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Job outlook for tutors in the United States
Tutor job and salary trends over time
Tutor jobs over time
Tutor job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54,561 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 600,491 | 0.18% |
| 2019 | 837,759 | 0.25% |
| 2018 | 299,149 | 0.09% |
| 2017 | 300,080 | 0.09% |
Average tutor salary over time
Tutor salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,998 | $16.35 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $33,167 | $15.95 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $33,077 | $15.90 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $32,487 | $15.62 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $31,936 | $15.35 | +3.7% |
Tutor jobs by state
Most common states for tutors
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 160 | 26% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 308 | 23% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,239 | 22% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 212 | 22% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 117 | 20% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 195 | 19% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 137 | 19% |
| 8 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 496 | 17% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 578 | 16% |
| 10 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 270 | 16% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 127 | 15% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 276 | 14% |
| 13 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 193 | 14% |
| 14 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 96 | 14% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 923 | 13% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 788 | 13% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 143 | 13% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 99 | 13% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 691 | 12% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 252 | 12% |
Most common cities for tutors
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Lansing | 4 | 8% | $29,289 |
| 2 | Orlando | 12 | 4% | $27,873 |
| 3 | Nampa | 2 | 2% | $27,709 |
| 4 | Sterling Heights | 2 | 2% | $29,872 |
| 5 | Alpharetta | 1 | 2% | $27,741 |
| 6 | Amarillo | 2 | 1% | $29,911 |
| 7 | Aurora | 2 | 1% | $27,833 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids | 2 | 1% | $28,882 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 10 | 0% | $38,272 |
| 10 | San Diego | 4 | 0% | $37,382 |
| 11 | Detroit | 3 | 0% | $29,815 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $34,438 |
| 13 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $40,320 |
| 14 | Long Beach | 2 | 0% | $38,091 |
| 15 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $39,668 |
| 16 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $31,130 |
| 17 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $33,081 |
| 18 | Austin | 1 | 0% | $31,026 |
| 19 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $38,198 |
Tutor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of tutor experts
Eastern Mennonite University
Texas Christian University
University of New Orleans
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Hartwick College
University of Nebraska - Kearney
University of South Alabama
Oklahoma State University
University of Puerto Rico - Humacao
New York University
Howard University
Wabash College
Northern Arizona University
Davidson College
Capital University
Cabrini University
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sumudu Lewis: The advice I always give these students is first and foremost, be a reflective practitioner. Reflect on their teaching, their interaction with students, and their general classroom management. Reflect on what worked and what needs improving always focusing on students' learning. Secondly, participate actively in professional development opportunities to stay current with innovative teaching strategies and educational research. Third, be organized, be flexible, and remain positive. Sometimes a lesson will not go as you planned, so be prepared to make changes on the spot. Finally, have fun and celebrate students' successes, no matter how small they are.
What will help Tutors increase their earning potential?
Sumudu Lewis: Maximizing salary potential can be done through various means. It is important that career teachers stay informed about the school district's salary scale and know about bonuses and other incentives - like running extra curricular activities. Explore opportunities to take additional classes for University credit. Advanced degrees like doctoral degrees allow teachers to qualify for positions like department chair, curriculum lead, or other administrative positions.
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Paul Yoder: Most public schools award salary increases based on years of experience and academic credentials. So pursuing graduate courses not only invests in professional learning, but also earning potential.
Meg Gardner Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer and Director of Teacher PreparationWhat will help Tutors increase their earning potential?
Meg Gardner Ph.D.: First and foremost, make sure that the district where you plan to teach is a right fit for you. Gather a sense of the culture of the school by asking interview committee members about their own experiences at the district. Prior to accepting a position, conduct some research on the district; for instance, investigate the mission statement and the curricular opportunities available. Be ready with questions for committee members that help you understand the ethos of the school and look for compatibility among your own beliefs about teaching and learning. Once in the classroom, take advantage of early mentoring programs and seek out advice for respected colleagues more informally. Stay up to date with innovative practices through social media outlets and teacher training opportunities offered through your district. Lastly, make time in your busy schedule for activities that you find fulfilling to maintain a healthy and balanced outlook.
What will help Tutors increase their earning potential?
Jo Jimerson Ph.D.: No matter how good your training was, you’ll encounter challenges in your first year. Even the best novice teacher is still a novice, so seek out professional learning above what’s required and don’t be afraid to ask questions of veteran educators. Find a mentor you vibe with, and who you respect—if you can’t identify someone, ask other teachers who they consider a professional model (or if you’re in a secondary school, ask the kids!). Ask your administrators to help with class coverage from time to time so you can sit in your mentor’s classes, to continue honing your craft. Most importantly, if you feel like teaching is really hard, don’t take that as a sign that you’re not destined to be a great teacher—it’s just a challenging profession! If you keep trying then by year 2 or 3 you’ll really feel like you have the hang of teaching.
