What families should know about rising tutoring costs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers downtown Kansas City, Missouri. He also focuses on stories of consumer interest. Share your story idea with Grant.

As Missouri kids settle into their second full week of school, some families may already be thinking about hiring a tutor - and sticker shock could be part of the conversation.

Back in the 2010s, hiring a tutor might have cost $20 to $30 an hour. Those days are gone. Private tutoring now runs $50 to $150 an hour, and specialized tutors can cost even more.

Industry analysts predict the global private tutoring market could grow past $200 billion by the end of the decade, with demand climbing about 10% year after year.

Part of that growth is driven by more students seeking tutoring help. But emergency federal funding that kept school-based tutoring cheap or free expired two years ago, pushing more families toward private, specialized tutors - and driving rates up further.

Organizations like Connect Me Tutoring are stepping in to fill the gap, pairing students with volunteer tutors for free or low-cost support.

"Having that one-on-one support with a peer that you feel comfortable with and know knows what you what you're going through, as they're maybe in the similar age range and just a little bit older than you, is definitely helpful," Claudia Wang, Connect Me Tutoring's director of admissions, said.

Connect Me Tutoring says the start of the school year is when their demand is highest, making now the time for families to explore their options.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

—