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Published June 11, 2024

How much does a Tutor cost?

By Imogen Beech
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Tutoring is an investment in your child’s future. It can guide them to better exam results, boost their confidence or help them reach their goals. But how much does a tutor actually cost?

Don’t worry, we have you covered. Here, we’ll break down the cost of private tutoring for various subjects, levels and locations. 

How much does private tutoring cost?

The average price for a tutor per hour is Â£37.45.

But the total cost you pay will depend on lots of different factors, such as:

  • Your subject
  • Your level
  • The experience of your tutor
  • How many sessions you need

Keep reading for the full lowdown!

How much does a tutor cost for different ages?

One factor that can affect how much you pay for a private tutor is your child’s age and level of study.

As a general rule, the higher the level of study, the higher you can expect your private tutoring rates to be. This is because you’ll need a tutor who has additional subject-specific expertise.

LevelAverage cost for a tutor per hour
Primary£33.01
KS3£34.47
GCSE£35.86
A-Level£41.88
Degree£42.33

What are the private tutoring rates for primary school children?

If you’re looking for a tutor for a child who’s at primary school, you can expect to pay an average of Â£33.01 per hour.

But your exact cost can still vary depending on your child’s age and what kind of tutoring you’re after.

For instance, if your child is nearing the end of primary school and you’re hoping to prepare them for the 11+ exams, you’re looking at a higher average cost of around Â£41.12 per hour.

How much is a GCSE tutor per hour?

The average cost of a GCSE tutor is Â£35.86 per hour.

Tutoring can be a great way to guide your child to better GCSE results, especially if they’re struggling with certain subjects.

However, the price you pay will also depend on the subject you need help with – while the average cost of a Spanish tutor is Â£31.36 per hour, the average cost of a Physics teacher is Â£43.04!

We’ll look more closely at how much different subject tutors cost shortly. 

What’s the average cost of private tutoring for A-level?

The average cost of a tutor for A-levels is Â£41.88 per hour.

But again, it’s worth remembering that different subjects typically come with different private tutoring rates. 

What’s the average cost of a tutor per subject?

Already know what subject your child needs help with? Then it’s worth taking a look at the typical private tutoring rates for that subject, to help you budget.

Prices for different subjects can vary widely. At the lower end of the scale, you have less commonly studied languages, like Russian – which tends to cost just Â£24.35 per hour.

Meanwhile, at the higher end of the scale, you have Economics, with the average price for a tutor sitting at around Â£49.95 per hour.

Here are some average costs for some of our most popular subjects at Tutorful.

SubjectAverage private tutoring prices per hour
Maths£36.12
English£37.51
Chemistry£39.49
Science£36.33
Physics£43.04
Biology£39.03
Economics£49.95
Psychology£40.88
French£35.47
History£36.58
Spanish£31.35
Business Studies£42.12
English Literature£37.41
Geography£42.78

How much does a Maths tutor cost?

Maths is our most popular subject for tutoring here at Tutorful.

The average cost of a maths tutor is Â£36.12 per hour. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a Further Maths tutor, you can expect to pay Â£45.76 per hour.

Our guide to Maths tutor costs has more.

What’s the average price for an English tutor?

English is another of our most popular subjects.

As a general rule, hourly private tutoring rates for English are around Â£37.51. But if you’re specifically looking for an English Language or English Literature tutor, costs can vary a little.

An English Language tutor will set you back roughly Â£33.17 per hour, while an English Literature tutor costs around Â£37.41 per hour.

Head over to our guide about how much an English tutor costs to learn more.

What’s the average cost of a Science tutor?

The average cost of a Science tutor is around Â£36.33 per hour.

But if your child is studying the sciences individually, you can expect to pay a bit more.

A Biology tutor costs roughly Â£39.03 per hour, while you’re looking at around Â£39.49 per hour for a Chemistry tutor. 

The most expensive of all the sciences, a Physics tutor will typically charge an hourly rate of around Â£43.04.

Read our dedicated blogs on the cost of Biology, Chemistry or Physics tutors for more details.

What’s the average cost for language tutoring?

Language tutoring isn’t just popular amongst academic learners. It’s also a sought-after subject for adult learners who want to refresh their language skills ahead of a holiday, or to be able to converse authentically with native speakers.

The average price of a language tutor is around Â£29.24 per hour.

