5 online tutoring jobs for college students

Online tutoring is a great way to work part time as a college student while focusing on your education. Online tutoring positions can offer a competitive rate and are easier to manage with a class schedule than other jobs. You don’t have to factor in a commute and you can often set your hours.

However, tutoring online may come at a price, usually through a platform or service fee deducted from your earnings. And you want to be careful not to let your online tutoring business interfere with your studies.

5 paid online tutoring jobs for college students

Working while in college can help you avoid using student loans for living expenses. Not all online tutoring companies are created equal, and each has different rates, experience requirements and fees.

1. Tutor.com

• Hourly rate: Varies by subject
• Platform (or service) fee: Not applicable

Tutor.com is associated with the Princeton Review and offers tutoring services for everything from basic courses like English and math to specialized courses like managerial accounting and health care administration.

College sophomores and higher are welcome to apply, but current undergraduate students will likely be responsible for tutoring students in lower grade levels in basic courses. Tutors may set their hours within the set time blocks offered, but they must work at least five hours per week to stay employed.

Requirements:

• Qualify as an expert in your subject by taking a competency exam.
• Be enrolled as a sophomore or higher at an accredited four-year university or have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited four-year university.
• Reside and be eligible to work in the U.S.
• Have a valid Social Security number.

2. Superprof

• Hourly rate: $20 to $80 per hour
• Platform (or service) fee: Not applicable

Superprof features a vast network of more than 22 million tutors offering online and in-person services. You can provide tutoring in the typical academic subjects and languages, but also sports, arts and hobbies.

If you work with Supeprof, you choose how you’ll deliver lessons and what subjects you want to teach. Tutors also have the freedom to set their own schedules and rates.

Requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Have expertise in the subject you’re providing lessons in.
• Be fluent or bilingual if you’re giving English lessons.

3. Studypool

• Hourly rate: Varies based on the questions you answer
• Platform (or service) fee: Starts at 20 percent

Studypool is an online tutoring service that allows tutors to bid for and answer questions that students submit. Students will set a time limit and price range, and multiple tutors will bid for each question. The student will then choose the tutor who best fits their needs and submit the payment to Studypool. Once the student officially answers and approves the question, the payment will be distributed to the tutor.

After passing the application process, you won’t need to establish a schedule since you can bid for the questions you have time for. However, the business model encourages tutors to lurk on the platform waiting for new questions to be submitted. Since you can’t set your own rates, you’ll have to use your own judgment about how much your time is worth and which questions to accept.

Requirements:

• Be a current college student with a valid student ID.
• Have a university degree and a valid academic transcript.

4. Cambly

• Hourly rate: $10.20 on Cambly, $12 on Cambly Kids
• Platform (or service) fee: Not applicable

Cambly partners native English speakers with students learning English as a second language. No degree or teaching license is required to get accepted, and tutors set their schedules. However, you’ll have to be willing to work some untraditional hours due to the different time zones of your students.

Note that the rate is lower than many states’ minimum wages. On the other hand, unlike a traditional job, you may be able to work in brief increments between other commitments — Cambly states tutors don’t have minimum hours.

Requirements:

• Be a native English speaker.

5. Wyzant

• Hourly rate: Set by tutor
• Platform (or service) fee: Platform fee of 25 percent, service fee of 9 percent

Wyzant is another online tutoring platform with more than 65,000 instructors covering about 300 subjects. Once the student selects an instructor, they initiate a chat and book the first lesson directly in the online dashboard.

There are no preset rules regarding rates, which gives tutors the flexibility to charge their worth. Wyzant assesses a steep platform fee, so you want to keep this in mind when setting your rates. But if you refer a new student to the platform for lessons, you receive 100 percent of your hourly rate.

Requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Live in the United States.
• Have a valid Social Security number.
• Submit written qualifications or pass a subject-specific proficiency quiz.

How to get paid to tutor online

On most tutoring websites, you’re responsible for building your reputation as a tutor. To maximize your potential earnings, be as professional and prepared as possible.

Focus on your expertise

When interviewing for different jobs, stick with your subject of expertise. Typically, this means focusing on a subject related to your degree. Not only will this help you feel more confident in your role, but it will also establish your reputation on the site and attract more clients. Many sites also require potential tutors to take competency tests in specific areas, so capitalize on the subjects you’re most comfortable with.

Determine your requirements and hours

Set boundaries for yourself as soon as you launch your online tutoring business. It can be tempting to work around the clock, especially when time differences are a factor, but don’t overwork yourself, and remember to focus primarily on your schoolwork.

Before applying, check each site’s class schedules, the countries your potential students live in and any time zones you’ll need to adjust to. Creating a schedule immediately will help you set the necessary boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

If you decide to freelance rather than work through a website, research the rates for online tutors with your experience level to set a fair and competitive hourly rate.

Advertise your business

If you’re choosing to start your own tutoring business, advertise your expertise, rates and experience on every social media platform possible. Facebook, X and Reddit may help you connect with people looking for tutoring services.

Remember that you are one of tens of millions of potential tutors. You’ll need to demonstrate to potential clients that you are qualified and knowledgeable. Build out a professional LinkedIn profile and ask your students or their parents for endorsements you can add to your page.

How much can I make from online tutoring?

How much you could make from online tutoring depends on the hourly rates set by the website and how many hours you work a week.

The rates will vary depending on the subject, your experience and the company you partner with, if you are using one. So research a few online tutoring companies before applying to ensure you’re getting compensated fairly. Also, keep in mind that most companies charge service fees, which can be 20 percent or higher — you’ll have to factor this into each expected payment.

If you’re setting your own rates, make sure they reflect your qualifications and are in line with what similar tutors charge. You might be tempted to undercut other users on the platform, but according to online tutors in the Reddit forum r/TutorsHelpingTutors, that can backfire. 

“People tend to associate higher rates with greater confidence in the tutor’s abilities,” says one user.

Bankrate money tip

Is tutoring paying off for you? Consider putting some of that cash toward paying off your student loans. Interest starts accruing on all student loans aside from Direct Subsidized Loans. If you can reduce your balance while you’re still in school, you’ll save on student loan interest in the future.

Bottom line

Online tutoring can be a flexible and lucrative way to pad out your student budget while you are enrolled in school. Working for a tutoring company may make locating clients and getting paid simpler and faster. However, you will want to compare multiple service providers to find one that is a good fit for your qualifications and pay expectations.