Every student knows that the costs of college add up fast. Even with financial aid, expenses such as books, extracurriculars, boarding, and activities can be quite costly. Nowadays, most college students need to hold some jobs to thrive. Unfortunately, busy schedules don’t always allow working just anywhere. This is where online tutoring jobs for college students make perfect sense. Whether you’re looking to make a bit of extra money or want to dip a toe into teaching, becoming an online tutor could be an excellent fit.
Unlike a traditional job, you can work directly from your desk, helping students across various grade levels and subjects to thrive academically. Online tutoring is a flexible gig. Both students and tutors are allowed to set up meeting times that work for their individual lives. In addition to the overall flexibility, online tutoring pays quite well. Typically, you can expect to make between $9 and $23 per hour as a new tutor. At iTalki, the language tutor sets their price between $4.00 and $80.00 per hour.
Do you think tutoring could be the perfect side gig as a student? We’ve rounded up 5 of the best online tutoring jobs for students down below.
Here Are the 5 Best Online Tutoring Jobs for College Students
1. Chegg Tutors
Subjects: All subjects
Payment: As a Chegg tutor, your pay will start at $20/hour, and you will be paid every week via PayPal. According to Chegg, the best tutors can earn well over $1,000/month. Not bad for a college student!
Formerly known as InstaEDU, Chegg Tutors has been offering online tutoring services since 2012. Since then, the site has only surged in popularity. Chegg Tutor is designed to provide students of all ages and backgrounds access to useful online tutoring services. At Chegg, students pick their tutors based on tutor profiles. Actual tutoring sessions are available via video chat, text chat, whiteboard, and several other options to suit the needs of the student/tutor. Most courses are even mobile-friendly, making them great for busy college students.
For the most part, Chegg caters to students from middle school up until the college level. Chegg offers all subjects. What’s nice about Chegg is that you can log in to the platform when it is most convenient for you. Chegg will automatically match you with students who suit your schedule and abilities. Over time, as your rating increase, so will your opportunities to match with students.
To get hired as a Chegg tutor, you need to be enrolled in a four-year university program. They’ll ask for two forms of school verification to prove your enrollment. A University ID card or student transcript should do the trick. You can quickly apply from any location, even outside of the US.
2. Tutor. Com
Subjects: Maths, Science, English, Social Studies, Business, and Foreign Language
Payment: At Tutor.com, you’ll be paid a set hourly rate that depends on your teaching subject. Tutors typically earn between $9 and $16 per hour, but $9/hour seems to be the starting rate for all new tutors and is on par with most online tutoring jobs for college students.
Founded back in 1998, Tutor.com serves as one of the oldest educational platforms available for students. This little site was well ahead of its time. Back in the ’90s, some even thought the internet would exist as a fad. Today, Tutor.com has grown exponentially, employing over 3,000 work-at-home tutors and working directly with many colleges, universities, and employee benefit programs.
The site seeks to connect the right tutor to students of all grade levels. Typically, you can choose between K-12. Subjects include math, science, English, social studies, business, and foreign language. Aside from tutoring, you can also assist students with their homework or class projects. Tutor.com is selective in who they hire. They want the best and look for college students, teachers, and professors to tutor in one of the many subjects listed above.
To apply as a tutor, you have to reside in the US or Canada and be available to tutor for at least five hours per week. The site also requires that you are a college sophomore or higher. More challenging subjects may require a degree. Hourly rate is dependent on the subjects you tutor and will be decided during the initial application process, which can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks.
3. Studypool
Subjects: All subjects
Payment: When you want to withdraw funds, Studypool will pay you via check or through PayPal. They take a 20-30% commission of what you earn, so your hourly rate will depend on the questions you’re answering and how many bids are being accepted.
Studypool was founded in 2014. Since then, the overall goal of Studypool has always been to connect students to tutors who can best help them succeed academically. The site itself is easy to navigate and is designed to help the students find the right tutor right off the bat. It is an excellent option for new tutors because the site itself will help you get your first few assignments. Once you complete a few tutoring sessions, the site will boost your review, which can help you to get more jobs. Eventually, you build a steady network of students who will seek you out whenever they need help.
Studypool focuses on all K-12 students and can offer help in nearly every subject. In addition to tutoring on Studypool, you can also earn some extra cash with features such as Notebank. This lets you upload and sell old documents (e.g., notes, study guides, and tutorials) and make passive income as you connect with students and tutors. At Studypool, you will have to bid on student questions. A student posts a question, and you give them a price and delivery time. If they choose you, the session begins. Pretty simple! To apply, all you have to do is be a current college or university student.
4. Student Tutor
Subjects: Maths, science, and English
Payment: Pay for Student-Tutor.com is competitive. Most tutors will start at $16 per hour for online academic tutoring. SAT/ACT prep tutors will generally begin at $23 per hour.
