Hey Teacher Friend,

Let’s chat about some data from the 2024 MTNA Member Survey.

And I promise this is not going to turn into a boring accountant moment because, honestly, my brain does not work that way anyway. But there was one number from the survey that really caught my attention:

According to the survey data we talked about in this week’s podcast episode, the average 60-minute lesson rate in 2024 was $65.72.

At first, that sounds like 'oh yay, look at us increasing our numbers woohoo'. But when we look at older numbers adjusted for inflation, it gets a little more interesting.

So yes, the average lesson rate has gone up on paper.

But when inflation enters the conversation, the 2024 average is actually lower than both the 2005 and 2020 inflation adjusted numbers.

Hmm. Isn't that interesting? Seriously, that explains so much to me in regards to many thoughts of my own and conversations with other teachers.

And please take note, I am NOT telling you what to charge.

We are not all gathering around the internet campfire to collectively decide what piano teachers should charge because that would be price fixing, and that is a big no-no, as Karen talks about in the podcast episode.

Tuition decisions are personal, local, and connected to your studio model, your expenses, your schedule, your goals, and what you need your studio to actually provide.

You might have a full studio and feel a little confused as to why you aren't making much progress financially. You might have a waitlist and still feel totally exhausted and blah.

Sometimes the answer is not simply getting more students.

Sometimes the better question is: Are my current numbers actually supporting the studio I am trying to run?

That is why I loved this conversation with Karen Thickstun so much. I mean, she is super cool, so there was that. But this gal has been around the block and knows what is up.

In this week’s episode, Survey Says: Music Teacher Edition with Karen Thickstun, we talked about the 2024 MTNA Member Survey and what it reveals about independent music teachers right now.

We talked about lesson rates, inflation, waitlists, summer income, teacher workload, business sustainability, and the hidden work that happens outside the actual lesson time.

Because running a studio is not just teaching. It is also the calendar, policies, parent communication, planning, bookkeeping, recital prep, enrollment, materials, summer decisions, and all the little things that keep the studio moving.

If you are an MTNA member and want to dig into the survey yourself, you can find more information through MTNA.

But if you want the teacher friend version of the conversation, I think you will really enjoy this episode.

And if this brings up the bigger question of how to think through your own tuition, I also have an episode called Tuition Pricing with Confidence.

That episode is a great next listen if you need help looking at your numbers without spiraling.

Also, quick reminder:

This workshop is for teachers who want to clean up the pieces of their studio that directly affect their calendar, tuition, policies, and parent communication.

We will talk through how those pieces connect, how to word things more clearly, and how to make decisions that support both your families and you as the teacher.

And yes, you get a free studio policy audit with the workshop, even if you can only catch the replay.

So if you know your policy needs a second set of eyes before the next school year, this is a really good time to jump in.

The goal is not to copy what everyone else is doing. The goal is to look at better information, ask better questions, and build a studio that actually supports the teacher running it.

Speak with you all soon!

Jaci