Malaysian parents are often willing to fork out hard-earned money to pay for private tuition for their son or daughter. But how much should they pay a private tutor for, for example, one whole hour of SPM Add Maths tutoring? Does it matter if the tutor is a university student or a trained teacher?
We at ChampionTutor pride ourselves in our ability to ensure that you benefit from a transparent and competitive tuition rate. This tuition rate is based on seasonal market forces (i.e. fluctuations in supply and demand), as well as the tutor’s educational qualifications and teaching experience.
You should not, however, that the final tuition rate that you and your tutor agree on can depend on personalized factors. This includes the distance between his or her home and yours, the tutor’s personal rates, the subject matter involved, the presence of any learning difficulties, and the timing (e.g. rates may increase towards the examination season).
To state the obvious, popular tutors with an excellent track record for helping their students attain academic success will be in high demand. They will thus tend to have higher tuition rates. Tutors who have over seven years of stellar tutoring experience typically charge premium rates.
This table provides an overview of the average hourly fees you can expect, according to a tutor’s education and experience:
| Undergraduate | ||
| Primary 1 - 3 | Primary 4 - 6 | Secondary 1 - 3 |
| RM25 - RM30/hr | RM30 - RM35/hr | RM35 - RM45/hr |
| Secondary 4 - 5 | Pre-University | International Baccalaureate & Diploma |
| RM35 - RM50/hr | RM45 - RM65/hr | RM60 - RM80/hr |
| Graduate | ||
| Primary 1 - 3 | Primary 4 - 6 | Secondary 1 - 3 |
| RM30 - Rm40/hr | RM35 - RM45/hr | RM40 - RM60/hr |
| Secondary 4 - 5 | Pre-University | International Baccalaureate & Diploma |
| RM45 - RM65/hr | RM55 - RM75/hr | RM65 - RM85/hr |
| Ex/Current Teacher | ||
| Primary 1 - 3 | Pre-University | Secondary 1 - 3 |
| RM45 - RM55/hr | RM45 - RM60/hr | RM50 - RM70/hr |
| Secondary 4 - 5 | Pre-University | International Baccalaureate & Diploma |
| RM55 - RM75/hr | RM75 - RM100/hr | RM80 - RM100/hr |
These tuition rates are just a guideline. Here are some factors you might want to consider as you negotiate an hourly tuition rate with a potential tutor:
The tuition rates for different school syllabi varies, with the rates for foreign education formats such as the Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge ‘O’ Levels, Cambridge ‘A’ Levels, South Australian Matriculation, Canadian International Matriculation Programme, and New South Wales Higher School Certificate being higher than the rates for the local examinations (SPM and STPM).
The rates are often higher when preparation for a high stakes upcoming examination is involved. This is especially so when you need to hire a private tutor in the months leading up to the examination.
As you already know, group classes will be cheaper than one-on-one private tutoring sessions. The exact tuition rate you pay depends on the location of the class (tuition centre or a private residence) and the number of students in the class. This can vary from 2 students per group session to over 30 in a classroom-style setting.
We hope this article has provided a helpful overview of the market tuition rate for the various common subjects and different levels of tutor expertise. You should be prepared to pay the market rate for the services of a reputable tutor – but do note that paying a higher fee does not necessarily translate to improved learning outcomes for your child.
By Dave Tan