Tutor Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Tutors in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $35,660 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,738 take-home, or $2,478 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median tutor salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,099
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,211
- Medicare (1.45%)$517
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,095
- Take-home pay$29,738
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,334 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,404 ($2,367 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Tutor pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,980 | $12.97 | $23,000 | $1,917 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 | $26,291 | $2,191 |
| Median (50th) | $35,660 | $17.14 | $29,738 | $2,478 |
| 75th percentile | $49,010 | $23.56 | $40,055 | $3,338 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,310 | $37.65 | $61,517 | $5,126 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,660 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median tutor's $29,738 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,997 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Tutor jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for tutors, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #15 of 15 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $64,710 | $51,159 | $47,253 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $56,200 | $45,031 | $43,097 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $48,180 | $39,015 | $38,992 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $48,730 | $39,577 | $36,348 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | $47,050 | $38,501 | $34,410 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $48,340 | $39,443 | $34,116 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $44,000 | $36,213 | $33,948 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $46,550 | $37,666 | $33,462 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,660 | $29,738 | $28,997 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 15 metros →
About the job: tutors
Instruct individual students or small groups of students in academic subjects to support formal class instruction or to prepare students for standardized or admissions tests.
- Typical education
- Some college, no degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.2% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tutor make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median tutor salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $35,660 a year, or about $17.14 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,200 and $49,010.
What is a tutor’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $35,660 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $29,738 a year ($2,478 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,095 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a tutor?
Pay here is 18% below the national median of $43,350. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,997 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #15 of 15 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a tutor afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median tutor’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — $108,150
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $80,560
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — $79,760
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School — $78,860
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $78,570
- Instructional Coordinator — $78,400
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $78,130
- Librarian and Media Collections Specialist — $77,330
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School — $74,290
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $46,650
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $45,680
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $36,750