Rates, 2026
What should a language teacher charge in a major city?
About $350 a day for a language teacher who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $250 in the first years, $475 when senior.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$250
a day · $30 an hour
Working, booked
$350
a day · $45 an hour
Senior, sought after
$475
a day · $60 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$350 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$45 per hour
- Monthly retainer$650 per month
Sold by the hour, a monthly retainer. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Lesson$25 to $70 per hour
- Conversation session$20 to $50 each
- Ten-lesson package$250 to $600 each
How the number is made
Language teachers at this level in this market day at about $350 ($250 to $600 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: a set scope, paid up front on the 1st. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a language teacher in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $350 a day for someone working and booked, $250 in the first years, $475 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a language teacher?
- Around $650 a month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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