How to hire an online tutor

How to hire an online tutor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step online tutor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an online tutor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new online tutor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an online tutor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the online tutor you need to hire. Certain online tutor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an online tutor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an online tutor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of online tutors.

   Type of Online Tutor	Description	Hourly rate
   Online Tutor		$11-18
   Teacher-In-Training	A teacher-in-training is a teaching professional who offers technical teaching assistance to teachers in developing effective behavior management and instructional strategies to support student learning. The teacher must collaborate with principals while employing diverse techniques to increase the effectiveness of student learning... Show more	$11-26
   Teacher	Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world... Show more	$15-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Math
   • GRE
   • Grammar
   • K-12
   • Language Arts
   • ESL
   • English Language
   • Basic Mathematics
   • Organic Chemistry
   • Pre-Calculus
   • Skype
   • Geometry
   • Algebra II
   • Whiteboards

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used different tools to achieve student success such as the whiteboard, websites, and role playing.
   • Identify necessary technical corrections in areas such as grammar, sentence structure, and accurate word usage.
   • Tutor students in the subject areas of economics and business management.
   • Tutor for high school/college level calculus, economics, statistics, computer science
   • Provide ESL tutoring with structure lesson plans base on individual client needs and goals.
   • Research interesting topics for daily lessons then use Microsoft PowerPoint to create lesson for the virtual class

   More online tutor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your online tutor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An online tutor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, online tutors' average salary in florida is 45% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level online tutors earn 38% less than senior-level online tutors.
   • Certifications. An online tutor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an online tutor's salary.

   Average online tutor salary

   $14.85hourly

   $30,886 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level online tutor salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average online tutor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$37,507	$18
   2	Massachusetts	$34,532	$17
   3	Pennsylvania	$32,808	$16
   4	Minnesota	$32,040	$15
   5	Nebraska	$31,276	$15
   6	Missouri	$31,089	$15
   7	Texas	$30,361	$15
   8	New York	$30,198	$15
   9	Oklahoma	$30,143	$14
   10	Colorado	$29,993	$14
   11	Georgia	$29,149	$14
   12	Ohio	$25,597	$12
   13	Michigan	$25,461	$12
   14	New Mexico	$25,324	$12
   15	Tennessee	$24,880	$12
   16	North Carolina	$24,116	$12
   17	Virginia	$23,829	$11
   18	Florida	$21,064	$10

   Average online tutor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BookNook	$32,211	$15.49
   2	Liberty University	$27,428	$13.19	14

4. Writing an online tutor job description

   An online tutor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an online tutor job description:

   Online tutor job description example

   We're PrepNow, an online brand of StudyPoint, a tutoring company focused on providing a personal, customized test prep experience for students in the comfort of their homes. We help students throughout the United States who are preparing for the SAT, ACT and PSAT. We're backed by the impressive and effective tools and resources that have helped over 50,000 students fulfill their goals.
   
   At PrepNow, you'll work with students in a virtual environment, from the convenience of your home or office. There's no commuting, no getting lost, no wear and tear on your car.
   
   Our elite tutoring staff:Are engaging and energetic while instructing students;Utilize and customize our proven curriculum to improve student outcomes;Are responsive and communicate effectively with students, parents, and employees;Create a positive, safe learning environment;Have fun while helping students achieve their goals.
   
   PrepNow's expert tutors have the following qualifications:A minimum of 2 years of teaching and/or tutoring experienceA Bachelor's and/or Graduate degree from a top 50 college or university Strong academic background Confidence tutoring ALL sections of the SAT/ACT including both verbal and math sections. (Math sections include algebra I, algebra II, geometry, and some trigonometry.) Your own computer with high speed internet access.
   
   Why Tutor With Us?Design your own schedule: You choose when you tutor and can be matched with students across the country.Provided Curriculum: We create all the lessons and homework assignments. We even have on online grading system, so you don't have to spend time correcting assignments.Evaluations: Annual evaluations for all tutors with opportunities for raises based on performance.Referral Bonuses: For every student and fellow tutor you refer to us who signs up or is hired, you are eligible for a bonus!Dedicated Support: You will have a manager as well as a mentor who are there to support you each step of the way.No non-compete: You are free to continue with your private tutoring or tutoring with other organization in addition to working with our students.Starting pay from $15-19/hr. Candidates with formal experience teaching and/or tutoring the SAT/ACT may be eligible to start at higher pay rates.
   Typical Hours:
   
   Prime tutoring hours generally fall outside of school hours and on weekends. Your availability should include 6 or more hours per week and should be primarily be in the following time blocks:
   
   Monday-Friday: 3pm-9pm
   Saturday/Sunday: 9am-9pm
   
   We get students in all time zones in the continental United States.
   
   PrepNow is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value all perspectives and backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right online tutor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your online tutor job on Zippia to find and recruit online tutor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit online tutors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new online tutor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the online tutor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new online tutor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an online tutor?