Tutors: Career Overview
Instruct individual students or small groups of students in academic subjects to support formal class instruction or to prepare students for standardized or admissions tests.
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What Do Tutors Perform?
Typical responsibilities of tutors include:
- Provide feedback to students, using positive reinforcement techniques to encourage, motivate, or build confidence in students.
- Review class material with students by discussing text, working solutions to problems, or reviewing worksheets or other assignments.
- Assess students' progress throughout tutoring sessions.
- Teach students study skills, note-taking skills, and test-taking strategies.
- Provide private instruction to individual or small groups of students to improve academic performance, improve occupational skills, or prepare for academic or occupational tests.
- Participate in training and development sessions to improve tutoring practices or learn new tutoring techniques.
- Collaborate with students, parents, teachers, school administrators, or counselors to determine student needs, develop tutoring plans, or assess student progress.
- Monitor student performance or assist students in academic environments, such as classrooms, laboratories, or computing centers.
What Tutors Need to Know
Successful tutors rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Tutors Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- ACT Instructor (American College Testing Instructor)
- ACT Tutor (American College Test Tutor)
- Academic Coach
- Academic Guidance Specialist
- Academic Mentor
- Academic Teacher
- Academic Tutor
- Accounting Tutor
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 793,891 tutors working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Tutors Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,784 |
| Hourly median | $22.01 |
| 10th percentile | $30,887 |
| 25th percentile | $38,336 |
| 75th percentile | $53,233 |
| 90th percentile | $60,682 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $64,450 |
| Rhode Island | $59,340 |
| Massachusetts | $57,230 |
| Connecticut | $55,690 |
| Mississippi | $52,060 |
| Virginia | $49,380 |
| New Hampshire | $49,210 |
| Maine | $49,110 |
| Vermont | $47,860 |
| Maryland | $47,010 |
| Oregon | $46,770 |
| Indiana | $46,670 |
| Ohio | $44,640 |
| Washington | $44,450 |
| Arizona | $44,220 |
| New York | $43,270 |
| California | $42,840 |
| Colorado | $42,560 |
| West Virginia | $42,420 |
| Alaska | $42,090 |
| Minnesota | $41,600 |
| North Dakota | $41,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,560 |
| Georgia | $41,540 |
| Tennessee | $40,680 |
| Montana | $40,660 |
| North Carolina | $39,900 |
| Nebraska | $39,800 |
| Florida | $38,120 |
| South Dakota | $37,330 |
| New Jersey | $37,220 |
| Wisconsin | $37,100 |
| South Carolina | $36,860 |
| Hawaii | $35,990 |
| Kentucky | $35,930 |
| Michigan | $35,870 |
| Utah | $35,460 |
| Illinois | $35,350 |
| New Mexico | $35,180 |
| Iowa | $34,940 |
| Idaho | $34,100 |
| Kansas | $33,420 |
| Missouri | $33,300 |
| Delaware | $31,200 |
| Alabama | $31,160 |
| Arkansas | $30,670 |
| Oklahoma | $30,540 |
| Louisiana | $30,100 |
| Nevada | $29,590 |
| Texas | $29,200 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for tutors shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $55,844 | 5.5% | 1.24 |
| Far Western US | $42,488 | 30.2% | 2.12 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,999 | 14.8% | 1.04 |
| Rocky Mountains | $40,428 | 3.4% | 0.86 |
| Southeast | $40,359 | 20.9% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $39,418 | 13.1% | 1.00 |
| Plains States | $36,606 | 3.5% | 0.53 |
| Southwest | $32,671 | 8.5% | 0.68 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casper, WY | WY | $99,590 | 110 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $72,500 | 350 |
| Cheyenne, WY | WY | $64,450 | 140 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $62,090 | 60 |
| Binghamton, NY | NY | $60,870 | 50 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $60,520 | 4,310 |
| Lawton, OK | OK | $60,350 | 100 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $59,350 | 240 |
Top Industries Employing Tutors
Most tutors work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 155,040 | $40,370 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 10,030 | $38,230 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3,830 | $45,170 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,140 | $41,600 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 520 | $39,140 |
| Information | 500 | $41,570 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 250 | $35,720 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 200 | $47,360 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Tutors Use
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for tutors tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Most tutors positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Primary-Short)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Supplemental)
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Primary-Short)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-3041.00 (Tutors).
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