Private tutoring can be a significant expense, particularly when a student needs regular one-to-one lessons over several months. So, whether you are considering a tutor for your child at GCSE or A-Level, or looking for university-level support yourself, it is reasonable to ask: is the cost of tutoring worth it?
Ultimately, the value of private tuition depends on the quality of the tutor, how well they match the student’s needs and the academic results that follow. When the right tutor helps a student overcome an academic barrier or improve their grades, it can have lasting implications, as better academic outcomes are associated with higher lifetime and graduate earnings.
At The Profs, 92% of surveyed students who worked with our Online Tutors improved their grades, demonstrating the difference that high-quality, personalised tuition can make.*
Below, we break down typical tutoring costs, what you are actually paying for, the evidence linking academic attainment with future earnings, and how to decide whether private tutoring is worth the investment.
*Based on respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025
Contents
- How much does a private tutor cost in the UK?
- Is premium private tutoring worth the higher cost?
- What results can private tuition with The Profs achieve?
- GCSE attainment & lifetime earnings
- University grades & graduate salaries
- The rise of private tutoring & competition between students
- Is online tutoring worth the money?
- Need a tutor for your child? The Profs can help
How much does a private tutor cost in the UK?
The cost of private tutoring will vary greatly depending on the student’s level, subject, location and the tutor’s qualifications and teaching experience. There is an enormous difference between hiring a university student for occasional homework help and working with a highly experienced private tutor, former examiner or university lecturer.
Recent UK pricing research puts typical GCSE tutoring at roughly £28–£55 per hour, with A-Level tutoring commonly around £38–£75. Rates can be higher in areas such as London, and specialist university or admissions tuition can cost considerably more.
This explains why parents searching online may see everything from £25 or £35 an hour to £50 per hour, £80 per hour or even £100 per hour.
The important question, therefore, is not simply “How much does a tutor cost?” but “What am I getting for that price?”
Is premium private tutoring worth the higher cost?
The Profs’ rates sit above many online tutoring marketplaces. School-level tuition starts from £60 per hour, undergraduate tuition from £75 per hour and postgraduate tuition from £90 per hour, with rates increasing for specialist and professional support.
That premium reflects the level of expertise we offer and the deliberately selective approach we take to tutoring.
Across The Profs, 98% of tutors are postgraduates, 41% hold PhDs and 70% have more than 10 years of experience in education. Our elite network includes qualified teachers, former examiners, university lecturers and ex-admissions officers from top universities. In fact, only the top 3% of tutor applicants are accepted into our network after a rigorous interview and vetting process.
When a student is trying to move up a grade, prepare for an important exam, overcome persistent gaps in knowledge or perform at a demanding university level, the experience and expertise of their tutor can make a significant difference. A specialist tutor can identify what is holding a student back, focus tuition where it matters most and adapt their approach as the student progresses.
But don’t just take our word for it; hear from one of our top tutors:
“Unlike other agencies I’ve worked for, The Profs places people ahead of profit. I’m consistently matched with motivated, high‑calibre students who are serious about their academic futures, rather than being shuffled through a faceless system. This human‑first approach means I’m able to build meaningful relationships with students, celebrate their wins, and tailor my support to their unique strengths and goals.”
– Beni | Admissions Consultant | University of Oxford
What results can private tuition with The Profs achieve?
One of the challenges for parents and students comparing private tutoring providers is that tutoring companies do not always publish their academic results. Without that information, it can be difficult to judge what students have actually achieved after investing in tuition.
At The Profs, we believe greater transparency helps families make more informed decisions. That is why we publish our student outcomes, giving parents and students clear evidence of the academic progress achieved by those who have worked with our tutors.
Our latest results, based on surveyed students, found that:
- 92% of students across all levels of study improved their grades, with an average of just 22 hours of tutoring.
- 92% of A-Level students achieved a grade improvement, with an average of just 22 hours of tutoring.
- 93% of undergraduate students achieved a grade improvement, with an average of just 21 hours of tutoring.
- 99% of our admissions students got into their first or second-choice university; 2 in 3 offers came from a top 10 UK university.
- 70% of our Oxbridge admissions students secured offers (4x the national average).
Of course, no responsible private tutor or tutoring company can guarantee an academic outcome. A student’s results depend on many factors, including their starting point, engagement, independent learning, time available and the nature of the subject.
However, publishing historical outcomes gives families something tangible to assess. While every student is different, our results demonstrate the academic progress that students have made with targeted one-to-one tuition at The Profs.
GCSE attainment & lifetime earnings
A better GCSE result can matter long after the GCSE exam itself.
Department for Education research linked education and earnings records for more than two million people in England. It found that achieving one grade higher in a single GCSE subject was associated with £23,000 higher lifetime earnings on average. Across nine GCSE subjects, being one grade higher was associated with an average difference of £207,000 in lifetime earnings
But earnings are only one part of the picture.
A GCSE grade can determine whether a student meets the entry requirements for their preferred sixth form, can continue with level Maths or another A-Level, or remains eligible for a future university course. For some students, moving from one side of a grade boundary to the other can materially change their next educational step.
That can make tuition a worthwhile investment when a tutor can help a student address the specific areas preventing them from reaching their target.
University grades & graduate salaries
The relationship between academic attainment and earnings continues at university.
Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that, five years after graduation, graduates with a 2:2 had median annual pre-tax earnings around £3,800 lower than graduates with a 2:1.
After accounting for observable characteristics, a 2:2 rather than a 2:1 was associated with 6.9% lower earnings for women and 10.9% lower earnings for men. In Law and Economics, the difference exceeded 15%.
