How much does an SAT tutor cost?
SAT, PSAT and SAT II tutoring is available to students preparing for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which is the standardized college admissions test. Students can seek SAT tutoring in math, reading, writing or all three subjects. Students can begin taking the test as early as 9th grade. Typically, SAT tutoring is an ongoing practice that may extend over weeks or months as opposed to a single session. Several factors affect the cost of SAT tutoring.
Session and hourly rates
Many tutors offer either a per-session or hourly rate. This rate can vary, depending on the subject matter, with more advanced and rigorous topics costing more. Because tutors are sometimes required to be well-versed in more advanced subjects, SAT tutoring tends to be more expensive than other types of tutoring. Here are some examples of hourly and per-session rates:
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Michael Yu Tutoring in Westborough, Massachusetts: $65 per hour
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John Linneball Tutoring in San Francisco, California: $160 per two-hour SAT tutoring session, compared with $150 for a two-hour LSAT tutoring session
Packages
Purchasing a bulk package of lessons is one way to reduce the overall cost per lesson for SAT tutoring. Students benefit by the lower cost, and the tutor benefits by establishing an ongoing business relationship. Michael Yu Tutoring charges $180 for three one-hour sessions, providing a $15 savings to students.
Group tutoring
Group SAT prep workshops are typically less expensive than one-on one tutoring. When tutoring individuals, teachers are precluded from earning other income so they must charge more to cover their time as well as lost income potential. For example, Love the SAT! in Austin, Texas, offers 10 hours of group instruction with an additional pricing scale for add-on one-on-one sessions with the tutor:
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Ten hours of group instruction + zero hours one-on one time: $399
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Ten hours of group instruction + three hours of one-on-one time: $599
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Ten hours of group instruction + six hours of one-on-one time: $849
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Ten hours of group instruction + 12 hours of one-on-one time: $1,299
Online tutoring
Online sessions may cost less than in-person tutoring, especially if the online training uses prepared materials and offers less human interaction than in-person sessions. Essay Queen charges $450 for 10 online sessions, which is a $400 savings from the company’s 10-session one-on-one tutoring option.
Location
Tutors may charge more in large cities, areas with competitive academic programs and regions with a higher cost of living than those in smaller towns or regions with lower cost of living.
Travel
Tutors may charge an additional fee if they are required to travel outside of their standard service range to cover their time and transportation expenses. John Linneball Tutoring charges a $10 per-session travel fee for tolls, transportation costs and time if a student outside of his standard service range.
