What should I charge for tutoring?
Tutoring looks like pure profit — no truck, no materials — but unpaid prep time, scheduling gaps, summer slowdowns, and the occasional no-show all eat into a tutoring income. Set your hourly rate from the annual income you actually want, not from what the tutoring platforms suggest.
| Gross revenue you need to bill | – |
| Business expenses | – |
| Self-employment tax (15.3%) | – |
| Federal income tax (est.) | – |
| State income tax (est.) | – |
| Retirement savings | – |
| Your take-home income | – |
For projects: estimate the hours the job will take, multiply by your hourly rate above, then add materials (with markup) and a 10–25% buffer for overruns.
Estimates use 2025 federal brackets, the standard deduction, and an approximate state rate. Local taxes, credits, and deductions beyond the standard deduction are not included. Not tax advice.
What to count as expenses
For tutoring, annual business expenses typically include curriculum and workbooks, online whiteboard or scheduling software, background-check fees, mileage to students, and platform commissions. Add up a full year of these — using a rough annual total is far better than entering zero and pricing your overhead at nothing.
Be honest about billable hours
A tutor teaching 18 student-hours a week often works 25+ real hours once prep and travel are counted. Tutoring is also seasonal — most tutors get 35–42 strong weeks a year, not 52. Use realistic numbers or your summer will be an unfunded vacation.
Tutor pricing FAQs
Should I charge less when tutoring online?
Many tutors charge the same rate online and in person — your expertise is identical, and you save travel time. If you discount online sessions at all, keep it small (10–15%), not half price.
How should I handle cancellations and no-shows?
Adopt a written 24-hour cancellation policy and charge 50–100% for late cancels. One unpaid no-show a week can quietly cut your effective hourly rate by 10% or more, which is why this calculator prices off realistic billable hours.
What about tutoring platform fees?
Platforms commonly take 20–40% of your rate. If you list at $50/hr on a platform that takes 30%, your real rate is $35 — run this calculator on what you receive, not what the student pays, or raise your platform price to compensate.