Teaching music lessons is an excellent opportunity to earn extra cash or make a full-time salary. It is a great way to earn an opportunity for flexibility, decent pay, and a chance to indulge your love of music regularly. However, before you start, you must consider various aspects; the most important is the pay rate.
What price should you charge for music lessons? If you teach beginner music lessons, 15 and 30 dollars for every 30 minutes of instruction is recommended. You may charge between $30 to $75 per lesson for advanced and intermediate students.
The price you charge should be based on many factors, beginning with your musicianship skills and your experience as a music teacher. Also, the more you are aware of, plus the knowledge you’ve gained and the greater your potential to be able to charge.
However, that’s just the tip of an Iceberg, to be truthful.
If you’re looking to be a teacher, there are other essential things to consider.
1. Location Of Lessons
When you decide on the price to charge for music lessons, the location of the study should play a significant role. There are two elements of the site you should examine.
In the beginning, you must decide where your lessons with music will be held. Are you going to each home of the students and instructing the students on their turf? Or will they visit you? If you choose to drive, make sure to take into account gas costs, wear and tear to your car, and the amount of time you need to travel there and back.
It isn’t fair to charge the same amount to students who live across the street or students who reside when your travel expenses increase, as do yours.
Also, if you teach at neutral place-like music stores, you should consider the cost of rent or other expenses related to that.
The cost of music lessons will vary significantly based on your area. For example, an instructor who teaches music in rural Nebraska likely won’t be charged the same amount as a music instructor in Manhattan. Then, it would be best if you considered geography.
However, the location and cost could be more precise. The teaching of classes from one place to another could alter the price. Therefore, are you teaching in a region of the nation with an affordable cost of living, which means you’ll have to charge a bit lower? Perhaps, you’ll be teaching in a crowded, urban area where the costly cost of living is the norm?
The location is an essential factor to be considered when setting the price for music lessons, so don’t forget it.
2. Research Your Competition
One of the ways to figure out the amount you’ll charge for music lessons must be by analyzing your competitors. Whatever you decide to take on, it’s recommended to understand the competition.
In addition, when you’re just beginning your journey, it’s essential to know what other instructors are offering and then how you can differentiate your own. For instance, what does it cost? What instruments do they instruct? What are their qualifications? Do they have the ability to teach children or adults? Do they add value beyond the typical music lessons to their student?
Understanding your competitors is the key to success.
However, there’s one aspect I’d like to add. It is not advisable to make your rates solely based on your competitors’ rates. Just because the competition charges the exact amount does not necessarily mean that you have to. Specific music instructors under-value themselves compared to others which are priced too high.
The goal of researching your competitors is to find out what other people are doing, figure out how you can improve, and decide on the best price to pay for your lessons.
3. Materials And Other Costs
If you plan to teach music lessons, the students will likely require some sheet music. If you’re planning to teach music theory, Your students may need some workbooks.
If you plan to supply the following items, you must charge for the materials. The cost of materials and other fees are not merely part of your hourly rates. They should go over and beyond what you pay for your classes.
Now, whether or not to add a markup to the material you supply is entirely up to you.
4. Your Teaching Ability
When trying to determine the cost of music lessons, you have to be able to evaluate your knowledge of teaching and music.
Why?
When you’re selling your service to a prospective student, they’re likely to evaluate your capability to instruct music and your ability to play. So, what experience can you have to offer?
Are you incredibly accommodating to students who struggle to comprehend musical concepts? Do you impart your knowledge with a method that makes all the music on one piece of sheet music to life with your learners?
Keep in mind that the top music instructors aren’t the ones who perform an instrument better than everyone else. The most effective music teachers can instruct their students on how to play their instruments more effectively than others.
5. Student Experience Level
One of the main factors to be aware of when determining the rate for your music lessons is your pupils’ degree of experience. Also, since every student will possess strengths and weaknesses that differ, You must define the kind of student you plan to instruct.
For example, if you intend to teach guitar and your ideal customer is a complete beginner, you shouldn’t be charging at the top of the line for lessons. However, if you’re a professional with an in-depth understanding of music theory and intend to provide lessons to students at colleges majoring in the field of music, then you could (and ought to) charge a higher cost.
The level of experience of your students will play an essential role in determining the amount you charge for music lessons.
6. Training and Education
It is crucial to keep improving your abilities and developing your expertise like any other job. This means that you must be taking part in continuous learning and education.
If you are a music instructor, it could mean purchasing a new instrument and then learning to use it. Perhaps, you’ll take an education course to improve your communication with students. Learning more about the subject and enhancing your musical skills will make you more effective as a music educator.
Be sure to consider the cost of continuing education and training when setting your rates. You want to turn money, but these expenses can derail your earnings if you do not consider them.
7. Teaching Multiple Instruments
One of the biggest challenges you’ll face while teaching lessons in music is finding customers. Based on your location and the size of your market, you may not have enough pupils to keep your classes full, mainly when you teach only one instrument.
If you’re looking to earn more money by giving music classes, begin to learn and teach other instruments. The more appliances you can teach, the bigger the market you will be able to compete with. It’s that simple.
Additionally, the more instrument you understand, the greater your credibility for your teaching. Credibility is a prerequisite for an ability to cost higher per class.
8. Group Lessons
The teaching of group music lessons can be both a blessing and an affliction. On the one hand, you could earn an enormous income in a relatively short period. However, the thought of hundreds of students screaming for attention simultaneously (especially when you’re teaching group classes for children) could inspire you to put away your music sheet and go home.
Are group lessons worth the cost? How much do you cost?
Let me begin by saying that not all instrument is suitable for group classes.
For example, (except for keyboards) teaching piano group lessons. If the aim is to make money, and you need to purchase five pianos to instruct many students at once, Private lessons are the best option.
For smaller instruments like guitar and ukulele, flute violin, and a tool that a student can carry around and take classes in groups, they are worthwhile.
What is the cost of a group lesson? Based on a per-student basis, you should be able to charge between 50 and 75 percent of the private lesson price. For example, if you’re charging $50 for a 60-minute private lesson, you need to be charging between $25 to $37.50 per pupil for a group class.
Do You Teach Music Lessons?
If you are a teacher and music lessons are your chosen side business, We would like to hear from you. What are the costs you charge? What are the most critical issues you’ve run into when managing your business? Are there any other concerns that we haven’t covered within this piece?
We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do you require a college qualification to instruct privately-taught music classes?
No. If you’re a professional with a good knowledge of music theory and can use an instrument, you can undoubtedly provide privately-taught music classes. Indeed, many individuals without having a degree earn a decent living by teaching private music lessons.
How do you publicize music lessons?
The most effective way to advertise music lessons is to promote your site through social media continuously. In addition, you must contact the schools in your region and give them the contact details of students who may be interested in private music lessons.
