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 real 2025 state brackets (single-filer). Local/city taxes, credits, and state-specific deductions 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.