unpaid travel between clients counted in.
- Personal Trainer Rate CalculatorFind your price per session and per block, from the income you want and the sessions you deliver.
- Day Rate Calculator for TradespeopleWork out your day rate, hourly rate and minimum charge from the income you want and your running costs.
- Cleaning Price CalculatorBuild a cleaning price list by home size from your hourly rate and how long each clean takes.
- Car Valeting Price CalculatorBuild a valeting and detailing price list by vehicle size from your hourly rate and job times.
- Pressure Washing Price CalculatorBuild a pressure washing price list for patios, driveways and decking from your hourly rate.
- Google Review Link GeneratorMake a direct link and QR code that opens the review box for your business on Google.
- Appointment Reminder TemplatesText and email templates for confirmations, reminders, missed bookings and review requests.
- Invoice GeneratorMake a clean PDF invoice with your items, tax and any deposit already paid taken off.
- Travel Fee CalculatorWork out what to charge for driving to a customer, from your vehicle costs and the time at the wheel.
- Trade Job Quote CalculatorBuild a quote from labour, materials with markup, call-out and tax, with the deposit worked out.
- Dog Grooming Price CalculatorBuild a grooming price list by size, coat type and service, with add-ons, from base prices you set.
- Dog Walking Rate CalculatorWork out what to charge per walk, solo or group, and price blocks of 5, 10 and 20 walks.
- Landscaping Quote CalculatorQuote a landscaping or outdoor cleaning job by area and by crew time, with materials and disposal.
- Venue Hire CalculatorPrice a venue booking by the hour, half day or day, with peak days, a cleaning fee and a deposit.
- Tour Pricing CalculatorFind the price per head that covers the guide and the costs at the group size you really get.
- Trade Show Meeting PlannerTurn your stand hours into meeting slots per person and day, with a printable sheet and a calendar file.
- Booking QR Code GeneratorTurn your booking link into a QR code in your colours, and download it as a PNG or SVG.
- Review Request TemplatesSix ways to ask for a review by text or email, written in your name with your review link in place.
- Seasonal Pricing CalculatorSet a base nightly price, seasons and a weekend uplift, and see the price for any date or month.
- Service Area Page PlannerPlan a page for every service in every town you cover: title, heading, description and address.
Sell blocks of lessons and fill the term
BookingMachine lets students book a weekly slot, pay for a block up front and get reminders before each lesson, with your cancellation policy applied for you.