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K-12 Schools and School Support Programs
Kumon, Catapult Learning, Pearson
Tutors
Tutors work one-on-one or in small groups to help students catch up, keep up, or prepare for exams. The job is distinct because every session has to be tailored to the student's pace and weak spots, while also tracking progress for parents, teachers, or counselors. The tradeoff is that the work can be flexible and personal, but pay and hours are often uneven and depend on student demand.
Also known as Academic TutorPrivate TutorOnline TutorHomework TutorLearning Center Tutor
Median Salary
$40,090
Mean $47,780
U.S. Workforce
~175K
37.1K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+0.6%
215.5K to 216.8K
Entry Education
Some college, no degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Tutors sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~175K workers, with a median annual pay of $40,090 and roughly 37.1K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 215.5 K in 2024 to 216.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's Degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Peer Tutor and can progress toward Academic Support Manager. High-value skills usually include Learning Management Systems (Google Classroom, Canvas), Virtual Tutoring Tools (Zoom, Microsoft Teams), and Progress Tracking (Google Sheets, Excel), paired with soft skills such as Instructing, Reading Comprehension, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Meet with students to find out what they are struggling with and what they need to improve.
- Adjust lessons, worksheets, and practice questions to match the student's level and subject.
- Watch students work through problems and step in when they get stuck or make the same mistake.
- Share progress updates with parents, teachers, or counselors by email, phone, or in person.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Meet with students to find out what they are struggling with and what they need to improve.
02 Adjust lessons, worksheets, and practice questions to match the student's level and subject.
03 Watch students work through problems and step in when they get stuck or make the same mistake.
04 Share progress updates with parents, teachers, or counselors by email, phone, or in person.
05 Keep notes on scores, feedback, attendance, and other records while protecting student privacy.
06 Work with teachers or families on support plans for students who need extra help, and keep the tutoring space organized.
Industries That Hire
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Test Prep and Tutoring Centers
Kaplan, The Princeton Review, Huntington Learning Center
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Online Tutoring Platforms
Varsity Tutors, Wyzant, Skooli
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Colleges and Universities
Arizona State University, Southern New Hampshire University, University of Phoenix
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Nonprofit and Community Education
Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, AVID Center
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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It has a relatively low barrier to entry, with BLS listing some college, no degree as the typical entry point and no required on-the-job training.
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There are about 37.1K annual openings, so people who want this kind of work can often find new opportunities even when overall growth is slow.
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The pay is modest but not trivial for a support role, with a mean annual wage of $47,780 and a median of $40,090.
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The work can be very personal and satisfying because you see the effect of your help on one student at a time.
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Remote tutoring is common, so you can often work from home or mix in-person and online sessions.
Challenges
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Growth is almost flat at 0.6% from 2024 to 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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A lot of tutoring work is hourly, part-time, or tied to the school calendar, so income can be uneven across the year.
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The career ceiling can be narrow unless you move into coordination, curriculum work, or teaching.
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Basic homework help faces competition from cheap online platforms and AI study tools, which can squeeze demand for simple tasks.
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The job can be frustrating when students are discouraged, families want quick results, or progress is hard to measure.
Career Progression
Peer Tutor
0-1 years
$24K-$32K
Entry-level work usually focuses on helping classmates or younger students with basic study habits and simple assignments.
Tutor
1-4 years
$34K-$48K
Tutors run regular sessions, adapt explanations in real time, and keep track of student progress; this range includes the $40,090 median pay for the occupation.
Lead Tutor THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$48K-$60K
Experienced tutors handle harder subjects, support other tutors, and take on students who need more structured help.
Tutoring Program Coordinator
8-12 years
$60K-$75K
Coordinators schedule sessions, manage records, and help shape tutoring plans for a school, center, or online program.
Academic Support Manager
12+ years
$75K-$92K
At this level, the work shifts toward supervision, program design, and performance tracking instead of direct tutoring.
Education Paths
Bachelor's Degree
A very common route, held by 40.91% of workers in this role, and useful for tutoring older students or multiple subjects.
Some College Courses
Another major entry path, held by 36.36% of workers, especially for peer tutors and part-time tutoring jobs.
High School Diploma
This path appears in 9.09% of workers and can be enough for basic tutoring jobs or peer support roles.
Tutoring Certification or Subject-Specific Credential
Non-degree credentials can help with test prep, online tutoring, or subject-focused work even though they are not part of the core education distribution.
Key Skills
Technical
Learning Management Systems (Google Classroom, Canvas) 78%
Virtual Tutoring Tools (Zoom, Microsoft Teams) 76%
Progress Tracking (Google Sheets, Excel) 72%
Practice and Quiz Tools (Kahoot!, Quizlet) 68%
Document Editing (Google Docs, Microsoft Word) 66%
Soft Skills
InstructingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningLearning StrategiesSpeakingCritical Thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+0.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
37.1K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 215.5K to 216.8 K over the next decade, representing 0.6% growth. Around 37.1 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently High availability. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.