There are lots of factors that affect tutoring rates including the tutor's qualifications and experience. Several factors are beyond a tutor's control and location is one of them.
We've been doing this for years and we've seen how the rates of tutors vary from one place to the next within a country. The differences are even greater from country to country, but today we're focusing on New Zealand the regional differences in the cost of tuition.
So why do tutors in certain places charge more than elsewhere?
That's what we'll be looking at in today's article.
Tutoring Rates Across New Zealand
With so many factors affecting the rates charged by tutors just on the Superprof platform, it's difficult to get exact averages for every area and city while ensuring that they're accurate and representative.
After all, the cost of living will affect rates, but there are also more expensive areas where certain subjects are over- or underrepresented. A tutor's experience can affect their tutoring rates as well so to keep things simple, we'll take the average rates for tutoring in key subjects like maths, English, Spanish, French, chemistry, and physics as well as the average across these subjects to give you a better idea of the rates being charged across most of New Zealand's major cities.
Auckland
As New Zealand's biggest city, you might be surprised to find out the rates for tutoring in these common subjects isn't wildly different to across the rest of the country.
Sure, you might pay a couple of dollars more for maths tutoring in Auckland than in Wellington, but the average across most cities in New Zealand is somewhere between $30 and $33 (at least for these six subjects).
- Maths: $31
- English: $29
- Spanish: $32
- French: $36
- Chemistry: $35
- Physics: $33
- Average: $33
Wellington
The average cost of English tutoring in Wellington is one of the lowest across New Zealand's major cities and chemistry and phyics tutors typically charge less than in Auckland, but French and Spanish tutors are slightly more expensive in Wellington.
Wellington's average rates across these popular school subjects is also slightly lower than that of Auckland.
- Maths: $29
- English: $27
- Spanish: $33
- French: $37
- Chemistry: $31
- Physics: $32
- Average: $32
Christchurch
Maths is more expensive in Christchurch, but languages (English, French, and Spanish) are roughly the same price. Chemistry and physics are also slightly more expensive, but there's only a dollar difference between the average price, which is the same as it is in Auckland.
- Maths: $33
- English: $28
- Spanish: $33
- French: $36
- Chemistry: $34
- Physics: $35
- Average: $33
Dunedin
At around a tenth of the size of Auckland, it's here we start to see a slight different in the rates between bigger and smaller cities. With every subject cheaper here than in Auckland and a significant different for the average rates for physics tutoring, Dunedin's average of $30 an hour puts it as the cheapest of the cities we've listed.
- Maths: $27
- English: $28
- Spanish: $31
- French: $35
- Chemistry: $32
- Physics: $28
- Average: $30
Rotorua
Rotorua's only slightly over half the size of Auckland but that seemingly hasn't affected the rates, which remain very similar and comparable to all the other major cities we've seen so far. In fact, its average is the same as that of Auckland.
- Maths: $32
- English: $29
- Spanish: $32
- French: $36
- Chemistry: $35
- Physics: $33
- Average: $33
Hamilton
Last but not least, we have Hamilton. While French tutoring is the most expensive of any subject we've seen so far, it's still within the range seen in the other cities and the average rates for each of the other subjects are still very comparable, leaving it with an average rate of $33, much like 3 of the other cities that we've looked at.
- Maths: $31
- English: $29
- Spanish: $32
- French: $38
- Chemistry: $35
- Physics: $33
- Average: $33
Of course, these are just a small sample of subjects and cities and if you're looking to set your rates as a tutor, you'll need to look at tutors offering the same subject in the same area at a similar level. Then you also need to consider your background, experience, and qualifications.
The Factors that Affect the Cost of Tutoring Across New Zealand
Tutors have a lot to think about when choosing how much to charge for their tutoring. However, there are a few local factors that will also affect how much they need to pay.
Cost of Living/Socioeconomics
How affluent an area is will affect the costs of many things, including how much residents will pay for private tutors.
Richer areas will pay more for tutors and in wealthier neighbourhoods, you can expect a much greater number of private schools and the number of students getting private tutoring.
For certain extracurricular activities, socioeconomic factors also play a huge role. Children from wealthier families are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities and learn a musical instrument.
However, don't forget that the subject studied and the level being taught will also affect the rates your typical private tutor can charge.
Local Competition
Hourly rates for tutors are also greatly affected by things like supply and demand. In larger urban areas, there'll likely be more tutors and greater competition means rates tend to come down.
In rural areas, you can usually expect there to be fewer tutors and more options to charge what you want. However, with both of these examples, there are different numbers of potential students, too.
Tutors in cities need to usually be more competitive with their rates, but competitive rates will likely be higher anyway due to the increased cost of living in cities.
Tutors outside of cities may have to travel further to reach their students and this comes at a cost that they'll need to factor in.
Cities have the added benefit of having more schools and universities, too.
Local Schooling
For tutors focusing on academic subjects like English, maths, science, or foreign languages like French, Spanish, etc., the kinds of local schools there are will affect how much they can charge.
Naturally, for areas with one or several private schools, there are usually parents with more disposable income available to invest in their child's academic success in one or several subjects.
Beyond academic tutoring in a specific subject, they might also hire a tutor to offer private tuition for homework help, study skills, applying to university, and any other skills or knowledge that will help their children reach their potential.
Tutors in areas with a lot of private schools will also have the potential to charge much more per hour than in areas without any.
Private schools don't automatically guarantee that an area is wealthy, there tend to be socioeconomic trends that line up between a school's academic performance and the wealth of the surrounding area, even for state schools and state-integrated schools.
How to Earn More as a Tutor in Poorer Areas
Don't worry if you don't live in an area with half a dozen private schools, there are still ways to make a successful private tutoring business. However, the approaches might have to be a little different.
Offer Online Tutoring
Thanks to higher internet speeds and better webcams and microphones, more and more tutors are looking to offer lessons via the web. There are lots of benefits to this, especially if you live in an area with little demand for private education or too much competition for private tutors.
Platforms like Superprof provide students with a way to find both online and offline tutoring and for online tutors, their rates are less affected by local economics as they tend to belong to a broader community of online tutors.
While academic subjects like chemistry, physics, biology, maths, and English are all popular options for online tutoring, you'll find many experienced and qualified tutors for music, sports, and everyday skills offering lessons online.
Provide Group Tutoring
Cheaper private tutoring tends to be more appealing for students and while one-on-one tutoring can be tailored to the individual's needs far better, high-quality group tutoring can be a cost-effective option for students.
For tutors, this allows them to continue working as a tutor for more competitive rates while making more money. After all, if you're charging $20 an hour per student rather than $25 but have two students instead of one, you're already earning $40 an hour.
Of course, the bigger the group, the less tailored the lessons will be and the less students will expect to pay for learning support and private tutoring.
Just don't forget that you often have to spend more time preparing group tutorials than private tutorials and group sessions also mean more admin, correction, and feedback.
Start Tutoring Today
Once you have an idea of what your rates for tutoring should be, you can start setting up your profile on the Superprof website. Think carefully not only about your rates but also about the pertinent information you'll need to include so that potential students know that you're worth the rates you charge.
When you're first starting, it's also important to find ways to gain new students and offering the first lesson for free is a great way to do this. Not every student who enjoys a free lesson will stick with you for their tutoring, but it's a good way to get your tutoring business going.
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