Online tutoring, whether private or on e-learning platforms, is a good business for Muslims. It offers flexibility and good earnings, especially private tutoring. But be mindful of Islamic principles by ensuring clear agreements, adhering to them, and teaching content that aligns with your faith.
I encourage you to read on to find out more.
If you’re looking to make money online, then online tutoring is a business model you definitely shouldn’t overlook.
It’s not a source of passive income (which tends to be generally attributed with making money online), but it’s very convenient as you can work from home — you’re not restricted to any geographic location.
The terrain of education has evolved, especially after the recent pandemic. Students are now much more willing to sit across a screen and study with a tutor they have never met face to face.
I’ve been tutoring since 2019, and I’m writing this article to give you everything you need to know about making money from online tutoring.
Near the end of the article, I will talk about possible haram pitfalls to keep in mind so you can avoid what doesn’t comply with Islam.
Before we get to anything else, let’s first distinguish between the two types of online tutoring.
1. Tutoring on E-learning Platforms
This is when you connect with students on platforms like Chegg and Studypool and help them complete certain tasks.
For example, a student will upload a homework question they’re struggling to solve. You solve the question with step-by-step working, upload your answer, and get paid.
Upsides
The nice thing about this type of tutoring is that it doesn’t require too much preparation — you just take on the questions or tasks you feel confident you can easily complete.
Another big advantage of tutoring on e-learning platforms is that you don’t have to worry about having an extensive network of students to keep getting work. You get to tap into the large student network already on the platform.
Downsides
When it comes to the money, this type of tutoring doesn’t pay really well.
On Chegg, for example, tutors are given a flat $20 payment for every task they complete — regardless of the course level and difficulty.
Now this can be great if you’re just starting out, but when you make a name for yourself and start taking on challenging tasks, you may feel that your services are worth much more than $20.
On Studypool, another e-learning platform, things are a bit different. Tutors bid on questions and the student selects the tutor they prefer based on their offer and reputation.
Believe it or not, I saw many tutors completing homework assignments and projects for as little as $1!
This is something you may need to do if you’re just starting out. Students will almost always go for the more reputable tutors because they feel safe trusting them with their assignments, so if you’re a newbie, you will need to “sell yourself short” until you build up your profile.
Nonetheless, it can be a good source of extra income if you’re consistent with it. I have personally made around $1500 on Studypool.
2. Private Tutoring
This is when you get on a call with the student using software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Upsides
Private tutoring, by definition, is much more one-on-one and thorough. You would engage directly with the student, walk them through problem solutions or presentations, and take their questions.
So naturally, private tutoring is much more lucrative. Personally, I recall three students that I’ve charged around $70 per hour. I’m sure you agree that’s a good rate!
Not only that, but when you’re a private tutor, you play by your own rules. You don’t have to conform to any protocols or abide by a certain platform’s regulations.
You choose your teaching methodology. You set your hourly rate. The floor is entirely yours.
Downsides
However, the problem with private tutoring is that you have to make yourself known before you can start getting regular jobs.
You can do this in one of two ways:
1. Try to become a recognized name within a particular school or college.
The easiest way of achieving this is to start tutoring when you’re still a student. It’s what I have personally done. Word of mouth is a very potent tool.
If you’re no longer a student, you can still try to teach students from the school or university you graduated from.
From my experience, I can tell you that students are much more willing to study with a tutor from their own school, because they feel like they can relate to them much more.
2. Establish a strong online presence.
If there’s no way you could make method 1 work, then you should aim to use social media platforms to your advantage.
Create a website, a Facebook page, an Instagram page, a YouTube channel, a LinkedIn profile, and try to post regular engaging content that showcases your expertise.
This can position you as the go-to tutor in your subject, especially if you restrict your attention to a certain curriculum — APs or IGCSEs, for example.
There are two problems with this method, though: it’s much more long-term, and you would need to have at least some knowledge about online marketing and perhaps even advertising.
Personally, I got all my private tutoring work thanks to Method 1, Alhamdulillah.
Having said that, I definitely do see myself using Method 2 today. Since I first started affiliate marketing in September 2023, I’ve learned a lot about how to set up a website and establish an online presence.
Your Hourly Rate as a Private Tutor
Now that we’ve established the difference between the two types of tutoring and discussed their pros and cons, let’s focus on private tutoring.
Private tutoring is very good money. I believe I have personally made more than $5000 from private tutoring while I was still a student, Alhamdulillah.
But it’s important to understand that as with any profession, experience pays. You can’t expect to charge students the big bucks when you’re just starting out.
I remember the first tutoring session I had in 2019, it was Linear Algebra. I believe my hourly rate back then was around $20 only — and I was happy about it!
Today, $40 per hour is the least I would be willing to entertain, and the highest I’ve charged a student is around $70 per hour.
Of course, I didn’t make that jump all of a sudden — it was a slow, gradual process.
Factors That Determine Your Hourly Rate
Let’s talk about what determines the ideal rate you should charge:
1. Experience
Again, the more experienced you are, the higher quality service you will be offering, and so students will be willing to pay you more.
2. The Course Level
The hourly rate you charge should also reflect the level of course you’re teaching, and your students should understand that.
