A science tutor can lead your child to better grades, increase their confidence and instill in them a love for the subject.
But what are the average science tutor rates in the UK? And is it worth the cost?
Here, we’ll reveal all.
How much do science tutors charge per hour?
The average cost of a science tutor in the UK is £36.70 per hour.
This has been worked out by taking into account the rates of over 550 science tutors here on Tutorful.
That said, it’s worth noting that every tutor will set their own hourly rate – so, you’ll find a big variety when it comes to science tutor prices, and there’s likely to be a tutor to suit most budgets.
Most tutors charge somewhere between £30 and £50. However, prices can vary based on lots of different factors, such as your tutor’s level of experience, location and any specialisms.
How much does a science tutor cost for each level of study?
Science tutor hourly rates can vary depending on the level of education that your child is currently at.
Primary-level science, for example, will often be cheaper than A Level. This is because your tutor won’t need as much subject-specific knowledge.
Here’s a list of the average prices for science tutors at each level:
| Level of study | Average science tutor rates per hour |
| Primary | £30 |
| KS3 | £34.70 |
| GCSE | £37 |
| A Level | £39 |
| IB | £38.90 |
How much does a primary science tutor cost?
If your child is at primary school, you can expect to pay an average hourly rate of £30 for a science tutor.
A primary-level science tutor will be able to help your child wrap their head around the subject, using a range of resources and techniques to make learning engaging and fun.
What are the average GCSE science tutor prices?
The average cost of a GCSE science tutor is £37 per hour.
A GCSE science tutor should have a good knowledge of the GCSE syllabus, as well as your child’s specific exam board.
What are the typical A Level tutor rates?
The average cost of a science tutor at A Level is £39 per hour.
This accounts for the additional subject-specific knowledge they’ll need to help your child handle the jump up from GCSE to A Level.
Read our guides to how hard chemistry, physics and biology are at A Level to learn more.
What are the average science tutoring rates for each discipline?
Generally speaking, a ‘science’ tutor will be able to help students with all three main science disciplines – physics, chemistry and biology.
However, you can also choose a tutor who specialises in just one of these disciplines.
Here’s how hourly rates compare for each:
| Science discipline | Average rates per hour |
| Biology | £39 |
| Chemistry | £39.60 |
| Physics | £43 |
| Science | £36.70 |
Often, tutors will be able to cover all three disciplines up to a certain level before narrowing down their offering to a single discipline for students studying at a more advanced level.
For example, a tutor might be able to cover combined science or physics, biology and chemistry at GCSE. But they may only cover one discipline for A Level and above.
Head over to our dedicated cost guides to learn more about the prices for each discipline:
How much is a science tutor near me vs online?
Learning in-person from a science tutor near you will almost always cost more than learning from a science tutor online.
This is because online tuition comes with fewer overheads, bringing costs down for both your tutor and your family!
Here’s how the rates typically compare.
| Location | Average science tutor rates per hour |
| In-person | £46.60 |
| Online | £36.30 |
How much does science tuition near me cost?
The average cost of in-person science tuition is £46.60 per hour.
However, prices vary up and down the country.
In particular, science tutoring rates tend to be higher in London and the south of the UK. Meanwhile, prices in the north tend to be on the lower side.
It’s also worth noting that costs in rural areas can skew higher in some instances, as travel times may be longer and there might not be as many tutors available.
How much does a science tutor online cost?
The average cost of learning from a science tutor online is £36.30 per hour.
In this way, online tuition is significantly cheaper than in-person tuition.
In fact, most Tutorful families now choose to learn online – not just because it’s more cost-effective, but also because it comes with several other benefits.
For instance, it’s more convenient for busy families who no longer need to ferry children between sessions or wait around in the car.
Plus, it can be even more effective as students can learn from the comfort of their own home and access online tools to support their learning – such as our state-of-the-art online classroom.
Read our guides to online vs in-person tutoring and the benefits of online tutoring to learn more.
What factors affect private science tutor rates?
The hourly rates of science tutors can vary according to a number of different factors.
We’ve already covered a few, but here are all the main ones to bear in mind.
Your tutor’s level of education
Tutors who hold a PhD in a scientific subject have a more in-depth understanding, and so can usually command a higher rate.
Bear in mind, however, that not all students will need a tutor with such advanced knowledge. For instance, a child at primary school will be dealing with much more simplified concepts.
Your child’s level of learning
As we’ve already touched upon, children who are studying science in greater depth will require a tutor with more advanced subject knowledge.
In particular, students who study the sciences at A Level and above won’t have the option of taking a general ‘science’ qualification. Rather, they’ll need to select from the individual scientific disciplines (e.g. biology, chemistry or physics), which calls for a tutor with more specialised understanding.
Your tutor’s level of experience
Likewise, science tutors with more tutoring experience will often be able to charge more.
This is because they’ll have more practice not just teaching the concepts, but also motivating and engaging their students in order to instill a passion for the subject and encourage wider learning.
Any specialisms
If you’d like a tutor with a certain specialism or type of experience, they may be more in-demand, which could drive up their hourly rate.
For instance, many families look for tutors who are also qualified teachers or examiners. Likewise, you might prefer a tutor who has experience tutoring students with SEN.
