How much does tutoring cost in New Zealand?

If you’re worried that your child is struggling at school and are considering getting some educational support, a tutor can be a good path to explore.

A good tutor can work with you and your child to help them catch up, keep up and reach their potential. But how much does tutoring cost here in New Zealand? Can you afford it? And will it be money well spent?

These are common questions asked by parents. The answers vary depending on several things, including the quality and specific skills of the tutor, the type of tutoring offered and even where you live.

How much does tutoring cost?

According to Payscale, tutors in New Zealand are paid an hourly pay of between $19.83 and $40.19, with the average rate being $26.15.

The more experienced a tutor is, the higher their hourly rate. For example, a tutor with only one year’s experience will likely charge at the lower end, while those with 10+ years’ experience will charge at the top end and beyond.

However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s not only experience that can affect a tutor’s hourly rate; it’s also affected by how skilled and qualified they are.

Qualified teachers; higher rates

In New Zealand, there are no mandatory qualifications needed to be a tutor.

Technically, anyone with the desire and the right hard and soft skills can be one – from university students to retirees. However, tutors with teaching qualifications are typically more skilled at what they do. Because of this, they often charge a higher rate.

According to the Australian Tutoring Association, teacher-trained tutors typically charge in the range of $40 to $150 per hour. This variation is to several things, including:

·       Whether they’re primary or secondary school trained
·       How many years of experience they have
·       Their professional contributions to the industry
·       Whether they’re proficient or highly accomplished in their subject area

Postcode price variance in tutoring

Another factor that affects how much tutoring costs is where in New Zealand you live.

For example, a qualified tutor living in a remote area may charge a premium because of higher demand. On the flip side, the cost of tutoring may actually be lower as there are so many tutors out there, so they need to be more competitive.

However, the opposite may also be the case, with a tutor in a remote area charging less because of the lower living costs compared to a city.

It may also be affected depending on whether a tutor has to travel to the student's house for each lesson or whether the child goes to them. In the first instance, they may up their fee to cover time and travel expenses.

The online/offline cost difference

There can also be a difference in tutoring costs depending on whether you opt for in-person or online tutoring.

Online tutoring, where the tutor teachers your child virtually, can be cheaper because it cuts down on any travel costs for the tutor – and for you, if you need to travel to each lesson. But there are other things to consider, such as whether your child would do better online or in-person and how close you are to a good tutor.

Online tutoring also means you can shop around a bit more, as you’re not limited to good tutors in your area. Although big tutoring providers typically have local centres nationwide.

Tutoring company or private prices

There can also be a price difference depending on whether you go with a tutoring company or a private tutor who works for themselves.

While you might expect a private tutor to charge less, this isn’t necessarily the case. A qualified and experienced private tutor may charge a higher rate.

Don’t forget that tutoring providers supporting higher numbers of students will have economies of scale so they can keep their prices competitive. They also vet all of their tutors, so you know your child will get good quality support.

Group vs one-on-one tutoring

Another key factor that can affect the cost of tutoring is whether you opt for group tutoring or individual tutoring. First, let’s briefly look at the difference between the two:

Group tutoring

Group tutoring typically takes place in small groups of less than six. In a quality tutoring set-up, the tutor will have one-on-one time with each child in a session, offering them explicit tutoring. Group tutoring can take place in a learning centre or online.

One-on-one tutoring

Individual tutoring involves a tutor giving a single student a one-on-one lesson. This type of tutoring can take place in a centre, at the student’s or tutor’s home, or online. During a session, the student gets 100 per cent attention for the full lesson. This can be good, but it also doesn’t give the child space for individual practice.

The cost of student numbers

As you would expect, group tutoring is often cheaper than individual one-on-one tutoring due to the economies of scale.

A tutor teaching a small group will get a fee from up to five children for the same hour or 180-minute session. This means they can afford to charge each child less – compared to a tutor teaching an individual child, who has to charge more to make it financially worth their while.

This does make group tutoring more appealing. But it’s important that the group is small and that you make sure your child will get individual, personalised support in each session. You also need to consider what might work best for your child.

So, how much does tutoring cost?

As you can see, there’s no single answer as it varies so much depending on a range of factors. While it may be tempting to opt for the cheapest, remember that you get what you pay for, so make sure you check out the experience and credentials of any tutor you’re considering.

Of course, you have to pay what your budget can afford, so this will also come into play. You also need to consider what will work best for your child.

Ultimately, tutoring isn’t a cost; it’s more of an investment into your child’s future. If you can afford to pay a bit more for a quality tutor or tutoring provider with proven results they can share with you, it’s worth it.

After all, what price can you put on your child doing well at school, growing in confidence and having more options in life?

Explore related articles or book your free learning assessment today to see if tutoring is right for your child.

Published in NZ

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