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Podgorski Ph.D.: This question is tough because the real answer is that it depends. In general, be versatile and learn as much as you can before you enter the workforce. Take opportunities to learn soft skills, like learning how to build a proper resume/CV, working on interpersonal relationships, team leading, and accountability. There are many opportunities for free or low cost web-based training available out there.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Dr. Vicki Collet: As in all fields, those who know how to use AI will prosper. Find ways to use AI to simplify processes and to support your creativity, always keeping at the forefront the needs of the unique students in your classes. Copy and paste cannot meet the needs of your students, but it can provide a starting place.
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Vicki Collet: In addition to pay increases for experience, additional education helps you climb the salary ladder. Be intentional so that your ongoing education counts not just for license renewal, but also for an additional endorsement or degree.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Ross Bussell PhD: Teaching is a very rewarding career, but it is also relentlessly challenging. The first year especially can be frustrating. Over 40% of new teachers leave the field within five years, and it's because of the challenges they face early on. My general advice to new teachers is; truly take in the things you learn in your teacher preparation courses, the undergraduate education you receive. The purpose of your education at this point is to provide you with the tools to help you survive those first few years, after which your professional instincts and mentoring you have on the job will take over. Accept the fact that your first year will push you to the brink, that there will be days you want to quit. But it gets easier. The second year is so much easier, because then you'll know what you didn't the prior year. If you can accept that everything is a learning opportunity, you can avoid becoming a statistic as well.
Franziska Brech
Senior Lecturer of Flute and GermanUniversity of Nebraska - Kearney
Germanic Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Franziska Brech: I have heard, a master helps. Elect school board members/politicians who value education and support better wages.
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Amanda Aguilar: I've always told students that you will learn more in your first year of teaching than at any point in your career. Take advantage of all the opportunities your district provides to learn from experienced teachers, gather more experience, and practice your craft. If you want to be great at something, you must accept being bad at the beginning. Have a growth mindset throughout those early years and seek out opportunities to improve. We learn so much from our failures so don't be afraid to continually get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Most districts provide first-year teachers with a mentor teacher. This is a great opportunity to learn some tricks of the trade. Don't just check off boxes throughout that mentorship. Establish a long-term relationship with your mentor that will benefit you throughout your career.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Nicole Amare Ph.D.: Undergraduates at our institution are encouraged to complete an internship prior to graduation to gain experience and network with others in their chosen subfield of English studies, so waiting until graduation to start thinking about their career options will probably be too late. New graduates are encouraged to use their strong reading, analytical, and writing skills to craft a resume and job application letter or email tailored to individual career positions, but again, most students should have those documents drafted as early as sophomore year and preferably already have applied their skills in one or more internship opportunities.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Dr. Sarah Donovan: A career in education begins during an accredited teacher preparation program as you cultivate a network of colleagues among peers, professors, and state and national professional organizations. Becoming a teacher is about building content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, so accredited programs offer opportunities to observe and practice teacher in classrooms with the support of qualified, experienced mentors and faculty members.
The first year on the job, it is essential to keep open lines of communication with the colleagues and faculty with whom you've developed professional relationships so that they can offer you support and critical conversations as you navigate the new teaching context. This is also when your connections to professional networks will be vital as you will have many sites, people, and resources to draw on to support your practice.
What Tutor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Maritere Cardona Matos Ed.D.: Being able to collaborate is essential in the academia as well as in the workplace. Educators need to cultivate students' abilities to work effectively in teams and communicate their ideas clearly both orally and in writing. Educators also need to develop students' awareness of what is happening around the world to help them develop empathy and values. We live in a world that is in constant movement, so students need to be able to adapt and manage time and stress.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Dr. Diana Turk Ph.D.: This is for any field, but find mentors - plural - who can support and guide you, and find peers who can cheer and cajole you. Remembering your WHY - why are you teaching? what are you hoping to teach your students to do and be? is essential for the days that are particularly hard. And when you have one of those really hard days, remember that there's always tomorrow. Most of all, ignore anyone who tells you not to smile before Thanksgiving. Who wants a teacher who doesn't smile? You can be warm at the same time as you're firm; flexible while being structured; playful while being serious. Show the students how excited you are to be with them, and this will go a long way towards building relationships based on respect and rapport.
What general advice would you give to a Tutor?
Dr. Christina O'Connor Ph.D.: In teaching, salaries are generally fixed based on years of experience and credentials. So, the best way to maximize earning potential is to get additional credentials through pursuing advanced degrees or National Board certification, depending on your state's salary schedule.
What will help Tutors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Christina O'Connor Ph.D.: Don't be afraid to ask for help. Learning to teach is a process. No one comes out of school knowing everything about teaching. The best teachers are always learning from others, from the first day of their careers all the way up to the very end.
James Thomas Jackson Ph.D.
Professor of Special EducationHoward University
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What skills will help Tutors earn the most?
James Thomas Jackson Ph.D.: The skills that will help you earn the most is an interesting question as most school budgets depend heavily on local property taxes. Because of this, salaries will vary depending on where one seeks employment. However, the skills that generally will lead to the most money are the following:
the possession of a graduate degree and maybe years of experience,
What skills stand out on Tutor resumes?
