How to bootstrap a company by tutoring programming languages

An in-depth analysis of the tutoring market for programming languages, STEM subjects, and applications

Photo by Fatos Bytyqi on Unsplash

Technical founders often find themselves in a chicken or the egg dilemma: they need to dedicate time and energy to a startup idea in order to build enough of a product to collect money from investors, but they still need to keep money coming in the door to pay for their living expenses.

In addition to taking on freelance work, technical founders can tutor the programming languages, STEM subjects, and applications they’re familiar with to help bootstrap a company or pay their way through college!

Follow the steps below to get started as an independent tutor today:

1. Decide which subjects you’re comfortable tutoring

Keep in mind that people interested in tutoring will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and with drastically different skill levels. One student might be a freshman just starting his first computer science course. Another could be an experienced engineer at a top startup who’s looking to take her skills to the next level. You need to be able to tutor both, so only pick subjects where you feel you’re truly an expert.

2. Use the list below to pick which subject(s) to focus on

Just because you’re comfortable tutoring a certain programming language doesn’t mean there’s demand for it! The list below breaks down the most important metrics for each subject, including the number of monthly Google searches, the number of competing tutors, the hourly rate for top tutors, and how many hours and reviews it will take to become a top tutor.

Keep in mind that just because a certain programming language or application is popular doesn’t mean that many people seek out tutors for that subject. They might seek out courses, tutorials, or free discussion forums instead!

By narrowing your focus, you can become a top-ranked tutor in a certain subject and thus demand a higher price while closing more leads. Spread yourself too thin and you risk being perceived as an average tutor in several subjects. People want their tutors to be specialists, not generalists.

3. Sign up on a tutoring marketplace

I recommend a marketplace that allows you to set your own rate. When you sign up, you’ll need to pass competency tests for the subject(s) you hope to tutor. Then fill out your profile with as much detail as possible so that interested students understand what they will get by working with you.

4. Keep your rate low until you become a top tutor

According to Wyzant’s CEO, over 80% of new student requests go to tutors who are on the first page of search results. Obviously when you’re just starting out, you won’t be on the first page yet.

So where does the other 20% go? They sort by lowest price. So to gain leads early on, you’ll need to show up on the first page of results when sorting by lowest price. That $ amount will vary for each subject, but it’s generally in the $15–25/hour range.

5. Slowly raise your rates over time

As you gain more experience and reviews, you can slowly increase your rate to align with what other tutors at your level are charging. The ultimate goal is to become a top 10 tutor in your subject, which means you’ll be on the first page of search results and thus have a huge boost in the numbers of leads who reach out to you.

Where the data comes from

Here’s how I compiled the data in the list below:

• Monthly Google Searches: This comes from Google Ads’ Keyword Planner tool. For each subject, I combine the forecasted # of searches for “tutor” and “tutoring” in the United States over the next 12 months, divided by 12. For example, Python’s number of 7,736 means that on average, we can expect 7,736 monthly U.S. searches for “Python tutor” or “Python tutoring” over the next 12 months.
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: Pretty straightforward. This is just how many tutors on Wyzant are approved to tutor that subject. The higher the number, the more competition you’ll have.
• Hourly rate for top tutors: The median hourly rate among the top 10 tutors on Wyzant for that subject.
• Hours to become a top tutor: An estimate of how many hours it will take to show up as a top tutor in that subject, if you dedicate 100% of your effort to that subject. I calculate this by first finding the median number of subject hours and the median number of total hours for the top 10 tutors in a given subject. Then I average those 2 numbers together. For example, if the median number of Python hours was 50 and the median number of total hours was 100 for top Python tutors, I estimate it will take 75 hours to become a top tutor if you focus solely on racking up Python hours.
• Number of reviews for top tutors: The median hourly rate among the top 10 tutors on Wyzant for that subject.