Tutoring format
It almost always costs less to learn online than it does to learn in-person.
After all, your tutor won’t have to budget for things like travel or classroom rental. Plus, you’ll be able to choose from a wider pool of tutors at varying price points instead of being restricted to those who live near you.
Your location
If you choose in-person tutoring, you’ll be tied to the prices of the tutors in your area.
Generally speaking, the cost of a science tutor near you will depend on the relative affluence of your location, as well as the demand for tutors – hence why London tends to be more expensive.
Is a science home tutor worth the cost?
Yes, yes and yes again!
A tutor is an investment in your child’s future and STEM subjects are becoming more and more important, especially in today’s era of digital transformation.
A science tutor will give your child one-on-one attention that they won’t normally get at school or college, and tailor each session to your child’s strengths, weaknesses and learning style.
In this way, your child could see all sorts of benefits, including:
- Improved confidence
- Deepened understanding
- Better grades
- Enhanced enjoyment
- Increased motivation
In fact, it takes on average just 8 hours of tutoring to move up one GCSE grade.
And 98% of Tutorful students say that their tutors made a difference.
But it’s not just about grades.
Rather, boosting your child’s confidence and enjoyment in science could give them a valuable leg-up in their future studies and career – wherever they end up.
Head over to our guides on why you should hire a science tutor for your child and how to tell if your child really needs a tutor for more guidance.
How to find a good science tutor for your child
If you’ve made the decision to find a science tutor for your child, you’ll want to make sure you find the right fit.
Here are a few tips.
1. Decide on your criteria
First things first, draw up a list of your top criteria for a tutor.
For instance, what kind of experience do you want them to have? Would you like a qualified teacher or examiner? What’s your budget?
At Tutorful, you can then use our search filters to find tutors who match your criteria
2. Read reviews
Choosing a tutor who other families have loved is reassuring.
At Tutorful, all our tutors have their own profiles where you can see what other students and parents have said about them.
Plus, you can see how many students each tutor has helped, as well as how many lessons they have under their belt. This way, you can get a really clear picture of each tutor’s level of experience and the difference they’ve made.
3. Check their credentials
Tutoring is an unregulated industry, which means that anyone could technically call themselves a tutor.
With that in mind, it’s important to make sure that your tutor has the experience and subject knowledge necessary to help unlock your child’s full potential.
At Tutorful, all our tutors are carefully handpicked and have at least two years of experience, so you know your child is learning from an expert.
4. Check they’re DBS-checked
Safety should always be top of your mind when searching for a professional to work with your child.
So, always make sure any tutors you’re considering have a recent DBS check.
At Tutorful, we only work with the best, DBS-checked tutors in the UK. In fact, we only accept 1 in 8 tutors who apply.
5. Schedule a free chat
We always recommend shortlisting at least three tutors who fit your criteria and then having an initial chat with each before choosing.
Most tutors will be happy to schedule a free video call so that you can get a feel for them and ask any questions.
In fact, you can have a free chat with as many tutors as you want before deciding – it’s all about what works best for you!
6. Get your child’s buy-in
One of the most important things to check is that your child clicks with their tutor.
In particular, your child needs a tutor who they can relate to and not be afraid to ask questions. It’s also important that it doesn’t feel like school.
For this reason, we often find it best to involve your child in those initial free video chats. This way, they can have a say in who they learn from too.
Find a science tutor to start your learning journey
Ready to start your child’s learning journey?
At Tutorful, all our science tutors are carefully handpicked and have at least two years of experience. So, you know your child will be learning from someone you can trust.
In fact, we’re so confident in the quality of our tutors that we even offer a first lesson guarantee. In other words, if your child doesn’t click with their tutor straight away, we’ll pay for your first lesson with a new tutor.
Simply click the button below to start your search!
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
FAQs
How much do GCSE tutors charge?
The average cost of a GCSE tutor is £35.90 per hour.
But this can vary depending on factors such as your subject and your tutor’s level of experience.
How much for a GCSE science tutor?
The average cost of a GCSE Science tutor is £37 per hour.
Alternatively, a GCSE Physics tutor will set you back around £38.50 per hour, a GCSE Chemistry tutor will cost around £36.30 per hour, and a GCSE Biology tutor will charge around £37.30 per hour.
How much does a tutor cost in the UK?
The average cost of a tutor in the UK is £37.45 per hour.
What do most tutors charge per hour?
Most tutors charge somewhere between £30 and £50 per hour. But every tutor sets their own rate, so you can find a wide variety of prices.
How much is a tutor per month?
The cost of a tutor per month will depend on lots of different factors, like the length of your tutoring sessions and how many sessions you have a week.
However, as a rough guide, you could be looking at somewhere around £168.50.
We’ve calculated this by taking the average tutor cost of £37.45 per hour and multiplying it by 4.5 – assuming that your child has a one-hour tutoring session every week.
What are reasonable tutoring prices?
It’s impossible to say for sure what is reasonable when it comes to tutoring prices – it all depends on your requirements, your budget and what you want from a tutor.
However, bear in mind that more expensive doesn’t always mean better. Instead, think about your criteria and then compare the rates of a range of tutors who meet your requirements to get a feel for whether you’re getting a competitive price for your needs.
