Job Discussion Forums

[hereinbeijing]

Hello,
I have an MA and 15 years experience teaching ESL, Business English, General English and IELTS. I'm an American who has taught in Japan, Korea and China. In addition, I have a teaching credential from California and a TESOL certificate. I'm interested in returning to Japan and would like to know the going rate for teaching privates, as well as Business English through dispatch companies, and IELTS classes.
I want to thank you in advance for taking the time to anwer my questions.

[Shonai Ben]

depends where you live as to the price you will charge for private classes.....I hear that in Tokyo you can charge 5000 yen on average or more......what ever the market will bare......if you live in the country or small cities expect less.......I live in Sendai and the going price here seems to be 3000 yen per hour but it really depends on what your customer is willing to pay.........

[wayne432]

Generally 3000...

It's def not 5000 in Tokyo. There's more competition, so unless you're amazing and can prove it, it'll probably be around 3000.

[fat_chris]

3,000 per hour for conducting private "in the cafe" lessons is also the going rate in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture.

I think the days of 5,000 per hour, if those days ever even existed in the first place, are long gone.

Regards,
fat_chris

[cornishmuppet]

Considering that some people will go to an private school and pay 7,000plus for a one-on-one class I'd say the price depends on the student. 3000 is hardly worth the effort unless you get two or three in a row at the same place. It also depends on what other people are charging. A lot of students go through websites like findateacher and if everyone keeps their price up around 4000 or above students will pay it. Most people in my area advertise for 4 - 5000. Then along comes some bright spark (I have a mate like this...) who will do them for 2000 yen or less and then everyone else gets undercut.

Private group classes (as in you teach them yourself, not through a school before anyone jumps on the contradiction...) or corporate classes are where the money's at. Get students paying a thousand yen each, get 10 or 12 in a class. Difficult to find, difficult to set up, but possible nonetheless.

[Glenski]

For business English agency info, I suggest you look at the FAQs.

[gaijinalways]

The private rates really do vary, if you're very charming or attractive, you may have students that will pay more than 5k a hour, but it is rare for us average looking teachers to get that .

Hell, if you're good looking, I may teach you for free. then again, I feel suddenly busy again, as my boss is calling .

[hereinbeijing]

I want to thank you guys for the info. Glenski, you are right, I should have checked out the FAQ's.

[Sweetsee]

3k for privates and 4 was the "business" norm, though I notice that has dropped to 3800 with one Tokyo outfit.

[Jamerikoi]

I wear a suit and charge 1000 yen an hour... but some folks want to pay more. I don't see that as a problem.

[Glenski]

[ripslyme]

I charged 5000 when I lived in Tokyo. I still charge 5000 out here in the (relatively speaking) inaka. Fortunately that price tends to weed out the posers and I get students that are more sincere about improving their English. Still get the occasional desperate housewife though...

[cornishmuppet]

[Apsara]

1,000 yen an hour? Seriously? If that's true, it just gives English teachers a bad name when someone will charge the same hourly rate as someone working at McDonald's gets. Wearing a suit for 1,000 an hour makes it even worse.

I have just one private student left- she's also a yoga teacher and wants to be able to teach in English so that's what the lessons focus on. I charge her 4,000 an hour (usually 90 mins), and she pays for my transport.

[fat_chris]