But prices can vary widely depending on your chosen language and your learning goals. 

To give you an idea, of our most popular languages, Russian tends to come with the lowest private tutoring rates, at just Â£24.35 per hour. 

Meanwhile, Spanish tutoring costs roughly Â£31.35 per hour, and French â€“ our most popular language – typically costs the most. You’re looking at roughly Â£35.47 per hour, likely due to the high demand.

LanguageAverage price for a tutor per hour
French£35.47
Spanish£31.35
German£32.74
Italian£35.13
Japanese£29.24
Mandarin£32.40
Latin£34.92
English as a foreign language£34.98
Russian£24.35
Arabic£25.88
Polish£27.51
Portuguese£24.76

How much does a music tutor cost?

Prices for a music tutor can vary widely as there are so many different types available.

Studying music as an academic subject? Then you’re looking at roughly Â£36.64 per hour to get the support of a tutor who can help.

Looking to learn a musical instrument? Then the average cost is around Â£33.23 per hour. But prices will depend largely on what instrument you choose.

For instance, piano lessons cost around Â£35.63 per hour on average, while a guitar tutor costs roughly Â£28.41 per hour.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to take exams in music theory, a tutor will often charge around Â£35.74 per hour to help.

Here are some of our most popular instruments and the costs associated with learning them.

Musical instrumentAverage cost for a tutor per hour
Piano£35.63
Guitar£28.41
Singing£37.11
Violin£39.63
Saxophone£25.50
Drums£28.97
Clarinet£27.25
Flute£29.13
Keyboard£34.86
Bass guitar£31.20
Ukulele£33.11
Trumpet£34.50

What are online private tutoring prices per hour?

The cost of online tutoring will almost always be lower than the cost of in-person tutoring.

While the average cost of online tutoring is Â£37.45 per hour, the average cost of face-to-face tutoring is Â£40.54 per hour.

Why?

Well, in-person tutoring comes with expenses like transport, classroom rental and electricity. All costs that online tutoring doesn’t require.

Costs for face-to-face tutoring can also vary depending on your location. In particular, tutors tend to charge more in large cities, especially London – but costs can be high in rural areas too, due to the need to travel.

With that in mind, if you live in an area where tutoring is more expensive, opting for online tutoring could save you even more money.

At Tutorful, the vast majority of our lessons happen online. There are many reasons why our learners prefer this format – aside from just cost – including:

  • Convenience. Online tutoring is easier to fit around busy family life, especially as there’s no travel involved.
  • Choice. With online tuition, you won’t be restricted to the tutors who live closeby. So, you can choose from a wider pool of tutors to find one your child really clicks with.
  • Familiar environment. Your child will be able to learn in an environment where they feel truly comfortable.
  • Technology. Online tutors can use lots of tools to help your child learn – our online classroom even records all tutoring sessions so your child can go back and watch a session again as part of their revision!

Head over to our blog on the key benefits of online tutoring to learn more.

Key takeaways

  • The average cost for tutoring is £37.45 per hour
  • Your overall cost will depend on the level of study and subject
  • Online tutoring costs less than face-to-face tuition

FAQs

How much does a tutor cost in the UK?

The average cost for an online tutor in the UK is Â£37.45 per hour. However, costs can vary based on lots of different factors, including your level of study, subject and your tutor’s experience.

Is private tutoring legal in the UK?

Yes, private tutoring is legal in the UK. In fact, there are no formal certificates or exams you need to become a private tutor, so anybody could technically call themselves a tutor and start providing lessons.

That’s why it’s important to use a trusted platform like Tutorful. We only work with the best tutors, who are all thoroughly background-checked and vetted. Only 1 in 7 applicants are successful, so you know you’re booking a tutor that you can trust.

How much does a SEN tutor cost?

The average cost of a SEN tutor is Â£40.63. But this can vary depending on what needs your child has, and your tutor’s level of experience. Read our guide to SEN tutor costs to find out more.

How much should I pay my tutor?

Your tutor will usually calculate their hourly rate based on the subject and level of study you need help with.

At the cheaper end of the scale, a Russian tutor will charge on average around Â£24.35 per hour, while at the more expensive end, an Economics tutor could charge roughly Â£49.95 per hour.

Check out the average hourly rates for a range of subjects above to help you budget, and then find a tutor who fits your needs.

Register and receive £25 credit towards your first lesson.

Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.

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