Hi. I was wondering if anyone knew what the usual percentage a music teacher makes when doing lessons for a store. Do they split the client's money 50/50? For example, if the client pays $30 an hour for lessons, you make $15 an hour? Is this the norm across the board or is every place unique? Thanks.

Hi, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "doing lessons for a store" - do you mean teaching as an Artist in Residence for a music shop/store?

If so - they shouldn't charge you anything. BUT it is quite normal for them to take commission of between 10-25%. Anything higher than this and it sounds dodgy to me.

Others may have different advice and experiences.

50%?! I would work somewhere if that was there comission, how could you live on $15 an hour - unless it is a full time job offer?

Thanks for the replies. In the city where I live, there are a few music stores and I know people that work at all of them. All of these music stores offer lessons (eg. drum set lessons or guitar lessons) and teachers are hired to teach these lessons. The client's pay something like $30 or $35 an hour depending on the store and the teachers get half of that money, and the store keeps the other half. The store is responsible for advertising, finding the students, administration, scheduling, etc and the teacher shows up and teaches the lessons. I'm basically looking to compare notes with music teachers in other cities. Thanks guys.

I don't think there are that many people who live in America on this forum and the situation you describe doesn't really happen in England so there may not be many people who can compare with you I'm afraid.

I did that for a shop in the UK once, the split was 60:40 in my favour. But in the end that really annoyed me as I thought it was too much for them to take.

Just out of interest, is this working for Guitar Center? I didnt know they did lessons, if it is them.

Just out of interest, is this working for Guitar Center? I didnt know they did lessons, if it is them.
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No, I work for a small business in Canada. We do guitar, drum, bass, and piano lessons. Sadly, I don't know many people that have similar jobs in other cities.

One of my friends used to teach for one of the local music shop's music school (as they called it). The school charged the students £15 for half an hour (£10 for the teacher and £5 for room and equipment hire). I was asked if I could teach piano there but apart from being nowhere near able to teach piano, even if it had been for one of my own instruments I didn't like the idea of students paying out £15 for a half hour lesson when I could be teaching them on my own terms for my own rate which is cheaper. My friend has stopped teaching there now as they really didn't enjoy working with the shop. I'm sure it can sometimes be a good arrangement but I think the rates in this case were too high.

Lucid

Thanks Lucid, that makes sense. Right now, I'm working for a 50/50 cut with the store. I'm fairly certain that the piano teachers at my store make a better percent like 60% or 70% while the guitar teachers like myself and my co - workers make 50%. I tried to negotiate a better percentage because I was asked to instruct group lessons and classes but they store only offered me what I'm making right now (to teach one on one) so I didn't take on that job. I would very much like to get into teaching classes. I have experience and education in this field but I won't do it until I can negotiate something more reasonable. Wish me luck on that one.

There's a music school in Edinburgh that charge £30 per hour for lessons. They called and asked if I could go to the school to teach a couple of flute pupils in return for £15 per hour. I turned them down because I'm all set up to teach at home and I earn almost the same in half an hour. I don't really want the shop taking £15 an hour for providing the room. It depends on your situation. A lot of teachers start off by teaching students in their own homes.

I hope it works out for you, it sounds like each teacher has to negotiate their own percentage where you are and if there are other people willing to teach guitar classes then you might not have much room to negotiate. Perhaps you could consider persuading your colleagues at the store to join a union.

Although I don't teach for anyone else, I don't 'take home' all the money I make, as I work from a studio and have to pay them for the room/piano hire per hour and then I pay someone a small cut who helps to find me students and lets me advertise with them. After these costs, I end up getting what is probably the lowest rate for an hourly lesson (certainly the lowest the I would ever be willing to accept).

I also have no control over how I charge people (they all have to pay by each lesson) and cannot apply my own terms & conditions to anything.

At the moment, I am content with this situation as I haven't been teaching for that long, but it is already starting to bother me, so I am looking for ways to set up from home - which is why on another thread I was discussing payment methods and contracts/terms and conditions.

I would recommend if you can, either negotiating with them or trying to find a way of teaching independently. That way, all the money you are making is effectively yours.