Here are the programming languages, STEM subjects, and applications with the most demand for tutoring, sorted by monthly Google searches:

Math

• Monthly Google searches: 127,424
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 8,409
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $80
• Hours to become a top tutor: 428
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 120

Organic Chemistry

• Monthly Google searches: 15,545
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 418
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $70
• Hours to become a top tutor: 497
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 286

Chemistry

• Monthly Google searches: 13,060
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,107
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $70
• Hours to become a top tutor: 471
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 238

MCAT

• Monthly Google searches: 9,976
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 305
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $92
• Hours to become a top tutor: 102
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 44

Statistics

• Monthly Google searches: 9,261
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,189
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $90
• Hours to become a top tutor: 686
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 356

Python

• Monthly Google searches: 7,736
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 231
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $79
• Hours to become a top tutor: 560
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 364

Calculus

• Monthly Google searches: 7,161
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,141
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $70
• Hours to become a top tutor: 682
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 416

Physics

• Monthly Google searches: 6,273
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,378
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 400
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 169

HTML

• Monthly Google searches: 5,267
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 365
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $58
• Hours to become a top tutor: 148
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 161

Science

• Monthly Google searches: 3,469
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 7,243
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $75
• Hours to become a top tutor: 739
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 299

Computer Science

• Monthly Google searches: 3,217
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 317
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $76
• Hours to become a top tutor: 208
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 140

Biology

• Monthly Google searches: 2,988
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,150
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $70
• Hours to become a top tutor: 773
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 423

Geometry

• Monthly Google searches: 2,084
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 3,572
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $90
• Hours to become a top tutor: 333
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 120

Javascript

• Monthly Google searches: 1,329
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 176
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $67
• Hours to become a top tutor: 202
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 99

Engineering

• Monthly Google searches: 1,242
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,151
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $68
• Hours to become a top tutor: 714
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 230

C++

• Monthly Google searches: 1,106
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 203
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $84
• Hours to become a top tutor: 958
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 408

C

• Monthly Google searches: 1,072
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 135
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $84
• Hours to become a top tutor: 1,136
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 413

Java

• Monthly Google searches: 983
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 320
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $84
• Hours to become a top tutor: 943
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 397

Anatomy

• Monthly Google searches: 866
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 968
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $50
• Hours to become a top tutor: 454
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 296

Precalculus

• Monthly Google searches: 788
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,910
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $90
• Hours to become a top tutor: 383
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 165

Trigonometry

• Monthly Google searches: 709
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,536
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $85
• Hours to become a top tutor: 420
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 284

Algebra 2

• Monthly Google searches: 704
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 4,492
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $95
• Hours to become a top tutor: 383
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 165

Biochemistry

• Monthly Google searches: 648
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 440
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 365
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 147

Differential Equations

• Monthly Google searches: 542
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 442
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $65
• Hours to become a top tutor: 639
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 423

Logic

• Monthly Google searches: 503
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 250
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 129
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 109

Genetics

• Monthly Google searches: 497
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 345
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 502
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 267

Microbiology

• Monthly Google searches: 458
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 441
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $80
• Hours to become a top tutor: 495
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 435

Electrical Engineering

• Monthly Google searches: 425
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 109
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 251
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 175

Elementary Math

• Monthly Google searches: 408
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 4,445
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $49
• Hours to become a top tutor: 374
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 192

Linear Algebra

• Monthly Google searches: 402
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 497
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 588
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 346

Excel

• Monthly Google searches: 391
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,373
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 170
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 99

SAS

• Monthly Google searches: 385
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 62
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $57
• Hours to become a top tutor: 122
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 51

Algebra 1

• Monthly Google searches: 363
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 5,809
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $95
• Hours to become a top tutor: 400
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 304

Revit

• Monthly Google searches: 357
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 28
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $50
• Hours to become a top tutor: 160
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 66

STATA

• Monthly Google searches: 357
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 45
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $65
• Hours to become a top tutor: 318
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 168

Physiology

• Monthly Google searches: 335
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 81
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $55
• Hours to become a top tutor: 145
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 87

SQL

• Monthly Google searches: 313
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 257
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $73
• Hours to become a top tutor: 186
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 85

Animation

• Monthly Google searches: 302
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 34
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $43
• Hours to become a top tutor: 98
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 42

Probability

• Monthly Google searches: 296
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 982
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $83
• Hours to become a top tutor: 906
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 567

Chemical Engineering

• Monthly Google searches: 285
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 63
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 314
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 108

SAT Math

• Monthly Google searches: 279
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 3,065
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $100
• Hours to become a top tutor: 420
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 244

Chess

• Monthly Google searches: 251
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 204
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $48
• Hours to become a top tutor: 79
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 36