The gap was particularly pronounced at highly selective universities. Graduates from the most selective institutions who achieved a 2:2 earned around 20% less at age 30 than comparable graduates who achieved a 2:1.
So, for students aiming for competitive graduate jobs and careers, hiring a tutor is a crucial investment, particularly when the difference between a 2:2 and a 2:1 can have a measurable impact on future earnings.
The rise of private tutoring & competition between students
There is another factor for parents to consider: more students are receiving academic help outside of school.
The Sutton Trust’s Private Tutoring 2026 research found that 29% of secondary school students in England and Wales have received private tutoring at some point, compared with 18% when the organisation began collecting the data twenty years ago. In London, the figure has reached 45%.
Tutoring is particularly common as major exams approach. The same research found that Year 11 was the most common year for private tutoring, with 25% of pupils having received it. With a growing number of students receiving one-to-one support outside of school, hiring a tutor can help ensure your child doesn’t fall behind their peers.
Is online tutoring worth the money?
For many families, online tutoring sessions can provide excellent value because location is no longer a constraint.
Rather than choosing from the tutors who happen to live nearby, a student can work with a specialist whose expertise closely matches their subject, exam board, university module or specific learning requirements.
Best of all, modern online tuition can still be highly interactive! Through video calls, digital whiteboards, screen sharing and file sharing, the tutor and student can work through problems together in real time.
It can also eliminate travel time and make it easier to fit a tutoring session around school, university and other commitments. For students outside a major city or high cost of living area, online learning can substantially widen the pool of available tutors.
Need a tutor for your child? The Profs can help
The Profs is a multi-award-winning private tutoring provider on a mission to help students achieve life-changing success. We support students at every stage of their education, whether your child needs to close gaps in their knowledge, prepare for important exams, improve their grades or strengthen an application to a competitive university. Discover our range of:
- GCSE Tutors: Personalised tuition to help students strengthen their subject knowledge and achieve the grades required to pursue their preferred A-Levels, sixth form or college.
- A-Level Tutors: Subject-specific support to help students master challenging content, improve their exam technique and secure the grades they need to meet their university offer.
- University Tutors: Specialist academic guidance across undergraduate and postgraduate subjects, from understanding difficult concepts to improving essays, dissertations and exam performance.
- University Admissions Tutors: Expert guidance for students applying to competitive universities, including application strategy, admissions tests, personal statements and interviews.
Families choosing The Profs can also be confident they are working with one of the UK’s most highly recognised tutoring providers. In 2026, we received the King’s Award for Enterprise (widely considered the equivalent of an MBE for businesses), and have also been recognised as “Private Tutoring Provider of the Year” by EducationInvestor.
Contact us today, and we’ll find the perfect tutor to meet your educational needs.
FAQs About the Cost of Private Tutoring
Is group tutoring cheaper than one-to-one tuition?
Group tutoring will generally have a lower per session price because the tutor’s time is shared between several students. Whilst many of our students choose one-to-one tuition for the individual attention it provides, The Profs also offers several ways to make tutoring a reasonable cost for families:
- Group tutoring: Learn with friends for less. Each additional student pays just 50% of the tutor’s rate.
- 10-hour block booking: Receive 5% off when you book 10 hours of one-to-one lessons and pay upfront.
- 20-hour block booking: Receive 10% off when you book 20 hours of one-to-one lessons and pay upfront.
What subjects can a private tutor help with?
Tutors can provide support across almost all school subjects, from English and mathematics to science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. A maths tutor, for example, might help a younger student master fundamental numeracy before supporting more advanced topics as they progress towards Year 7 and beyond.
The best choice will depend on where your child needs additional support and the qualifications and experience tutors offer in that particular subject.
Is private tutoring worth it for primary school children?
Yes. At primary school, the right tutor can strengthen the foundations your child will rely on throughout their education, from times tables and mathematics to grammar, creative writing and preparation for SATs.
For children preparing for the eleven-plus, the stakes can be even higher. Our 11 Plus Tutors can provide targeted support across areas such as verbal reasoning, helping your child prepare for the demands of the exam and compete for a place at their preferred grammar school. When places are highly competitive, effective preparation could make the difference between your child securing a place and narrowly missing out.
Are tutor agencies worth it?
Yes. One of the biggest advantages of using reputable tutor agencies is that much of the vetting and screening is done for you. Rather than having to assess tutors yourself, a good agency, like The Profs, will check their qualifications, experience and suitability before they are introduced to your child.
This can save parents considerable time and provide greater confidence that they are choosing from quality tutors who have already met the agency’s standards.
How do I know if my child needs a tutor?
Your child needs a tutor when additional individual support could meaningfully improve their learning or help them reach a specific goal. This might be because they are falling behind the curriculum, have lost confidence, need higher grades or are preparing for an important assessment.
A great tutor can help students who are struggling, but tutoring is not only remedial. Many parents also find a tutor when their child is already performing well but wants to aim for more competitive grades, schools or universities.
Can tutoring boost their confidence and inspire their learning?
Yes. Tutoring can boost their confidence by giving students the opportunity to ask questions, revisit difficult material and learn at a pace that suits them. The individual attention of a quality tutor can also inspire their learning, particularly when lessons connect school subjects to a student’s interests and longer-term ambitions.
This can be especially useful for children of all ages whose child’s learning was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The wider impact of the pandemic contributed to increased interest in additional academic support, and a tutor can help students rebuild foundations while introducing learning strategies they can use independently.
