The ugly side of tutoring industry
Recently, there have been multiple posts about whether Teachers should quit their jobs to be a tutor, or even tutor should join the working industry.
These are my 2-cent thoughts:
While being a tutor gives a sense of satisfaction to be able help their students to improve and able to plan their own time, it is not as glamorous as one thought when it comes to remuneration.
Do not forget that, as a private tutor, they are considered self-employed and hence there are no CPF contribution from employer (which they lose that 17% perks).
In addition, they may lose out on other benefits such as medical, insurance, leaves, etc.
While some may argue that they can easily hit 5-6k a month, that is provided on many factors like the level of students they teach, the frequency of those higher paying students, etc.
However, when they reach the end of year period, typically around November and December, their income will come to a drastic dropped due to students going on Holidays, students dropping tuition as they do not need it anymore (eg. Graduating Cohort) and other reasons that I may have missed out.
Hence, I think one should look at Annual Remuneration rather than Monthly salary earned. Fresh grad typically can earn 3-4k/month, with performance bonus and AWS, which will give them a good amount of 40-60k per annum, as compared to a tutor, it will probably be around 40k per annum or less.
However, though I dont encourage being a full time tutor but I think it is still a decent part time career that one can take up as side income to supplement their main income.
You may call me materalistic but money still speaks volume, not passion.
Of course, if remuneration is not an important factor, then by all means, pursue the life of being a private tutor then.