The Complete Guide to Cello Lesson Pricing
How Much Do Cello Lessons Cost?
Marc Levesque
Updated 3/18/25 • 4 min read
The Average Cello Lesson Cost:
Cello lessons generally cost between $50-$100 per hour, but costs can vary widely depending on the instructor’s education and performing level, years of teaching, the location, lesson length and whether lessons are in-person or online.
The average price for a one-hour cello lesson is $70. Online cello lessons using Zoom or Skype charge between $35-40 for a half hour lesson. Local private one-on-one cello lessons range from $40-50 for a half hour lesson, while in-person group lessons can cost $35 for a half hour lesson.
Cello teachers without a music degree will charge as little as $45 an hour, and professional cellists with awards and rich public performance experience might charge as much as $350!
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What Determines Cello Lesson Costs?
Cello Teacher Level
The first question is whether you want a teacher with a music degree. Cello teachers without any degree charge $35-$40 per hour, but they can’t provide professional-level instruction.
Teachers with a music degree not specific to cello, like a Bachelor’s in violin or viola, charge $35-$50 per hour. They understand music theory well but lack advanced cello skills, which can lead to teaching beginners bad habits that hurt later.
Teachers with at least a Bachelor’s in cello often charge $50-$80 per hour, while those with a Master’s or Doctorate typically cost $60-$90.
In-Person vs Online Lessons
Another factor in cello lesson prices is whether the lessons are in-person or online. Online cello lessons are generally the most affordable, with an average increase of about $10-$15 for lessons at a teacher’s studio or house, and an additional increase to have the teacher visit your home.
In-person cello lessons pricing can vary widely though depending on the number of teachers in your area. In order to find highly-qualified cello teachers at reasonable prices, online lessons will be your best bet.
Recorded vs Live Lessons
If you’re looking for the cheapest cello lessons, there is the option of pre-recorded lessons.
These are typically video or app-based lessons that aim to teach you basic cello abilities for a monthly fee. There is also an option for buying one-time pre-recorded lessons depending on your musical need.
Unfortunately, these lessons cannot compare to the quality of live one-on-one lessons where the teacher can customize the lesson material for each student, provide live feedback on the student’s playing in real time, and help students become better at practicing cello and performing.
Any cello student interested in learning and playing various cello pieces is highly encouraged to take live one-on-one lessons, such as the $35 half-hour sessions offered by Lesson With You.
Do Beginners Need Professional Cello Teachers at First?
It’s best for beginners to learn cello the right way from the start with a professional instructor who can guide you from basic to advanced skills without bad habits.
Fixing things like posture, fingering, or bow technique can take months or even years. Starting with an expert teacher means faster progress and a strong foundation for the future. Before you commit, plan your budget and aim for regular lessons for at least a year to see steady results.
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What Will I Learn in Cello Lessons?
Cello Techniques
In cello lessons, you’ll learn essential skills like bowing, fingering, and posture. Mastering bowing is key for producing tone, and teachers walk you through doing it right with solid fingering and dynamics.
They’ll also guide you on placing your fingers to move smoothly between notes and scales. Plus, posture matters—your teacher will show you how to sit and use your core muscles to support your playing.
Music Theory and Note Reading
In cello lessons, you will learn basic music theory concepts such as scales, chords, patterns, and rhythms, which are important for analyzing and understanding music. Since the cello produces rich, resonant tones, instructors offer detailed guidance on reading precise rhythms, counting, maintaining steady beats, and practicing seamless transitions between notes
Engaging Repertoire
By taking regular lessons, you will choose repertoire that matches your musical interests and level from a wide range of music genres and styles. And don’t worry, your instructor will be there to help you pick out the perfect piece for you. The more you keep up with your cello practice and lessons, the quicker and better you’ll get at learning all kinds of music.
How to Find the Most Affordable Cello Lessons
We surveyed over 100 cello teachers across our own site, Lesson With You, and two other major sites, Lessons.com and Thumbtack.com, using a random zip code as the location. We specifically looked for teachers who have qualified degrees in cello and teach online lessons.
Lesson With You has a set price of $65 per hour and indeed the value is better than any other site we have found. Each cello teacher at Lesson With You has a Master’s or Doctorate in cello, including from schools such as Indiana University, but the lessons are only $65 per hour, making the cello lessons an incredible value.
Thumbtack had the highest average price among qualified cello teachers, at $72 per hour. Even finding a teacher who didn’t major in cello, such as one with a flute or piano degree, did not do much to lower the price. Sorting through the options, it quickly became apparent that many of the top teachers did not have formal education in music, and even those who had a music degree often did not have it for cello, despite charging high prices for music lessons.
Lessons.com has a nearly identical average price of $71 per hour among the teachers we surveyed. However, like Thumbtack, many of the cello teachers listed either lack a music degree or didn’t major in cello. Some providers also weren’t very clear about their pricing.
Lessons.com and Thumbtack both have a very large number of teachers, so surely there are some good deals, but finding teachers who’s education and prices matched that of the teachers at Lesson With You is difficult and time consuming.
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About the author
Marc Levesque is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where he studied Piano Performance and Arts Administration, receiving both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees before attending Carnegie Mellon University to study educational technology. As a pianist, Marc made his debut with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at age 15, playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2., and he has performed at various summer programs and festivals across the United States, Italy, and Croatia. Marc is a co-founder of Lesson With You, which fully combines his love of music, technology, and education.