Dennis Krause: I tell our students that we teach them to solve difficult problems with math and computers. We also teach them to effectively present technical material in written and oral form. These skills are relevant even if our majors don't go into physics or engineering, but these skills are certainly important if they do. Our students also work together in teams in the classroom and labs beginning with our introductory courses. Being a liberal arts college, Wabash students receive a broader education than students who graduate from a more focused program. Therefore, they are better equipped to take on leadership roles that require wider perspectives and better interpersonal skills. Many Wabash grads are CEOs and presidents.
Lawrence Lenhart
Associate Chair nd Associate ProfessorNorthern Arizona University
Department of English
What skills stand out on Tutor resumes?
Lawrence Lenhart: Ability to help writers across the disciplines
What soft skills should all Tutors possess?
Lawrence Lenhart: Clear/logical/organized communication (written and oral), empathic listening
What hard/technical skills are most important for Tutors?
Lawrence Lenhart: Understanding of writing conventions in different contexts: professional versus academic versus creative versus analytical versus business versus scientific versus legal versus journalism
What skills will help Tutors earn the most?
Lawrence Lenhart: For someone working for themselves (e.g., tutor, freelance writer/editor, etc.): initiative, career self-management, innovative thinking / for someone working for a company (e.g., teacher, journalist, ): ability to leverage their strengths to support not just themselves, but entire departments; understanding/willingness to contribute to leadership's vision
What skills stand out on Tutor resumes?
Cynthia Lewis Ph.D.: Demonstrated facility with language; the ability to tap into how the tutor learned what the tutee needs to know and to use that knowledge in tutoring; the ability to interest students in both reading and writing accomplished prose; a command of the vocabulary of English grammar and an ability to explain good grammatical practices; a grasp of the elements of composition and style.
(Some of these skills would come out in a cover letter versus a resume.)
What soft skills should all Tutors possess?
Cynthia Lewis Ph.D.: The willingness to be supportive and encouraging without exaggerating the tutee's accomplishments; a gift for explaining writing mechanics.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Tutors?
Cynthia Lewis Ph.D.: Experience at writing for publication or being recognized for writing (as by winning a contest); a solid grasp of English grammar and the ability to explain grammatical principles; the willingness to engage with students' writing, review it carefully, and give constructive responses and suggestions to it.
What skills will help Tutors earn the most?
Cynthia Lewis Ph.D.: I would say not so many skills as demonstrated experience and having testimonials from students, the tutor has helped successfully.
Bradley Conrad Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorCapital University
School of Education
What skills stand out on Tutor resumes?
Bradley Conrad Ph.D.: First and most obviously, it's important that they have worked with kids in some capacity in the past and particularly helpful if they have previous teaching experience. Illustrating a past history in curriculum writing (e.g., lesson plans), implementing various pedagogies, and building rapport with students help an applicant stand out. Any field experiences in K-12 settings, whether traditional or non-traditional, should be included in the resume. Depending on the content area in which the student will tutor, it should be clear on the resume and/or cover letter that the student has knowledge of or experience teaching in that particular area.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Tutors?
Bradley Conrad Ph.D.: The four skills most prevalent in great teachers include personalizing the educational experience, teaching the whole person (not just the pupil), teaching with intention, and developing autonomy. Personalizing the educational experience includes providing multiple pathways for students to engage with the content and inviting individual, unique cultural perspectives into the learning experience. Teaching the whole person happens when teachers see students as unique individuals and support their social, emotional, and academic needs. Teaching with intention occurs when teachers make curricular and instructional choices based on their students' needs and interests while having a clear purpose behind what they are doing. Finally, developing autonomy is akin to teaching kids not to need us or, as Vygotsky referred to it, attending to zones of proximal development. In other words, this skill involves helping students think critically, learn to solve problems and become more empowered and autonomous in their own academic and personal lives.
Amber Gentile
Graduate Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Middle Level Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Teacher EducationCabrini University
Teacher Education Program
What skills stand out on Tutor resumes?
Amber Gentile: Applicants that have experience in classrooms and/or with children are the ones that stand out. Being comfortable with and building relationships with children is pivotal to the learning process. Similarly, teaching skills improve by spending time observing other teachers and receiving feedback from them. Applicants must highlight their general communication and computer skills and understand and use technology and programs to enhance the teaching and learning process.
What soft skills should all Tutors possess?
Amber Gentile: Elementary teachers need to have the skills (communication, advocacy, interpersonal, collaboration) to build healthy relationships with their students and create communities conducive to learning (organization, creativity, patience, and problem-solving).
What hard/technical skills are most important for Tutors?
Amber Gentile: Teachers must be knowledgeable about child development to understand their students' experiences, feelings, and perspectives. Being skilled in research-based best practices in teaching and learning and utilizing them in designing and implementing instruction is also key! Staying current and continuing to attend professional development opportunities is very important to their career as an educator. We must be lifelong learners!