inBachs / How To Price Private Music Education Like a Pro

Most music schools still present orchestral and academic jobs as the career path, but those roles are limited, competitive, and often misaligned with what graduates actually want. In reality, most music majors either start their own businesses or end up working in entirely different industries.

Music school gave us musical skills, but it left out the business side. How to attract students. How to price lessons. How to grow something sustainable. Those conversations rarely happened.

A lot of musicians quietly move into unrelated 9-to-5s and keep music as a side project. Others choose the freelance or private studio path with intention, not regret because they value the freedom and creative control it offers.

If you're teaching private lessons, here's the truth:
You're running a business. And your pricing should reflect that.

But most musicians were never taught how to price their services. We were trained to perform, not to think like business owners. So we end up looking at what everyone else is charging and guessing our way into rates that feel safe. The result?

• You’re overbooked and underpaid.

• Your schedule is full, but your bank account isn’t.

• You feel like you're always hustling and never catching up.

Pricing emotionally (or copying your competition) leads to burnout.
Pricing strategically leads to freedom.

That’s why we created our Pricing Calculator to help you take the guesswork out of your rates. This free tool walks you through how to set lesson prices based on your income goals, time off, ideal schedule, and what it really costs to run your studio.