Since 2006, Student Tutor has helped more than 3 million students of all grade levels ensure college, scholarship, and career success by connecting individuals with the best online tutors and resources. They currently offer private online tutoring jobs on a variety of subjects that cater to all grade levels. With that said, Student Tutor is mostly concentrated on offering SAT prep, ACT prep, and tutoring for students grades 6-12th. Math, science, and English subjects are most emphasized on the site.
Since Student Tutor does hold their tutors to a higher standard, there are some caveats to the application process. To qualify as a tutor, you will have to be a current college student with a GPA of 3.0 or better. Some prior tutoring experience is preferred. If you aim to be an SAT tutor, the site requires scoring at least a 700+ score per section. ACT tutors must have scored at least 30+ per section.
Given the requirements for tutors, Student Tutor does offer very competitive hourly pay based on your experience. They also hold very flexible hours and will work with students to accommodate their busy academic schedules.
5. QKids
Subjects: English
Payment: QKids pay starts at a very generous $20 per hour, with the option to earn more and additional bonuses as you go along. Payment is traditionally conducted via PayPal.
If you’re looking to expand your horizons and go beyond simply tutoring children in your own country, QKids could be the best fit for you. QKids is a large online English tutoring site that seeks to help non-English speaking Chinese students learn English through quick 30-minute tutoring sessions. Generally, children are aged 4-12 and have a familiar grasp of some key English concepts.
As mentioned above, each lesson will be around 30 minutes long, and tutors will teach 1-4 students at a given time. QKids always try to match you up with the same students for each lesson; that way, you’re always looking at a few familiar faces, and students will feel more comfortable over time.
To become a tutor with QKids, you have to live in the US or Canada and be actively enrolled in University or already possess a bachelor’s degree. Some prior experience in teaching, mentoring, coaching, tutoring, or babysitting is preferred but not required. QKids also asks that you be able to teach around 6 hours per week at a minimum. When it comes to online tutoring jobs for college students, this is a great opportunity to look great on a future resume.
Tips for Becoming an Online Tutor
Online tutoring is an excellent option for any college student who wants to earn extra cash or expand their resume before graduating. Below, find some useful tips for becoming an online tutor.
Come Prepared for Your Interview
While not all online tutoring jobs for college students will require an interview, many will; schedule your interview quickly and come prepared. Carefully read through all the information they send you before your interview. Some sites will require you to make a mock class as part of the interview, so you’ll want to be ready just in case. Always over-prepare rather than under-prepare.
Dress to Impress
At both your interview and your initial tutoring sessions (if you’ll be on video), always strive to dress presentable and professional. This will automatically give you bonus points! There is no need to put on a full three-piece suit; put on a nice shirt (no one needs to know you’re wearing sweatpants) and make sure you look put together. If you apply for an English teaching position, ensure that you have the necessary certification, such as the TEFL certificate.
Have All the Proper Equipment
Different online tutoring jobs will require different types of equipment. Some expect you to have a webcam, headset, possibly props, or a backdrop. Others wimpy want you to have a reliable internet connection. Some will even have a specific dress requirement! Just be prepared and read through all the provided information thoroughly before you begin.
Always Work In a Quiet Place
Whether you’re tutoring or interviewing, you always want to work in a quiet place. You don’t wish to have frequent interruptions or loud noises interrupting your sessions. Turn off your phone and focus all of your attention on the task at hand. Both your employer and your students will want to know that your mind is in the right place.
Be Yourself
If you enjoy tutoring and teaching, be yourself and be creative! Smile, have fun and do your own thing. This will set you apart as a tutor and make it more fun for the students involved. No student will learn in a dry or stagnant environment, so feel free to let your best self shine through. If you are tutoring the same student week after week, get to know their needs and work best. Some students respond better to certain stimuli than others!
Don’t Give Up
Any good teacher knows that success doesn’t always come overnight. Don’t get frustrated and quit if your student doesn’t immediately garner the results you had hoped. Sometimes, it will take a few weeks to see a turnaround in grades or overall skill level. Just like you wouldn’t want your professors to give up on you, don’t give up on your students either.
The Bottom Line
When you crave a flexible schedule but still want competitive pay, choose from many options. For example, at Preply, you can find the latest tutoring jobs available to teach languages or other subjects. Another great platform we want to mention is Superprof. Superprof Canada is a community of online teachers with over 17 million teachers across 30 countries. If you wish to teach English to children abroad or help high-school students prep for tests, all you need is a little bit of time and patience to earn extra cash and earn valuable experience.
When you are hired on one of these tutoring sites, you are being taken on as an independent contractor. You’re not technically an employee. What does this mean? Well, it means you won’t be afforded benefits, and you will need to pay your taxes come April 15th. You’ll want to put a little money aside from each paycheck you earn, so you’re not hit with a large tax bill unexpectedly. Apart from that, being an independent contractor gives you a lot of freedom and flexibility. That’s something every college student craves!
Estoy interesada en ser tutora o profesora en línea