Tutoring an elementary math course is quite different from tutoring Partial Differential Equations, right?
When I used to tutor basic developmental math courses, I used to be happy to charge around $30 – $40, but when it’s Applied Electromagnetics, anything below $60 would be too little.
3. The Student’s Financial Situation and Country of Residence
It’s also important to take into account who it is you’re tutoring.
The same tutor tutoring the same course can charge two different students different rates, because one of them lives in the UAE, while the other lives in Egypt.
It’s not my intention to fuel the stereotype that everyone who lives in Dubai is a rich prince, because that’s not true, but try to assess your student’s financial situation without asking them directly.
This again shows us the advantage of private tutoring over e-learning platforms. You can decide your hourly rate on a case-by-case basis. You call the shots.
Consider the way you communicate your pricing structure. It’s essential to find the sweet spot between earning what you’re worth and ensuring your services are still accessible to a broad spectrum of students.
After all, if you want consistent income, you will need a steady influx of students who view your services as both valuable and affordable.
Effective Strategies to Maximize Your Income
Something that has worked for me personally is offering discounts on group sessions, because it’s a win-win situation.
For example, if my hourly rate is $50 for a particular course, I would tell the student that if they know someone who also needs tutoring, we can have a group session and I’ll charge them $40 each.
For them, it’s cheaper. For me, I make more per hour.
But of course, not everyone is going to be willing to study in group sessions. Many prefer individual sessions because they feel more comfortable asking as many questions as they want, without feeling the need to compromise to accommodate the entire group’s preferences.
Another strategy is to offer packaged deals. Packages can provide students a sense of commitment and offer a more stable income stream for you.
For example, if you charge $35 for a course, you can offer the student a 4-hour package for $120.
Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of packages — I have personally only done packages a couple of times, but do keep it in mind if you’re trying to build long-term relationships with your students.
Possible Haram Pitfalls to Watch Out For
Now then, let’s talk about potential haram pitfalls you may face in your online tutoring endeavour.
We Muslims set an example in our accountability and responsibility, because we firmly believe we will be questioned on the Day of Judgment.
1. Stick to the contract.
If you’re tutoring on an e-learning platform, make sure that you abide by the contract you signed. For example, if the platform instructs you not to solve tests or exams for students, don’t do that.
Typically, you will be asked to sign an agreement that all the work you submit is fully yours and none of is plagiarized, so make sure you comply with that as well.
Many platforms will also insist in the contract that you don’t take the student outside the platform, so don’t share your phone number or any external means of communication.
The temptation may be big, because you would make much more money externally, as there would be no fees for the platform.
Personally, I have had some students on Studypool ask me to communicate on WhatsApp, and I think some of them were happy to pay me more.
But don’t let this temptation get the better of you. Always stick to the contract you signed for the sake of Allah, and trust that Allah will reward you greatly.
2. Deliver the full session.
If you’re tutoring privately, make sure that you complete the full duration of the session — down to the last second.
If the student requested one hour, don’t end the session at 59 minutes. You still owe the student one minute.
If you start a bit late for whatever reason, make sure to account for that.
If you take a bathroom break, make sure to account for it.
3. Avoid ambiguity.
Before you agree on a task or a private session with a student, make sure there is no ambiguity, especially when it comes to money.
Don’t start a private session unless you’ve fully agreed with the student on the hourly rate.
Don’t help a student with a task unless you’re fully aware of what it is you’re getting into: what topic, how many questions, how much time you have, how much they’re willing to pay, etc.
I’ve learned this the hard way. I was helping a student with a task on Studypool, and in their request they mentioned something like:
“Here are the first 5 questions. I will share the rest later.“
I made the mistake of accepting the task, before realizing that the “rest” the student was referring to was a set of around 20 questions!
If I knew there were 25 questions in total, I wouldn’t have accepted the task for the money the student was offering, but the impression I got from their request was that the “rest” will be fewer than 5.
Getting underpaid is not the real problem.
As Muslims, we should always leave no room for vagueness when we go into any transaction. If you’re buying a product, you must know what that product is and what you’re paying for it. By going into a vague monetary transaction, I made a big mistake.
Please don’t make the same mistake. May Allah forgive you and me.
4. Don’t teach what doesn’t comply with Islam.
This is a very specific one, but don’t teach anything that goes against the teachings of Islam, like Darwin’s theory of evolution, for example.
Also, if you happen to be tutoring a science course and explaining the law of conservation of mass, don’t use the phrase:
“Mass/energy cannot be created or destroyed.“
We Muslims believe that God is the creator of everything, but we do understand the application of the law of conservation of mass in worldly phenomena, so just adjust the phrase slightly.
For example, say something like:
We cannot create or destroy mass/energy.
This way, you would be only referring to us, creatures of Allah.
Wrapping Up
Online tutoring can be a rewarding and profitable venture for Muslims, blending convenience with good money potential.
E-learning platforms offer easy entry points, whereas private tutoring is more lucrative but requires a solid reputation.
Remember to adhere to Islamic principles by following contracts, ensuring clear agreements, and refraining from teaching content that conflicts with your faith.
If you have any questions or insights you’d like to share, feel free to leave me a comment. I’d be more than happy to have a chat with you.
Rely on Allah and do your best,
Yusuf