Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement, has opened a new 20,000 square-foot, $5.9 million facility in Clayton creating 150 new jobs.

Founded by WashU alum and Clayton native Chuck Cohn, Varsity Tutors offers live online and in-person instruction to students, free diagnostic tests, practice exams, flashcards and questions of the day for more than 150 subjects. Through its free online learning tools and mobile applications, the company has created a learning ecosystem of more than 100,000 questions and answers. Tests have been accessed more than 40 million times.

“As a lifelong St. Louisan, building Varsity Tutors in this region has always been of personal importance,” Cohn said in a statement.

“We remain committed to being a positive force and economic driver for St. Louis. With support from the Missouri Department of Economic Development and St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, Varsity Tutors has established a permanent headquarters here that will aid in our efforts to continue attracting top talent to the region and building a business of global significance.”

The idea for Varsity Tutors began in an entrepreneurship course Cohn took in 2007 at WashU. At the time, national tutoring companies didn’t offer personalized service in specific subjects and spent little time on their tutor recruitment efforts.

“This is a great story of a Clayton High School grad who attended Washington University and created a terrific company,” St. Louis county executive Steve Stenger said in a statement.
“Varsity Tutors is one of the country’s fastest-growing tech companies. We are especially happy that Chuck, in recognition of our region’s booming tech sector, has decided to build out his new headquarters in St. Louis County.”

Originally focused on providing an online marketplace for matching students with tutors and test prep providers, Varsity Tutors is now investing in technology development and expanding access to web- and mobile-based tutoring. Now, more than 1 million hours of live instruction have taken place on the Varsity Tutors platform over the past nine years.

With assistance from the staff at Varsity Tutors, students can prepare for standardized exams like the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT and LSAT. The company’s network has grown to 20,000 instructors and 50,000 students throughout the country.

“Companies like Varsity Tutors are a product of and a shining asset for Missouri’s rich entrepreneurial environment,” Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Mike Downing added. 

“The state is incredibly proud of its partnership in growth with Varsity Tutors and the company’s commitment to the St. Louis area. Expansions like this ensure Missouri remains a prime destination for tech and innovation.”

Varsity Tutors closed a $50 million venture capital financing round last fall, which marked the largest-ever for a Missouri-founded internet company. With more than 40 immediate openings, the company is actively recruiting new members for its team.