Suggested rate per hour?

[Claiken]

For a teacher (me) who is just starting out, who wants to teach beginning level players??

I have a BA in Music Degree from University.

I would also be able to help with music theory if needed.

I was thinking $20 per hour, especially with the way the economy seems to suck right now. Is that a fair price? I am afraid to charge too much since I will just be starting out myself, so It will be an experiment of sorts until i come up with my own style of teaching. In the meantime I will likely mimic what was taught to me, as it applies to them.

Thoughts?

[mirwa]

A good way of finding out what the local market will put up with, is contact your local music store and find out how much they charge for a 30 minute lesson, you then offer the same price but for a 60 minute lesson.

[fluteguy18]

that's a great suggestion. I would however find out the credentials of the teacher associated with the store so you can gauge your relative experience. If they charge $60 per hour and have their doctorate in Flute Pedagogy then perhaps something along the lines of $40 per hour would be appropriate. I personally think $20 per hour is too low, even in the poorer parts of the country. While parents do try to be mindful of cost, parents are also conscientious of quality as well. If your rate is too low they may avoid you as a teacher because they might have the impression your teaching quality is low.

Once you become established you'll have a reputation and you won't have to worry about this sort of thing as much.

[Claiken]

I will have to check that out.

In my experience, my teacher with her masters (taught also within the performance major program, but on the side as well) was $50 per hour. My 2 teachers who were going through the performance program were $30 per hour (but still students at the time, but they had established students already).

I am aware that im not as amazing as they are, so I know i cant expect to teach for as much as them. I would like to keep them as affordable as possible.

But, at first, the quality will be less - this will be hard to overcome.

maybe $25 per hour? Hmm... will have to check aorund though to know for sure, good suggestion!

[Phineas]

What to charge per hour depends on a lot of factors. Even if $20 an hours is enough to put in your pocket, you have to figure in Studio rental, gas, preparation, materials, etc...

These days, I charge 25 to 35 an hour. However I am not a full time instrument teacher, and mostly give lessons to special students with special needs or students that other teachers (flute snobs) would not normally take. I kind of do it more as a service than to make money. If I were doing it full time, I would have a different mind set.

Another thing to consider is in the music environment, parents expect to pay good money for an instrument teacher. If you are too cheap, parents tend to shy away because of it. You will do better charging at the top end than the bottom end. I have often inherited students from high dollar instructors that were not worth the money. If you are good, you may as well get paid if you can get it.

Lastly, if you are concerned about lower income people being able to afford lessons, why not offer lesson in small groups. You can charge less money per person, and still make decent money. Make a flute workshop class with 3 or 4 students at once.

Just a few thoughts.......

[Claiken]

I know this is an older topic, but i just thought id respond in saying i got my first responce the other day to my ad. I decided to offer $15 per half hour (whcih is what the local stores are doing) or $25 for the hour. that way its a bit of a deal for the hour for them.

They said it was too steep.

Thats rather disappointing... my first "bite" only to be told no.

if i lower the price too much i may as well just stay at mcdonalds....

minimum here is going up to $11 per hour sometime in the near future.... i put in aLOT of work getting my degree... and since the $25 is $20 cheaper per month than my teachers were ($30 per lesson).... i thought it was a pretty good deal.

ESPECIALLY since I am willing to drive to them to teach... which means no gas, no inconvenience etc for them.

This is a bummer.

[Classitar]

Good Luck Claiken!

Don't let it get you down, keep your goal in sight and you'll get there.

Is there any other free advertising that you could do?

How about speaking to local public school teachers?
They may be able to refer some students.

Free performances may generate some interest, churches, Rec centers..

[fluteguy18]

Don't get discouraged by that experience. There are always cheapskates out there who will try to drag you down. Chances are quite high that you wouldn't want to work with them anyway. They probably would have required you to pay for all of the music and materials and then become upset at you if their child wasn't successful because the child wasn't practicing enough. I've had situations like that and I just terminated the student. It's not the nicest thing to do but if you do it carefully it certainly garners respect from your peers in the area and forewarns them of problem clients in the region. As long as you are reasonable, it shows that you have professional standards and expectations that will not be compromised.

I would actually make your rate the same as the teachers in your area provided you have similar background education credentials. That way you don't anger teachers in your area by undercutting them. That way if you have a positive working relationship with them then they might be more willing to pass along students that they cannot accommodate. Otherwise it's just a matter of time and patience. Work your network. Get out in the community and become involved. Volunteer for things. Make new relationships and fortify existing ones. If you hang around long enough, the students will come to you. It's just a matter of time.

[David - WI]

We're paying $15 per 1/2 hour for beginner piano & flute lessons given at the teacher's home; the teacher is the music teacher / band director at the local high school.

If the kid doesn't learn to play that it's way too much money... if she actually learns then it's a bargain! LOL

You could always offer the first lesson for free; then negotiate a rate for future lessons based on how annoying the parents are.

[Claiken]

Maybe they were just hoping for me to back down and say a lower price would be fine??

Maybe i should begin by offering $30 and then counteroffer $25 if they say the $30 is too much?

Maybe for them it just truly was too much to handle? Hard to say.

As far as network of teachers though, I dont really have one. Mine have since moved away to pursue further schooling/families/etc. and I dont really know any others aside from a high school music teacher. Which he may still help me out but, needless to say my social circle is far from large!

I guess ill give it a bit longer and see what happens.