Price by type of tutor.
The biggest difference in price is who you pay: a person, a website, a company or a center. Here is what each one charges.
| Type | Per hour | How you pay | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private tutor, local | $40 to $100+One on one, in person. | Per hour | Mathnasium blog |
| Online marketplace | $35 to $60Wyzant average, plus a 9% fee. Preply math tutors from the US charge about $30. | Per lesson | Wyzant, Preply |
| Tutoring company | $70 to $100Varsity Tutors, reported. The Princeton Review’s dedicated tutor starts at $80. | Package or month | PrepMaven, The Princeton Review |
| On demand online | $29 to $40The Princeton Review, by plan size. | Month or package | The Princeton Review |
| Learning center | About $48 to $56Kumon in Houston, $190 a month. Mathnasium in Redwood City, $559 a month. Our math below. | Month, plus a sign up fee | Kumon, Mathnasium |
| Free options | FreeSchool, Khan Academy, UPchieve, Schoolhouse.world. | Nothing | Khan Academy, UPchieve |
| Sophie, our own product | $8 to $10Online, high school math. | Pack of hours | Our prices |
How we made learning centers hourly. Learning centers charge by the month, and the price changes from one center to the next. The Mathnasium center in Redwood City lists $559 a month for up to 10 hours, about $56 an hour. The Kumon center in Houston Garden Oaks lists $190 a month per subject. Kumon says children come two days a week for about 30 minutes per subject, so about 4 hours a month, or about $48 an hour.
Want the details on one company? Read our Varsity Tutors review or our guide to Wyzant alternatives.
Price by grade.
The higher the math, the higher the price. TutorCruncher gives these US ranges per hour:
| Grade | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Elementary school | $23 to $75Per hour. |
| Middle school | $25 to $88Per hour. |
| High school (Algebra, Geometry) | $30 to $100Per hour. |
| AP Calculus and college | $35 to $100+Wyzant calculus tutors. College tutors are $60 to $110. |
Why calculus costs more. Fewer tutors can teach it well, and those who can are in demand. Wyzant lists about 7,500 algebra tutors but only about 2,500 calculus tutors, at $35 to $100 an hour.
Top AP Calculus tutors. On October 22, 2026, we read the rates on Wyzant’s page of the 25 highest rated AP Calculus tutors. They went from $60 to $400 an hour, and half charged $140 or more. This page shows only the top rated tutors, so it is the high end, not the average.
Elementary tutoring can cost much less. Care.com says tutors on its site post starting rates of about $24 an hour for every grade from elementary to high school. For AP Calculus help with Sophie, see our AP Calculus tutor page.
What changes the price.
- Where you live. The Mathnasium guide puts private tutors at $60 to $150 an hour in big cities and $30 to $70 in small cities and rural areas. Wyzant says New York costs $40 to $75 an hour, and Florida $30 to $50.
- Online or in person. Online tutors cost $15 to $60 an hour in the same Mathnasium guide. One tutor told Care.com she charges $10 less for online lessons.
- Experience. A college student charges less than a certified teacher with years of AP results. Ask what you get for the higher price.
- Test prep or homework help. SAT and ACT prep costs more: $65 to $150 an hour, and up to $200 in big cities.
- Packages and monthly plans. Buying more hours often lowers the rate. At The Princeton Review, one hour a month costs $39.99, and 50 hours cost $1,449.99, about $29 an hour.
Hidden costs, and what to ask.
The hourly rate is not always the full price. Look for these:
- Sign up fees. The Winnetka Mathnasium charges a $199 enrollment fee, and the Redwood City center a $149 startup fee. The Houston Kumon center charges $80 to register and $30 for materials.
- Service fees. Wyzant adds a 9% service fee to each lesson.
- Minimum packages. PrepMaven reports a minimum Varsity Tutors package of $1,140 for 12 hours. See what Varsity Tutors costs.
- Hours that run out. Some packages must be used within a time limit. The Princeton Review’s 10 hour package is for six months.
- Cancellation and travel. Many tutors charge for a lesson you cancel late, and some charge to drive to you.
Before you pay, ask:
- What is the full price for the first month, with every fee?
- Is there a minimum package or a contract? How do I stop?
- Do unused hours expire? Can I get them back as a refund?
- What happens if we cancel a lesson, or the tutor does?
- Has this tutor taught my child’s class before?
How many hours does a child need?
It depends on the goal. Two common cases:
- Catch up on one unit. One or two hours a week for about a month.
- Help for the full school year. One hour a week for about 30 weeks. At $50 an hour, that is $1,500.
Pick the hours and see the cost for each option. These use published or reported prices. Your price may differ.
| Option | Per hour | 36 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Private tutor, local | $40 to $100Mathnasium blog range. | $1,440 to $3,600 |
| Wyzant | $38 to $65Average rate, with the 9% fee. | $1,368 to $2,340 |
| Varsity Tutors | $70 to $100Reported. Ask for your quote. | $2,520 to $3,600 |
| The Princeton Review, on demand | $29 to $40Published plans, by the hour. | $1,044 to $1,440 |
| Free options | FreeSchool, Khan Academy, UPchieve. | Free |
| Sophie | $8 to $10Our own tutor. Published prices, packs of hours. | $288 to $360 |
How to pay less.
- Start at school. Ask the teacher about help before or after class. Many high schools also run free peer tutoring.
- Use free programs. Khan Academy is free. UPchieve is free for students at Title I schools or in low income zip codes. Schoolhouse.world runs free group sessions with peer tutors.
- Ask your library. Many public libraries offer free online tutoring with a library card.
- Book shorter sessions. 30 minutes on one problem set can do as much as an hour of review.
- Use state funds. Some states give families money for education through an ESA. See if yours does.
- Try a lower cost tutor. Sophie, our own tutor, costs $8 to $10 an hour. Read about Sophie.
A human tutor is still the better choice for some children: a young child, a child who needs a person in the room to stay focused, or a child who needs help with more than math.
