| Tutor Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Job Outlook | 9% |
With growing classroom sizes, stressed out and busy teachers and school budgets drastically being cut, an experienced and knowledgeable Tutor is a great way to help students stay on track.
Tutors can work for agencies that focus on all subjects or they can specialize in solely one topic, such as a Spanish or Math Tutor.
Students who fall behind their peers and are struggling to achieve good grades can benefit from the assistance of a qualified Tutor.
Tutors are responsible for taking a classroom lesson, subject matter or concept and teaching it or explaining in a different manner that will ultimately improve a student’s understanding of the subject matter.
If you enjoy working with people and want to make the steps to become a Tutor , read the following information regarding this profession.
Below you will find the education requirements to become a Tutor, a general job description, salary and wage information and the expected job outlook for this profession.
Table of Contents
Education Requirements to Become a Tutor
Tutors must have a vast understanding of the principles and materials they provide lessons on.
Tutors should have a combination of education, experience and certification in order to qualify for tutoring jobs within an agency.
The subject matter a Tutor wishes to teach in will determine the exact qualifications desired by potential employers.
To have a vast understanding of a subject, candidates must seek a minimum of an undergraduate degree in order to become a Tutor.
Some tutoring companies seek Tutors who are knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects including English, Mathematics, Reading, Writing and Science.
Tutors helping elementary or middle school aged children must have the capability to assist students in a variety of subjects.
Tutors working with high school or college students should complete an undergraduate degree in order to help students with more complicated material.
Tutoring agencies and parents also look for candidates who have experience working with school aged kids.
This can include previous teaching experience or other professional experience.
Previous experience is an important qualification because it shows that Tutors are able to take educational material and present it in an approachable manner to their students.
Tutor Job Description
Tutoring professionals must use their knowledge in their area and be able to apply it to help struggling students.
Tutors working for an agency typically work during after school hours with small groups of students.
Tutors may extend lessons taught during school or expand on what they learned in school in a different manner.
They may also practice and apply concepts and lessons taught during school and help students complete assigned homework.
Tutors not working for a tutoring agency will need to contact their client or student directly in order to plan for a future lesson.
If this is not a possibility, this type of Tutor can review a student’s homework or previous lesson and discuss whatever concepts the student doesn?t understand.
Tutors will have to know immediately the concepts their student is learning in order to explain it in a more approachable manner to their student.
Some Tutors who focus on solely one subject may have to plan their lessons if their student is not enrolled in a class.
Tutors teaching a language are some Tutors who plan a curriculum and lesson plans.
Tutor Salary and Career Path
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide exact wages for Tutors.
However, it does provide salary information for Teacher Assistants, a similar profession.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median wage for Teacher Assistants in 2008 was approximately $22,000 per year.
The exact wage will heavily depend on whether a tutoring professional works for themselves or for a tutoring company.
Self employed tutors can charge by the hour and can set their own price.
However, they are responsible for acquiring their own clients while tutoring companies can match students to experienced tutors.
Tutoring agencies typically hire tutors part time and must be available during evening and weekend hours.
Professionals in the education services can expect an average growth of approximately 10 percent through the year 2018.
This growth is mainly attributed to population growth.
Tutors may also have favorable job opportunities due to the growing number of students per class.
Larger classes typically mean busier teachers.
Students receiving help from a tutor are guaranteed individual help geared to their specific needs and learning style.
The below information is based on the 2023 BLS national averages.
National Average Salary
$* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a tutor do?
A tutor is someone who helps students learn outside a classroom environment.
Some professionals might meet with their students personally, while others prefer to arrange virtual meetings.
The ultimate goal of every tutor is to improve the academic performance of the student and, in a lot of cases, prepare him or her for the exams.
Tutors can work on an individual basis or gather small groups of students.
Professionals can teach a wide range of different skills, starting from specific subjects and ending with such skills as note-taking strategies, for example.
Moreover, tutors can help with homework and review the materials and the assignments from class.
Real professionals help the students build academic confidence and encourage and motivate them.
How much do tutors make?
On average, a tutor can make a little less than $37.000 per year in the United States.
In case you decide to follow this career path, you can expect to earn anywhere between $20.000 and $72.000 annually.
The salary would certainly depend on a variety of factors – your education and experience level, the number of clients, the location and so on.
Tutors that work in New York, California, and Washington, for example, have the highest average salaries.
An entry-level tutor can make around $10 per hour, while a top-level professional with plenty of experience can earn $40 and more on an hourly basis.
How much does it cost to become a tutor?
You would need to earn a bachelor’s degree, in case you decide to become a subject matter expert.
A year in a university can cost you anywhere between $8.000 and $45.000 (and more); the cost depends on a variety of factors (the books, supplies, and accommodation expenses are not included).
You can join a tutoring association, which can help you in your future career; the cost to attend the National Tutoring Association, for example, ranges from $550 to $600.
You also might want to go for formal tutor certification (it will cost you anywhere between $200 and $500).
What is the demand for tutors?
Between 2016 and 2026, the broader education, training, and library occupations job market is expected to grow by 9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That is a little faster than the national average for all occupations in the United States.
Those who possess a master’s or a doctorate degree, certification and plenty of experience will have better job prospects.
How long does it take to become a tutor?
It will take you 4 years to obtain a bachelor’s degree (bear in mind that English, mathematics, and science are the fields that are in high demand).
The requirements to become a certified tutor will vary depending on the organization.
In case you want to apply for the Basic Level Tutor certification from the National Tutoring Association, you would have to have an NTA membership and at least 10 hours of tutoring experience, as well as a basic tutoring training.
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