 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2009-04-16 18:14
is it possible to make enough money to live just by teaching privately?
i doubt it, but i just wanted to see what you guys thought....
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Author: Mark Charette ★2017
Date: 2009-04-16 18:15
janlynn wrote:
> is it possible to make enough money to live just by teaching
> privately?
My former teacher and his wife get by very well in Ann Arbor, MI just teaching privately and the occasional gig.
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2009-04-16 18:50
Depending on what you charge, the number of students you have, and your financial needs and costs of living, you can do quite well teaching privately.
Think about it. If you teach 30 -40 hours a week at say $50/hour, that would be roughly $1500 - 2000/week. Give yourself four weeks off a year plus students take vacations etc. so $1500 X 40 weeks (both lowball numbers) is $60K/year with 12 weeks off or inactive.
Plus US tax law favors independent contractors and self employed people. SEP IRAs, home office deductions, depreciations, mileage, etc.
Given costs of living outside of major urban areas, I think you could actually do quite well.
Also, in terms of a recession, while one or two of your students may not be able to afford lessons, you will never lose your entire studio. If you work for an employer and get downsized, you have no income after your unemployment insurance runs out.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2009-04-16 20:01
I teach in a very affluent area, and even those parents are feeling the effects of the economy.
After retiring from public school teaching, I have continued to maintain an active private studio, all without any advertising. However, calls from new students have become fewer and even some of the wealthier families have cut back their children's lessons to every other week.
I'm optimistic that things will eventually come back to a degree of normalcy, but in poor economic times music lessons are often the first things to get cut in a family budget.
...GBK
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Author: dgclarinet
Date: 2009-04-16 20:09
Is $50/hour a rate that is being charged now? I'm not sure I'd want to pay that even if I were going to take a lesson. I haven't taught in a long time, but $20-30/hour seems more reasonable to me. Am I way behind times?
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2009-04-16 20:23
In the Washington, DC Metro area $50/hr is below market -- at least for an experienced teacher.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2009-04-16 20:28
In my area Cent. MA its $48-50 per/hr
Post Edited (2009-04-16 20:29)
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Author: rob v.
Date: 2009-04-16 20:53
May I recommend you coming to texas and teaching at a public school. I'll be honest with you. I make a huge living as a private teacher working for a school district. More than a Professional teacher.
Post Edited (2009-04-16 22:19)
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2009-04-16 22:01
As an active freelancer in Chicago, the rate is between $70 - $100/hr. CSO players charge from $100 - $200/hr. So my quote of $50/hr was low balling and thinking that if a person has an MM degree they should be able to charge that rate in any market.
Even if you are a long time teacher, you would have to market yourself in this rough economy. Even Coca Cola has an advertising budget and has to promote its product.
My point, which has been echoed by others on this thread, is that being a private teacher is indeed a possible career choice if one decides that is the correct career path to take for themselves.
Other suggestions would be to align with one of the local high schools or youth programs as a coach or sectional director.
Again, these skills (marketing yourself, bookkeeping, creating a brochure, etc) are not taught at conservatories and only learned while out in the real world. I doubt anyone goes to get their performance degree with operating a private studio as their end goal. Rather it becomes a career and lifestyle choice as one navigates the real world and decides that private teaching is their best option and offers intangible benefits.
I say this from personal experience. Even with my MBA.
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