Tutoring
The short answer: Tutoring rates reach $90 to $100 an hour for Matt Fuentes's test prep and 90 an hour for college essays on Chris Koerner's show, while employed tutors' BLS median is $20.84 an hour. The catch is platform cost: Katie Gettys says she gave nearly $100,000 to Outschool in its 30% fee. (The Side Hustle Show; Katie Gettys) Matt teaches by day and tutors after hours, so Tutoring suits teachers wanting evening income. (The Side Hustle Show)
| Reported earnings | $10–$100/hr 2 reports by 2 creators, Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median pay of employed tutors | $20.84/hr ($43,350/yr) BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employee pay, not side-hustle income |
| Reported startup cost | $0 2 reports by 2 creators, Aug 2023–Sep 2026 |
| Projected job growth, tutors | -0.2% BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| One creator's reported time to first dollar | 60 days Reported by Katie Gettys, Apr 2025 |
From 17 quotes by 3 creators and BLS data. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: every source on tutoring
How much do tutors make?
Tutors who are employees earned a median $43,350 a year in May 2025, per the BLS, from $29,430 at the 10th percentile to $75,990 at the 90th. Subject moves the rate: Matt niched into SAT/ACT test prep because it commands the highest hourly rates. (BLS OEWS; The Side Hustle Show)
State moves the employee median, from $30,420 in Nevada to $82,290 in Wyoming. (BLS OEWS)
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% |
|---|---|---|
| Tutors | $20.84/hr ($43,350/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $29,430–$75,990/yr |
Median annual pay of employed tutors: $43,350 nationally; highest and lowest states below (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Highest-paying states | Median | Lowest-paying states | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $82,290/yr | Missouri | $32,270/yr |
| Rhode Island | $77,850/yr | Arkansas | $30,830/yr |
| Massachusetts | $60,900/yr | Nevada | $30,420/yr |
What do people doing tutoring say?
“high school students write their college essay applications 90 an hour”
“So I charge anywhere from $90 to $100 an hour per kid.”
“I'll give you resources to gain the skills and they cost $0.”
“it is a free way to Market and it gets you really visible in your local community”
What does it cost to start tutoring?
Tutoring can start at $0: Matt says resources to gain the skills cost $0, and Katie describes a free way to market in your local community. Katie advises a decent mic and webcam. (The Side Hustle Show; Katie Gettys)
She says even a small budget like $5 a day in ads can help book lessons. (Katie Gettys)
- Pick a niche such as test prep. (The Side Hustle Show)
- Use tutoring platforms as market research, as Matt did.
- Text everyone you know for first clients.
- Offer a trial lesson over Zoom. (Katie Gettys)
How long does tutoring take to find students?
Tutoring can fill quickly for some: one creator, Katie, reports enrolling 45 students into her online music studio in just 60 days. Katie also tells new online teachers to expect slow growth. (Katie Gettys)
Creating your own schedule "can be" a dream "but it's not always easy," she says. (Katie Gettys)
Who is tutoring for?
Tutoring suits people wanting remote work, since Matt moved fully to Zoom with a drawing tablet. Anyone who dislikes being on camera should skip online tutoring, since Katie tells new teachers to get comfortable on camera. (The Side Hustle Show; Katie Gettys)
Which platforms do people use for tutoring?
Platforms people doing tutoring use: Outschool, Pear Deck, Preply, Studypool, Tutor.com.
Is tutoring worth it?
Pros
- Matt gets steady referrals from independent college counselors. (The Side Hustle Show)
- Katie is a full-time online music studio owner, and Matt's brother is a full-time freelance tutor. (Katie Gettys)
Cons
- The BLS projects a -0.2% employment change for tutors over 2025-35. (BLS Employment Projections)
- Platforms control pricing, policies and communication with families, Katie says. (Katie Gettys)
What are the risks of tutoring?
Tutoring on one platform is a risk: Katie warns against relying on a single platform and on a third party's algorithm for students. She also warns about pricing lessons too low and having no tech backup. (Katie Gettys)
What are the alternatives to tutoring?
- Selling digital products: Also from home, own schedule; often covered together (2 shared videos).
- Coaching and Mentorship side hustle: Also own schedule.
- Online Marketplaces side hustle: Also can go full-time, from home; often covered together (1 shared video).
Part of: From home
What else should tutors know?
Can tutoring scale beyond your own hours?
Matt plans to scale with courses and subcontracted tutors. (The Side Hustle Show)
Do tutors need a platform?
Katie teaches independently using Zoom, Canva, Google Docs and a student management system. (Katie Gettys)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the every source on tutoring.
- The Side Hustle Show, podcast, 24 Sep 2026.
- Chris Koerner, YouTube, 18 Sep 2026.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 26 Mar 2025.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 1 Aug 2023.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 8 Aug 2023.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 16 Apr 2025.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 9 Apr 2025.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 25 Jul 2023.
- Katie Gettys, YouTube, 2 Apr 2025.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
Other data behind this page (9)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | stable | Accepted | BLS Employment Projections |
| Full-time or part-time | full time capable | Accepted | Katie Gettys; The Side Hustle Show |
| Fit by life phase (employed_moonlighter) | 0.80 score 0–1 | Accepted | The Side Hustle Show |
| Platform fee (outschool) | 30% | Accepted | Katie Gettys |
| Schedule control | own schedule | Accepted | Katie Gettys |
| Work mode | remote | Accepted | Katie Gettys |
| Ongoing cost | $150/month | One report | Katie Gettys |
| Common pitfalls | Relying on a third-party platform's algorithm for students, Platform controls pricing, policies, and communication with families, High platform fee eats into earnings over time | One report | Katie Gettys |
| Common pitfalls | doing too many things at once, pricing lessons too low, relying on a single platform, expecting fast growth, no tech backup, no breaks between lessons, comparing yourself to others, isolation | One report | Katie Gettys |