SPSS

• Monthly Google searches: 235
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 160
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $70
• Hours to become a top tutor: 243
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 162

CSS

• Monthly Google searches: 229
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 500
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $48
• Hours to become a top tutor: 202
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 98

C#

• Monthly Google searches: 207
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 93
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $58
• Hours to become a top tutor: 285
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 242

Biostatistics

• Monthly Google searches: 201
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 500
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $53
• Hours to become a top tutor: 314
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 206

R

• Monthly Google searches: 201
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 50
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $76
• Hours to become a top tutor: 188
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 110

Mechanical Engineering

• Monthly Google searches: 190
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 137
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $56
• Hours to become a top tutor: 196
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 147

Computer Programming

• Monthly Google searches: 184
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 395
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $79
• Hours to become a top tutor: 481
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 383

AutoCAD

• Monthly Google searches: 179
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 73
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $55
• Hours to become a top tutor: 72
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 47

Civil Engineering

• Monthly Google searches: 140
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 51
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $60
• Hours to become a top tutor: 455
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 197

Linux

• Monthly Google searches: 106
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 81
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $80
• Hours to become a top tutor: 757
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 413

Microsoft Word

• Monthly Google searches: 95
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,453
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $55
• Hours to become a top tutor: 329
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 160

Adobe InDesign

• Monthly Google searches: 89
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 129
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $52
• Hours to become a top tutor: 97
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 50

Ruby

• Monthly Google searches: 84
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 10
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $45
• Hours to become a top tutor: 15
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 13

ACT Math

• Monthly Google searches: 78
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,591
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $83
• Hours to become a top tutor: 371
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 290

Microsoft Access

• Monthly Google searches: 78
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 150
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $43
• Hours to become a top tutor: 309
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 106

Swift

• Monthly Google searches: 78
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 15
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $68
• Hours to become a top tutor: 57
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 29

Oracle

• Monthly Google searches: 73
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 30
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $53
• Hours to become a top tutor: 118
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 66

PHP

• Monthly Google searches: 73
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 63
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $63
• Hours to become a top tutor: 333
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 158

Prealgebra

• Monthly Google searches: 73
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 4,717
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $65
• Hours to become a top tutor: 405
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 292

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Monthly Google searches: 67
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 2,164
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $45
• Hours to become a top tutor: 209
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 40

Angular

• Monthly Google searches: 56
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 16
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $47
• Hours to become a top tutor: 41
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 39

Computer Networking

• Monthly Google searches: 56
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 58
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $58
• Hours to become a top tutor: 108
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 90

PowerPoint

• Monthly Google searches: 56
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,042
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $55
• Hours to become a top tutor: 331
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 227

Visual Basic

• Monthly Google searches: 50
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 78
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $58
• Hours to become a top tutor: 180
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 161

Finite Math

• Monthly Google searches: 45
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 154
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $55
• Hours to become a top tutor: 264
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 211

Mathematica

• Monthly Google searches: 45
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 15
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $75
• Hours to become a top tutor: 299
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 138

ASP.NET

• Monthly Google searches: 39
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 31
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $64
• Hours to become a top tutor: 117
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 62

Perl

• Monthly Google searches: 39
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 24
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $72
• Hours to become a top tutor: 358
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 206

Web Design

• Monthly Google searches: 39
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 191
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $49
• Hours to become a top tutor: 160
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 112

COBOL

• Monthly Google searches: 34
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 18
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $43
• Hours to become a top tutor: 29
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 17

Graphic Design

• Monthly Google searches: 34
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 129
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $50
• Hours to become a top tutor: 209
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 150

Project Management

• Monthly Google searches: 34
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 79
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $64
• Hours to become a top tutor: 101
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 49

Botany

• Monthly Google searches: 22
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 68
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $50
• Hours to become a top tutor: 149
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 153

MATLAB

• Monthly Google searches: 11
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 1,253
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $61
• Hours to become a top tutor: 684
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 233

Microsoft Publisher

• Monthly Google searches: 11
• Number of tutors on Wyzant: 56
• Hourly rate for top tutors: $48
• Hours to become a top tutor: 86
• Number of reviews for top tutors: 98

How a 5 minute change to my website led to a 20% increase in leads