The Low-Down On Online Tutoring Jobs

If you’re looking to get out of the classroom, and are unsure about what else you want to do (or what you’re even qualified to do!), online tutoring can seem like an easy choice. After all, didn’t we all teach virtually during the pandemic?

Do a little Googling, and you’ll find round-ups listing dozens of online tutoring jobs for teachers. But what’s the real deal? Are these jobs actually a decent first step out of the classroom? Or are they too good to be true?

I scoured the internet so you don’t have to, and the answer I found is: it’s a mixed bag.

While there were handfuls of folks on every thread who shared good experiences, the overall consensus is that online tutoring companies pay too little—and that you can make much more on your own (a post on that is in the works!).

Working for an established online tutoring company does offer some benefits. The biggest is that you don’t have to hustle for clients, or worry about the logistics and legalities of starting your own business. And of course, as remote positions, you don’t have commuting costs. You can run a quick load of laundry between sessions—or even go to the bathroom!

My take is that if you kinda liked remote teaching in the pandemic, aren’t ready to start your own tutoring business, and need to earn money but are also willing to earn less than you’re worth, these jobs may be a good option—especially if you’re an early-career teacher. But if you have any level of experience or expertise, and if you’re interested in growing or advancing in a new industry, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Still, I dug around and found some of the most popular and reputable online tutoring companies current and former teachers are working for, and sifted through what folks had to say on various sites and forums. From what I’ve researched, none of these companies are scams; even if the positions are low-paid, you will get paid. And not on Venmo.

Online tutoring jobs for teachers

• Varsity Tutors: Varsity Tutors is one of the biggest online tutoring companies, so there was a lot of information out there to cull through... and not much of it was good.

  • Pros: There are lots of students on the platform, so their tutors can usually fill their schedules. Tutors report very little prep time for lessons.

  • Cons: The pay is looooow: $15/hour, though some specialists such as SAT tutors can earn up to $35/hour. Folks say the software is buggy and that the company’s tech support is unhelpful. Like everything else in our review-driven culture, a single bad student review can reportedly harm your rating and make it harder to get clients. There were a lot of very unhappy former sales reps and consultants who warned against working for the company.

• WyzAnt: As a company, WyzAnt appears to be slightly better to work for than Varsity, with higher earning potential.

  • Pros: Tutors set their own rates, and the company takes a percentage, which gives tutors more control over their earnings. Some tutors noted that the customer support team was especially helpful.

  • Cons: Folks report that there are more tutors on the platform than clients, so it can be hard to get hours. There are also reports that work opportunities have recently gotten slower.

• Elevate: Elevate Tutoring is a nonprofit that aims to address the equity gaps that private tutoring creates by working with low-income and underserved schools. Cool! Not to be confused with Elevate K-12 (whose ads are now all over my social media), Elevate had overall positive reviews. Personally, it’s the only company on this list that I’d consider working for.

  • Pros: Tutors report that rates start at $30/hour and go up, depending on your subject. The company also pays for time spent on admin tasks! Tutors say that their hours are pretty consistent. They also say Elevate appears to actually care about their mission and to have their tutors’ best interest at heart—a huge plus (and maybe a rarity in this field?).

  • Cons: Since it’s a newer company, folks report the typical start-up glitches and inconsistencies.

• Air Tutors: Air Tutors is another big player in online tutoring. While the company takes some consumer clients, most of its students come through contracts with local schools.

  • Pros: Air Tutors pays more than some other companies, reportedly around $45/hour. They provide a virtual whiteboard platform, with lessons in certain subjects provided. Some tutors report doing mainly homework assistance. The company doesn’t require you to sign a non-competition clause, meaning you could also do some of your own private tutoring. Overall, people sounded pretty happy working for them.

  • Cons: Some tutors cite frequent technical issues. There have also been recent reports of tutors’ contracts being terminated (people speculate that it’s likely related to schools’ drying up of pandemic relief funds, as clients mostly come through school contracts).

• Tutored by Teachers: Tutored By Teachers was “founded on the idea of teachers earning extra income while flexing the skills they have in the classroom.” It’s a public benefit company (read: a for-profit business claiming to work toward the public good) that works with high-needs students, and boasts some pretty impressive outcomes. It might be the advertisements for “an interim solution to teacher vacancies,” but something about them makes me suspicious.

  • Pros: Their tutors disclose earning around $40/hour (though $36 was the most common rate I saw listed). People report steadily getting more work the longer they stay with the company, and advise that in order to get more clients, it’s key to be flexible and proactive on their Slack. I read a few claims that the company was more organized and better to work with than other online tutoring companies, with a supportive culture and helpful co-workers (though I also read some contradictory reports—see below!).

  • Cons: There are reportedly thousands of tutors on their platform, and several people report being signed to the company for months and not getting a single gig. While some types of lessons have materials provided, they don’t pay for lesson prep time. Some folks said the company was disorganized and that some mentors could be micromanaging.

• Fullmind: Fullmind offers online tutoring jobs that reportedly pay decently, around $30/hour—though other people say they often see jobs posted for less than that!

  • Pros: Tutors say the company offers flexibility and a decent pay rate—and that they pay on time!

  • Cons: There are some reports that the pay rate has recently plummeted, and that it is hard to get clients.

Have an experience or insight to add? Did I get anything wrong? Leave a comment below!