Accessible or Premium? How to Find the Right Pricing Segment in the Education Business

Setting the right price for educational services is always a challenging question for online school owners, learning centers, and private tutors. On the one hand, you want to make education accessible to as wide an audience as possible, but on the other, you need to cover expenses and generate profit. Striking this balance is crucial since pricing impacts not only your revenue but also how the quality of education is perceived.

Naturally, making education available to everyone is desirable, but it is also important to remember that a high-quality product cannot be cheap. Finding the golden middle between affordability and profitability is key. CRM systems for learning centers can help with this—they enable you to analyze demand, automate financial operations, and efficiently manage your educational business.

In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right pricing segment and explore different pricing models that fit various learning formats.

1. The Affordable Segment: Education for the Mass Market

Budget-friendly courses or lower-tier pricing models allow for a large student influx but require well-optimized business processes to remain profitable.

Who benefits from the affordable segment?

• Online schools operating with a high volume of students.
• Educational platforms with self-paced learning and minimal instructor involvement.
• Language schools offering group lessons.

What should be considered?

• Automation of all processes: A CRM system for business management helps reduce administrative costs.
• Effective marketing: To attract large numbers of students, well-optimized advertising campaigns and partnerships are essential.
• High competition: The budget-friendly segment has many players, so standing out with quality content and service is crucial.

Example: An online school offering programming courses for $20–30 while serving thousands of students per month. By automating processes and minimizing instructor and administrator involvement, the school remains profitable.

2. The Premium Segment: An Exclusive Approach to Learning

Premium courses target a smaller audience but come at a significantly higher price. Clients expect personalized attention, ongoing support, and additional benefits.

Who benefits from the premium segment?

• Training centers specializing in niche markets (e.g., business education, finance, executive coaching).
• Tutors offering one-on-one training or mentorship programs.
• Specialized schools with a high level of service (e.g., international exam preparation, VIP language courses).

What should be considered?

• High-quality content: Courses should be unique, with deeply developed materials.
• Personalized support: Students expect consultations, feedback, and mentoring.
• Top-tier service: A CRM system like Voopty can help automate personalized messages, reminders, and student engagement via chatbot notifications.

Example: An elite business school offering an online course with individual instructor consultations priced between $2,000 and $5,000.

3. How to Find a Balance Between Affordable and Premium Segments

Freemium Model – A strategy that combines free basic access with paid advanced features.

• Free trial access or an introductory course → Paid full course.
• Affordable group lessons → More expensive individual consultations.
• Standard course → VIP package with additional materials and support.

Modular Pricing System – Allows clients to select only the modules they need, paying only for the necessary content.

• Subscription-based learning (monthly/annual).
• One-time purchase of individual courses or lesson packages.
• Premium content access for an additional fee.

Hybrid Learning Programs – A mix of affordable online learning with premium options.

• Self-paced lessons + Additional consultations with an instructor.
• Basic course with the option for personalized task reviews.
• Free webinars + Individual VIP sessions.

Choosing the right pricing segment depends on your business model, content quality, level of student support, and automation capabilities. Using CRM systems for educational institutions and online schools like Voopty allows for efficient process management, demand analysis, and optimal pricing strategy adjustments. The key is to strike a balance between accessibility and the uniqueness of your educational product to attract students while ensuring stable business growth.