How much should a karate school cost?

[krunchyfrogg]

I am trying to get back into the martial arts, and I found a dojo that I think I would like. When I got to talking to the head instructor about cost, I was instantly turned off. He told me the school`s tuition is $1750 for one year. I felt like it was too much, and it`d definitely out of the range of what I can afford.

What do you consider a fair price for a karate school? Are there any styles that are inherently less expensive to attend?

TIA!

[Toptomcat]

$1750 for a year is insane by any standard. $50-75 a month is the upper limit for what I'd pay. The difference is definitely not a style-by-style one, being instead school-by-school.

[ninjanurse]

I charge $85/month at my location in NY...20 years ago I paid $118/month at a school on the West Coast. I think the cost is economy driven in a lot of cases but you have to look at other factors too. What it ultimately comes down to is value-are you getting your money's worth? If not, seek else where-if you are, support the school by referring more training partners to share the experience with.

BTW-the $118/month was well worth it and that school is what gave me the skills and tools to be where I am today.

[GeoGiant]

I pay $75 mon which seems cheap for the amount of instruction I get. I'm offered 3 karate classes a week & I have option to take 2 MMA classes a week at no additional charge. I think $100 would be the most that I'd be willing to pay in the current system I'm involved in.

[krunchyfrogg]

Thanks a lot guys. I'll keep looking.

[GeoGiant]

I would consider paying that much if I was hiring the instructor as a trainer.

[joesteph]

He told me the school`s tuition is $1750 for one year. I felt like it was too much, and it`d definitely out of the range of what I can afford.

That comes to $145/mo. for one person. I don't know how many times a week instruction is given, but you--anyone--not only has to have the money but the time, as well.

At my children's school, it's $100/mo. w/o a contract, $90/mo. for a six-month one. Since I have two children attending, it's actually $90 and $85, and when I was attending, $80 for me.

Children's classes are three times a week, and for adults, really ages 12+, it's available four times. She doesn't charge extra for special needs, so that my two boys receive practically individual instruction, as they're the only two in their class. There's another special needs class, presently having one student.

The school I just started at won't go lower than a three-month contract, but it's $75/mo. for twice a week.

I understand that it's a business matter, that if people are willing to pay that much, then it will be charged, but I follow GeoGiant's thought that what that dojo charges is the kind of money one thinks of for individual instruction, not attending a class.

[Toptomcat]

Really the fact that they want to lock you in for a full year is a bigger danger sign than what the amount comes out to if you work it out month-by-month.

[Spodo Komodo]

In an ideal world a karate school should be free but in the real world there are lots of things that need to be paid for. $1750pcm is what you would pay (in the UK at least) for top-end tennis club subscription or a golf club membership but at both of these you also get the country club style facilities (bars, restaurants, dinners etc.). I would pay no more than around £5 ($6-$7 ish) per hour of instruction for general classes, substantially more only for workshops or small group tuition with someone really worth it. The most I pay at present is £5 for a 1.5 hour lesson (just under $5 per hour according to Google) and the teacher makes a full-time living at that. Lock-in contracts and things like that make sense for the teacher (smoothing revenue streams) but not to someone just starting in the martial arts or returning after a long time away. Flexibility can give you peace of mind as much as anything, if you have made a mistake you can walk away but you also know that the teacher either has a massive turnover of students (which would be obvious even to a new guy) or is good enough to retain students long enough to make them worthwhile (from a financial point of view).

[krunchyfrogg]

He told me the school`s tuition is $1750 for one year. I felt like it was too much, and it`d definitely out of the range of what I can afford.

That comes to $145/mo. for one person. I don't know how many times a week instruction is given, but you--anyone--not only has to have the money but the time, as well.

instruction would be two days a week. And they were set days, not flexible.

Derwentbob: my Wife plays tennis competatively at least 3 times a week at a nice tennis club, and she pays a lot less than me.

To be fair, the school did offer a few free classes (I think they all should).