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Private tutor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a private tutor. Private tutors usually study english, psychology, or elementary education. 71% of private tutors hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 14,929 real private tutor resumes to see exactly what private tutor education sections show.

The most common colleges for private tutors are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.

There are also many online private tutor courses to help get the education required to be a private tutor.

What education do you need to become a private tutor?

What degree do you need to be a private tutor?

The most common degree for private tutors is bachelor's degree, with 71% of private tutors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 71%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 7%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a private tutor?

You should major in english to become a private tutor. 12% of private tutors major in english. Other common majors for a private tutor include psychology and elementary education.

Most common colleges for private tutors

Private tutors often get their degrees at University of California - Davis, University of California, Santa Barbara, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for private tutors in the US based on their resumes.
Private tutor common collegePercentages
University of California - Davis14.21%
University of California, Santa Barbara13.65%
New York University7.38%
California State University - San Bernardino5.36%
University of California, Berkeley4.87%

Best majors for private tutors

RankMajorPercentages
1English11.6%
2Psychology10.2%
3Elementary Education9.7%
4Biology7.8%
5Education7.3%

Best colleges for private tutors

The best colleges for private tutors are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.

A private tutor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for private tutors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become private tutors.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Enrollment

16,205

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

20 best online courses for private tutors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for private tutors

The most affordable schools for private tutors are Hunter College of the City University of New York, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for private tutors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for private tutors.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

10. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for private tutors

The hardest universities for private tutors to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.

Some great schools for private tutors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for private tutors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

10. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for private tutors

The easiest schools for private tutors to get into are Bluefield College, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a private tutor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for private tutors.

1. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

8. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average private tutor salary by education level

Private tutors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $48,671 annually. With a Master's degree, private tutors earn a median annual income of $45,101 compared to $41,025 for private tutors with an Bachelor's degree.
Private tutor education levelPrivate tutor salary
Master's Degree$45,101
High School Diploma or Less$36,054
Bachelor's Degree$41,025
Doctorate Degree$48,671
Some College/ Associate Degree$39,215

Private tutor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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