Madrid is a thriving city full of locals keen to learn English. From primary school kids in the suburbs to high-end business people along the Paseo de la Castellana, there’s high demand for English tuition.
But if you’re a private English tutor in Madrid, how much should you charge?
Private English tutors in Madrid should charge a minimum of €15 per hour. Native English speakers should charge at least €20, and those with a CELTA or other advanced qualifications, or several years of experience can charge at least €25 per hour, up to as much as €50 for high-end clients.
Several factors affect the price you can set, including your experience, certificates and location. In this article, I’ll run through everything you need to know and give you one amazing tip for getting the most money out of your classes without ripping your students off.
For a more general look at how much private English tutors should charge, check out my article: How Much Should You Charge for Private EFL/ESL Classes? And for all the steps to becoming a private tutor, read: How to Get Started as an EFL/ESL Private Tutor: Full guide.
How much should you charge for private classes in Madrid?
As stated above, €15 is the absolute minimum. This assumes you have a basic qualification in teaching English, like a 120-hour TEFL, or at least a little bit of experience or expertise.
Any less than €15 and you’re telling people you don’t value your own ability as a teacher, or you don’t, in fact, have any. It will put many people off.
Don’t be tempted to charge very low rates. There’s plenty of demand in Madrid, so you’ll still be able to attract students without needing to undercut the competition.
Wondering how much you can earn as a TEFL teacher in Spain? Check out my article: How Much Money Do TEFL Teachers Make in Spain?
Madrileños, and Spanish people in general, value English as it opens up opportunities for work and study. Many major companies and university courses require a B2 level of English, and being comfortable talking to international customers helps get promotions.
Plus, if you’re relying on private classes for income, you have to make ends meet. Certain parts of Madrid are quite expensive. Even with a good language academy salary, or stipend from the Auxiliares de Conversación program, accommodation can be costly.
So let’s have a look at how much you should be charging according to your specific circumstances.
Native English speakers
If you’re a native English speaker, you can immediately set your minimum rate at €20. That sounds really unfair on non-native speakers, but the reality is, people value native speakers more highly, especially for conversation practice (which is in very high demand).
Quite a lot of potential customers don’t care about qualifications or teaching skills. They just want to talk to a native.
In my first few months in Madrid, I was approached by a local in a bar who overheard me speaking English with friends. She asked me for English classes purely on the basis of being a native English speaker. I charged her €20 an hour, and she never asked about qualifications or experience.
Teachers with advanced qualifications
If you have a CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, or even a degree in education or teaching English, you can add an extra €5-10 euros to your hourly rate.
While many potential clients won’t know what these mean, they’re good letters to have next to your name, and those who recognise the certificates will hold you in high esteem.
What qualification is the best one for you? Do you need a CELTA? Find out the details by reading my article: What is the Best TEFL Certificate? Guide to choosing right.
Teachers with 2+ years of experience
If you’ve been teaching EFL/ESL for two years or more, you can add another €5-10 to your rate. Specific experience teaching Spanish people is yet more valuable.
Teachers with exam preparation experience
One of the biggest demands from English learners in Madrid is exam preparation. Spain has a weird obsession with formal exams, and having a B2 or C1 certificate on their CV is a big deal.
If you’ve trained students for English proficiency exams, particularly the Cambridge exams (B2 First and C1 Advanced), you can charge an extra €5-10 per hour for these types of class.
Who pays the highest rates for English tuition in Madrid?
Let’s say you meet all the criteria above: native speaker, advanced qualifications, years of experience and exam preparation knowledge. At this point, you can charge €35-50 per hour. That’s huge! But will students really pay that much for your services?
Yes, some will. Highly paid professionals have the income to spare, and some companies may put up the cash for employee development. Also, rich families want the best tutors, so they’re happy to pay the higher rates.
However, most people will balk at paying more than €30 per hour, even if you are an amazing, experienced and qualified teacher.
If you’re only charging €15 or €20 per hour, you can attract plenty of students from all walks of life: university students, school children and adults with a moderate income.
Pro tip: how to maximise your earnings
When I started as a full-time private tutor, I had high-level qualifications, lots of experience, I’m a native English speaker, and I already had a reputation in the area. In theory, I should have been able to charge at least €30-40 per hour.
The problem was, in the town where I live (near Madrid, but away from the rich districts and business zones), nobody would pay that much. Realistically, €20-25 per hour was the maximum I could charge for one-to-one teaching. At those rates, I’d struggle to pay my bills.
But now I earn much higher hourly rates. How?
Classes with small groups.
A class of 2-4 students is much more lucrative than an individual, and means the students pay less, too. Let’s look at the maths.
For an individual student, I could charge €25. They pay the full amount, which is a lot for many people.
If I have a group of 3, I can charge each of them €11. That means they don’t pay a massive amount, and I earn €33 euros – €8 more than the individual (an extra 30%).
Of course, there is the slight downside that students don’t get the one-to-one attention they would in an individual class. Groups larger than 4 or 5 are harder to organise, and are getting in to language academy territory. I’ve found 2-4 students is the sweet spot.
Plus, when teaching children, it’s nice for them to be with a friend. They open up, speak more confidently, and more students means you can do more interesting activities and games.
Conclusion
There’s plenty of money to be made from private English classes in Madrid. It’s the richest city in Spain and the millions of residents are always searching for tutors to take their careers, studies and personal development o the next level.
If you’re thinking of becoming a private tutor in Madrid, there’s a lot more to think about than just the price you set. Below, you can find articles covering every step of the journey.
Catch up on all the articles in the Getting Started as a Private EFL/ESL Tutor guide:
How to Get Started as an EFL/ESL Private Tutor: Full guide
Requirements and Qualifications to Become an EFL/ESL Tutor
How to Get Private EFL/ESL Classes: Quickly find students
How Long Should Private EFL/ESL Classes Be: Tips included
How Much Should You Charge for Private EFL/ESL Classes?
Where Should In-Person Private EFL/ESL Classes Take Place?
Make Sure You Get Paid for Private EFL/ESL Classes
9 Items Every EFL/ESL Teacher Needs for Brilliant Classes
