Tipping

[Mister Mann]

Money, not edge angle.

What’s an appropriate or appreciated tip to an instructor for a full day group lesson?

 

[mdf]

I think linking tips to a percentage of cost is silly.
My rule is that it should net out to $20 per hour. How to share the load with other students is up to you. Talk to them ahead of time. Ostentatiously present your share. Contribute more to make up for that guy that looks cheap. Your choice.

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

Money, not edge angle.

What’s an appropriate or appreciated tip to an instructor for a full day group lesson?

How much is becoming better at what you seek worth. If you feel you got a bargain, make up for it in tip.

 

[Mike King]

What's the difference between a canoe and a ski instructor? You don't tip a canoe...

I generally tip $20 for a group lesson and $100 for a private.

Mike

 

[crgildart]

It's pretty regional. In Mid Atlantic I usually give 10 for a group and 20 for a private when putting my kid in a lesson. The instructors here look pretty surprised that someone actually offered a tip and they don't always accept it. But then a group lesson here is like $20 and a private is around $50/hr. I don't recall ever getting a tip when I taught in Minnesota, but that was eons ago. Northeast or Rockies at destination resorts the bar is much higher for what is a tip versus what is an insult..

 

[Monique]

I typically ski at Breck. My general rule for group lessons is "$10 for good, $20 for great, $5 for phoning it in." If there are fewer people in the lesson, I will tip more because the instructor has a smaller pool of tippers and because I presumably got more individual attention. I have only tipped $5 maybe twice (unless that was literally the only cash on me for some weird reason).

In my regular seasonal lessons, I'm apt to tip $10 ... but I also know that everyone in the group knows to tip. If I'm in a pick-up lesson, I'm apt to tip $20 because I assume that some of the clients don't realize they should tip.

For a private, I have tipped $100, on the theory that that's what they would have gotten with a full group (optimism springs eternal). Also, tons of individual attention.

As I sit here, I'm wondering if I should be more free with $20 tips for the seasonal lessons.

Would love to get an instructor's position, although for the most part I am told that tips are welcome but never expected. But I know they can make a big difference in an instructor's bottom line, and that pay is generally not so great at ski school.

 

[LKLA]

Money, not edge angle.

What’s an appropriate or appreciated tip to an instructor for a full day group lesson?

We always tip $20-$30 for a 1-2 hour private or a full day kids' group lesson and $80 for a half day or longer private (this is for the Northeast - Stowe, Okemo, Sugarbush, Whiteface,...)

 

[crgildart]

Ya, seems like NorthEast is a bit less than destination West.. Southeast is less but they don't count on them. @epic @Josh Matta @MikeS can probably chime on on what they usually see in Vermont..

 

[karlo]

Typically $100 for an all day private I do once a year. When I engage someone to act as my guide at an unfamiliar area, $50. Just doesn't seem like work when acting as my guide. I did tip a guide last year $200, because the outfit gave me a super good deal after canceling a tour on me; I was figuring the guide got a percentage, from the company, of a lesser amount.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Ski instructors generally get an hourly wage, not a percentage of the lesson cost. The hourly figure may vary. Usually it's higher if the instructor is requested in a private lesson. The hourly rate normally is based upon certification, years of experience and years working for that resort.

 

[Ross McGuinness]

how much does a lesson cost out in the states? what's your national minimum wage? what does a ski instructor say level 3 get paid an hour?

 

[Blue Streak]

At VR calculating the pay rate requires an Excel spreadsheet, a monkey with a ouija board, and a tide table.

 

[DanoT]

At VR calculating the pay rate requires an Excel spreadsheet, a monkey with a ouija board, and a tide table.

^^^ Sounds like how the commission sales staff gets paid at a typical used car dealership.

 

[HardDaysNight]

how much does a lesson cost out in the states? what's your national minimum wage? what does a ski instructor say level 3 get paid an hour?

At PCMR a full day private lesson is $989 and a half-day morning $670. As Kneale said, the hourly instructor wage varies based on several factors- about $20/hr would be in the ball park for a private.

 

[Josh Matta]

wow glad I do not work in Park City or Vail....

Typical tip for an all day private is 100 dollars. 50 for a half day, and 20 for a group lesson. This varies though, some people do not tip at all, some people go up to 200+ for an an all day private. Reality is this even the highest paid instructors are making maybe 15-25 k a season before tip....even those who do well depend on tips to keep doing this. Also I literally bend over backwards in accommodating good tippers, and will make do everything in my power to keep skiing with them.

With that said I get it that some people do not tip, and that is ok. Some of those people I still love skiing with,

 

[Old boot]

I had an instructor ask me how to get more tips. I said when you give the lesson always make a joke "We never tip into the hill only into the hand" show some movement and laugh after you say it

 

[Eric267]

how much does a lesson cost out in the states? what's your national minimum wage? what does a ski instructor say level 3 get paid an hour?

My my neighbor teaches at Northstar(vail) 850$ for a private all day. He gets $17-18hr base but if it's a request for him he gets more like 20$. It's such a joke!!

I think it's around 750$ full day at squaw

 

[Josh Matta]

what cert level is your neighbor?

 

[crgildart]

Just to keep things in perspective here.. A music teacher with a 4 year degree, 3 year master's degree and teaching certificates might bring in $75/hour if they run their own studio.. subtract the overhead, equipment, taxes, etc.. Folks who drive to your house and use your own equipment will charge $50/hr or more. Someone with the same level of education, training, and experience who works for another business owner, music shop or studio probably only brings in $15-$20/hr tops. Destination resorts are charging the client around $100/hr or a little more where feeder hills are charging more like $60/hr... like the music studio does.. Difference is the music folks have viable competition from all over town with dozens of other similarly qualified business owners and free lancers available to provide the service. Get to the destination resort and it is what they offer or nothing.. So the gouge you for all they can while also gouging their staff who just do it because they love to do it. Nobody but the ski school director is going to support a family working as an instructor.. But they can add other gigs repping product and sell bikes, work at the ski shop tuning skis and mounting bindings etc..

Anybody here tip your kid's piano teacher or your guitar center dude after each lesson??

 

[Johnny V.]

Is it any wonder why more people don't take lessons?