Survey on Parents’ Views of Private Tutor Costs: About 80% of Users See Value for Money

Many parents considering private tutors are concerned about how much tutoring costs and whether monthly fees can be sustained without strain. While private tutoring is often seen as more expensive than cram schools, many parents are also attracted by the individualized instruction tailored to each child. This article is based on a survey conducted by Katekyo Search, operated by Digital Threads Inc., targeting 300 parents with children across Japan. The survey examined parents’ perceptions of tutoring costs, estimated monthly fees, and key factors when choosing a private tutor. The survey was conducted with the cooperation of Cross Marketing Inc. Among respondents, the largest group had children in junior high school at 32.0%, followed by elementary school students at 30.0% and high school students at 17.0%. Parents of elementary and junior high school students accounted for more than 60% of respondents, making families with children in compulsory education the core of the survey. Regarding experience with private tutors, 34.0% said they had used one in the past, while 22.0% said they currently use one. Combined, 56.0% had experience using private tutors. Meanwhile, 18.0% had considered but not used one, and 26.0% had never considered it. The most common reason for considering a private tutor was to overcome weak subjects, at 40.8%. This was followed by exam preparation at 30.6% and improving grades at 20.4%. These results suggest that private tutors are often considered for personalized support matched to each child’s learning challenges. In terms of cost perception, 45.3% said private tutoring seemed somewhat expensive, while 34.0% said it seemed very expensive. Overall, about 80% of parents had an image of private tutors as costly. For monthly budgets, the most common range was JPY 20,000 to under JPY 30,000 at 32.7%, followed by JPY 10,000 to under JPY 20,000 at 26.7%, and JPY 30,000 to under JPY 40,000 at 18.0%. Among those not using private tutors, the most common reasons were that costs seemed high and uncertainty over whether tutoring would suit the child, both at 25.5%. These were followed by not feeling a need at 21.5% and believing cram school was sufficient at 19.5%. Some respondents also cited distrust or reluctance to let an unfamiliar person into their home. When choosing a private tutor, the top priority was compatibility with the child at 38.3%, followed by tutor quality at 32.3%. Only 9.3% prioritized low fees. About 70% of parents referred to reviews and reputation, with 43.0% saying they somewhat refer to them and 26.0% saying they rely on them heavily. Finally, among parents who had used private tutors, 57.1% said they somewhat agreed that tutoring was worth the cost, while 20.4% strongly agreed. Together, nearly 80% felt private tutoring offered value commensurate with its cost. In summary, although many parents view private tutors as expensive, most actual users feel they provide value for money. Private tutors are mainly considered for overcoming weak subjects and exam preparation, and parents tend to prioritize child-tutor compatibility, tutor quality, and reviews over simply choosing the lowest monthly fee. Company profile: Digital Threads Inc., located at 22F Shinjuku i-Land Tower, 6-5-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. Representative: Shintaro Himeno. Business areas include SEO, LLMO, web advertising operations, social media management, web analytics, web production and marketing DX support, and owned media operations. Media URL: https://katekyo-search.jp/. Contact: media@dgtrends.com.