A friend (qualified teacher) has kindly agreed to tutor our daughter. Can someone let me know what the going rate in Zurich is per hour. Thanks

How old is the child?
Makes a big difference if 3, 13, or 23.

As a comparison, I know of the following:
French lessons for a 15yr old by a private person: 45.- per hour
Guitar lessons for a 10yr old: 40.- per hour

Working on the theory of a 40 hr week, a qualified experienced teacher, working in a public school, would be on over 40chf per hour.

As it's individual tuition the price would be around 75 - 90chf an hour.

I would suggest discussing the matter with the teacher and particularly who is providing materials such as the reading books, paper etc as all these little things mount up cost wise.

I have been offering friends kids and helping in my kids school for free been doing it for years just to help the kids

FriendlyKiwi - this age thing does not make sense to me. Preparation takes just as long, or possible longer, for younger children. Teaching for the Bac/A'Levels (eg 'advanced' is actually easier in many ways).

Sutter - I use my language skills as an exchange tool- in exchange for other tuition or jobs. Are you a qualified teacher though? This + teaching experience make a big difference in rates of pay.

I used to teach english years back in Belgium, I didn't get different pay for different ages, but did get higher rates for advanced english and diction.

75 - 90chf an hour is amazing for the teachers! I looked at the current rates in France and I saw 15 euros an hour!

Thanks all. Primary age, however, agree am not sure it should matter. Interesting, I had come to conclusion about 100chf an hour individual but if shared more like 60chf. V helpful.

But surely it makes a big difference:
What sort of tuition is required?
Conversational English?
Reading some stories to a 3yr old?
Preparing for Gymi exams for a 15yr old?
Or going for some formal higher level English exams?

And the parent would expect different hourly rates accordingly....

I should come teach english! 100 chf is amazing pay! Shocking to be honest

You get what you believe you are worth, what your experience is worth and what someone is willing to pay.

100 CHF per hour is actually cheap for a fully qualified and experienced teacher.

market rates = what you can charge, same with any field.

No idea why I got "groaned" at for saying that was a lot of money. If the wages are 15-20 euros in France/Belgium why am I not allowed to be shocked it's so high in Switzerland?

You got groaned at for implying that teachers are ripping people off.

You don't live here yet, you have gone on at great length on a previous thread about how the prices here will not shock you and then you compare the price of tuition to other countries.

The cost of materials here is far higher than in any of the other countries you mentioned and the cost of shipping English materials here is far higher too. Therefore the cost of good quality tuition is higher. Individual tuition will always cost more than group lessons which is what the OP was asking about.

You assumed wrong, I never said anyone was being ripped off, I just think that is a lot compared to other markets.

Why is that wrong?

English teachers usually are not highly paid, so that is odd to me, IT jobs are paid LESS than in the USA, why would an english teacher be more? I have no idea, but never said anyone was being ripped off.

if that is the market rate, that is the market rate? I can't be surprised without being "groaned" at?

That 100chf figure surprises me as well. Generally, talking to EFL teachers/tutor in the various countries I have lived in,and who work in language schools/centres, they tend to get lower pay than those of us who are working as teachers in schools.

Working on the theory of teachers in school here receiving between 40-60 chf per hour ( based on a 40 hr week) then 100chf does seem high.

However, if one looked at that 100chf being for an hour of a 40 hr week, but that 40 hr week also having 15 hours of prep time ( as happens in schools) then the weekly pay of 2500 starts to look more realistic ...... hhhhmmm, still that would bring the tutor ( in theory) up to the 129,000chf per year pay. Can one survive on 120,000 a year in Switzerland??

That also assumes that an independent teacher can get their time booked 100%.

The truth of teaching English privately:

1. You will not find many people who will pay sfr 100 for private lessons. For those willing to pay such a high price, it's for a limited amount of lessons only.

2. For a more secure income, teach English to small groups. However, in order for this to be a success, you must make the price high enough to make it profitable but low enough to keep them as long term customers. The students should have the same level of English, feel comfortable in the group and must like the teacher.

Teaching privately on a part-time basis isn't hard. Making it a profitable full-time job is difficult.

Prices should also reflect the teacher's qualifications and work experience. A person with neither shouldn't charge more than sfr. 45.-- a hour.

A TEFLer is not a normally qualified teacher. A TEFL certificate takes ( CELTA for instance ) one month to complete and requires no prior qualifications.

A school based teaching qualification ( in the UK ) takes at least three years ( BEd ) or four year ( BSc/BA and PGCE ) or five years part time ( BSc/BA and GTP ).

You are trying to compare two completely different levels of expertise.

Ideally it would be useful to have a qualified teacher with a TEFL certificate, but that doesn't happen too often.

Private lessons often take place in what is termed as "shadow education". It is a parallel system run along mainstream education. In a number of countries it is a very big business. Here is a link.

I do private lessons in Maths ( they are declared as part of my income and taxed ). I charge a minimum of 120 CHF an hour and I have to turn people away as I do not have the time to do it.

Yes, I realise that. And that is part of the dilemna for anyone in a specialist, in a "by the hour" occupation - do you charge just for your contact time? Or do you charge at a rate that brings you a livable( hopefully) income over a long period and that includes enough to cover travel and ongoing professional updating in your chosen field. Ideally, yes. But then the market issue comes in - how much are clients willing to pay for the service?

Tuborg: I know that it is possible to work as an EFL teacher with just a one month CELTA, Trinity or other EFL certificate ( or with nothing at all) but I was specifically recalling qualified school teachers ( eg: MA. M.Sc grads with years of teaching in schools) whom I have met teaching at EFL centres in both Europe and Asia. They also earned far less than I was getting in schools at the time. They, like me, are qualified school teachers, plus we all have TEFL qualifications as well.


I totally agree with your comment re people being able to get what they are worth and what they believe they are worth - if money is the priority and if they sell themselves effectively to the right market.

Then one needs to question why they are working in an educational field which is notorious for low wages and exploitation? Either they were working illegally ( shadow education ) or they were not able to obtain employment in K-12 schools.


If money is a priority? What sort of reasoning is that? If you are getting low wages it is because the market refuses to pay you what you feel you deserve or you underprice yourself because you do not feel you deserve a higher wage. If money was not in the least bit of interest to you then why not work for free?