Tutors set goals with students, help with homework and practice problems, teach organizational and study skills, give feedback, review learning materials, prepare practice questions and track progress to discuss with students, parents or teachers. Practice questions, explanations and feedback are exactly what AI tools now offer, and the BLS says so directly.
The short answer: real pressure on the job, even though the exposure score is low. The ILO's 2025 index rates the closest group, teaching professionals not elsewhere classified, at minimal exposure with a score of 0.33. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects little or no change in employment from 2025 to 2035, and says generative AI will somewhat reduce the need for tutors. It still projects about 34,200 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed tutors are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified | Minimal exposure | 0.33 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for tutors, not a score for the job title itself.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Tutors | Little or no change (0%) | About 34,200 |
The BLS says the introduction of generative AI will somewhat reduce the need for tutors, since many of their regular activities can be completed by online software. It adds that companies with large inventories of practice tests, assessments and assignments will provide digital services that were previously only available with a personal or private tutor. Most projected openings come from replacing workers who move to other occupations or leave the labor force.
What AI is taking on
- Practice problems and practice tests, which online software can now supply, as the BLS describes.
- Explanations and help with homework questions.
- Quick feedback on answers and drafts.
What stays with tutors
- Goals and motivation: setting goals with each student and keeping them on track.
- Study skills: teaching organization and how to learn, not just answers.
- Progress talks: discussing progress with students, parents and teachers.
- Checking AI help: generated explanations and answers can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
The BLS expects online software to take over many routine tutoring activities. Tutors who focus on goals, motivation and study skills, and who check what AI tools tell their students, offer what software does not. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace teachers?, will AI replace teacher assistants? and will AI replace adult education teachers?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for tutors at $43,350 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: some college, no degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace tutors?
The BLS projects little or no change in tutor employment from 2025 to 2035 and says generative AI will somewhat reduce the need for tutors. It still projects about 34,200 openings a year.
How exposed are tutors to AI?
The closest ILO group, teaching professionals not elsewhere classified, has minimal exposure with a score of 0.33.
Why does the BLS expect less demand?
It says many regular tutoring activities can be completed by online software, and companies with practice tests and assignments will offer digital services once only available from a private tutor.
What do tutors do?
They set goals, help with homework and practice problems, teach study skills, give feedback and track progress.