Get What You Pay For

We will have several posts about affording tutoring in the coming weeks as many of us find ourselves tightening our budgets heading into the new year. Today we will focus on knowing how much you should be spending for a tutor and what goes into that pricing. First, tutors in the Boston area can range from $30 an hour to $250 an hour. I have opinions about both sides of the extreme.

First, the low-end. When a tutor is charging you $30 an hour be careful. Is that person running a full-fledged business or is this simply a hobby. "Who cares?" you think, but it does matter. A person charging $30 an hour is likely not carrying liability insurance which leaves you open for a liability if anything happens in your home or on your property.  Second, this person may not be paying his or her taxes. Thirdly, what are the person's credentials? Is this person a certified educator who knows how to teach all kinds of students? Does he or she have a background check? Is this person fingerprinted (a new requirement for working or volunteering in all educational settings in Massachusetts)? Now this doesn't mean you shouldn't hire someone who charges $30 an hour, but make sure you know what you are paying for and at the very least, make sure they are insured.

"Okay, so what about the high-end?" you are thinking.  Is anyone worth $250 an hour? The answer is probably yes. However, what you are really paying for is access. Tutors who are charing $250 an hour are working less hours for a higher rate because they know they can demand that price and get it. Usually this is reserved for test-prep tutors and specialized math tutors; however some very gifted executive functioning tutors can also demand a higher rate. I will not discourage you from hiring a tutor who charges more if you can swing the bill. However, if you cannot, there are definitely more affordable tutors.

I find that many very qualified tutors in this area range from $75-125 an hour. These people have teaching experience and are usually certified in their subject area. They are also running a legitimate business registered in their town and state. Great, you say, but this still feels like a lot of money.  

Remember, however, that these tutors are often coming to your home and saving you time. Also, for every one hour in your home with your child, a tutor is often spending 1 hour prepping and a half hour commuting. For a tutor charging $125 that real hourly rate is $50. 

If that still seems like a lot, find ways to make tutoring more affordable for you. We will cover these tips in next week's blog post. Till then, Happy Thanksgiving!