Have you just completed a certification or school giving you the qualifications of a yoga teacher? Would you like to pursue this professionally?
Do you already have job offers or do you wonder how to open a yoga studio of your own? That’s great! But you’re probably wondering how much you can earn and at what amount to start negotiations? Want to compare yoga teacher salaries across the country?
Read our article and you will find out how much you can earn as a yoga instructor, how to make your work easier and what to do to improve your competencies to earn even more.
Key Takeaways
- According to the fitness industry materials, an average yoga instructor salary varies from $22,000 to $77,000 per year.
- Yoga instructor salary depends on factors such as location, experience, type of employer (e.g., fitness studio, private practice), and whether the instructor is full-time or part-time.
- Highly experienced instructors or those who offer private sessions can earn significantly more.
- You can help your yoga studio grow and show yourself as a specialist who introduces improvements, by implementing a yoga studio software. One of the most recommended options on the market is WodGuru with its reasonable price and many useful features.
- For more information, check out our analysis: how much does it cost to open a yoga studio
According to the fitness industry statistics, an average yoga instructor salary is from $22,000 to $77,000 per year.
Yoga Teacher Salary Depending on Location
The typical salary for yoga teachers in the United States varies depending on several factors we will talk about later. However, there are certain ranges provided by various industry sources that we can use as a guide.
As an example, as of July 29, 2024, the average annual pay of yoga teachers in North Dakota is $45,520, according to Salary.com. Most of the yoga instructors earn between $32,407 and $62,456, with some variations based on the source and specific circumstances.
Let’s look at other example locations, San Francisco, New York and Boston. The data was provided by Salary.com based on yoga teacher job offers with the given salary:
These figures illustrate the range and variability depending on the specific location. Yoga instructor salaries in major cities like San Francisco or New York, tend to be higher, sometimes reaching $98,00 annually. For a certified yoga instructor the salaries proposed are mainly higher than the average, starting from $72,000 and reaching $80,000 yearly.
What More Does a Yoga Instructor Salary Depend On?
A yoga teacher salary depends on several factors:
- location of the yoga studio,
- size of the yoga studio,
- type of the yoga studio,
- experience of the yoga teacher,
- his/her qualifications,
- specific responsibilities,
- running group or individual classes.
What Does a Yoga Instructor Actually Do?
A yoga instructor is a fitness professional who specializes in teaching yoga, a form of low-impact exercise that focuses on improving flexibility, strength, and body awareness through controlled movements.
We also cannot forget about this element of yoga, which is developing inner peace and awareness of the body but also the mind through breathing, concentration and meditation. In this approach, a yoga teacher becomes an atypical fitness instructor, and more of a spiritual teacher.
Here’s what yoga teachers typically do:
- Conduct Classes and Private Sessions: Instructors lead group classes or one-on-one sessions, demonstrating exercises and providing guidance on proper form and technique. They may use a mat, accessories like cubes but also scarfs for aerial yoga practice.
- Customize Workouts: They assess clients’ fitness levels and goals, providing personalized modifications and adjustments to exercises to accommodate various abilities and any physical limitations. Everything with customer satisfaction in mind and thanks to gym reporting and conversations with customers (read more about getting important information thanks to asking proper gym survey questions).
- Educate Clients: Instructors teach yoga principles, such as breathing techniques and body alignment, helping clients understand the benefits and philosophy behind the exercises.
- Ensure Safety, Motivation and Satisfaction: They maintain a safe exercise environment, correct improper form, and motivate clients to stay engaged and committed to their fitness goals. Yoga studio’s member satisfaction is one of the most important elements of the instructor’s efforts. It can be done easily for example via a gym membership software.
- Administrative Duties:
- Schedule Management: Yoga instructors often manage their own schedules, particularly if they are freelance or work across multiple studios or clients. It can be done easily thanks to fitness booking software.
- Client Communication: Teaching yoga requires maintaining communication with clients regarding scheduling, cancellations, and program updates, for example through gym automation.
- Record Keeping: Keeping accurate records of client progress, yoga practice conducted, and having gym payment systems is an essential part of the job, especially for independent instructors.
How to Earn More as a Yoga Instructor?
There are several ideas on how to earn more as a yoga teacher. If teaching is your passion, you will definitely be interested in these suggestions.
Keep On Learning
To be able to negotiate more money, it is definitely worth improving your qualifications and yoga teaching skills. Additional education, even before it’s completed, significantly improves your image in the eyes of your boss. Enables you to negotiate a better salary too!
- Health and Fitness: Master’s in Exercise Science/Kinesiology: advanced knowledge in physiology and fitness. Certificate in Personal Training: expertise in training and program design.
- Higher level of Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) Program: yoga teacher training course is designed to provide comprehensive education and training programs for aspiring or already practicing yoga teachers. A certified yoga teacher earns definitely more, as shown before on the salary graphs.
- Nutrition and Wellness: Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) or Diploma: nutrition and wellness integration.
Broaden Your Offer
Secondly, expand your offer. You can complete an appropriate yoga teacher training course and specialize in:
- teaching kids yoga,
- teaching prenatal yoga,
- teaching corporate yoga,
- running classes for seniors,
- conducting aerial yoga or acro yoga sessions,
- any other special kinds of yoga.
You can also take advantage of current trends in education and fitness, which place great emphasis on remote training and meetings. Set up your own online yoga studio and conduct online yoga classes or record downloadable yoga videos. Emphasize the convenience for the student when using such a solution.
Teach Yoga Using a Studio Management Software
Then, prove that your work is needed and that you are the right person in the yoga teachers team, with a hands on approach. For example, offer modern solutions such as yoga scheduling software.
Using the example of the WodGuru system, show what opportunities it offers to save time and money thanks to useful functions:
- Varied payment options thanks to gym payment software
- Gym member management system
- Gym CRM module
- Gym integration with a website, mobile app and showing your logo to the members and potential clients
- Gym marketing software to increase membership sales
- Gym POS (point of sale)
- Gym staff management software
FAQ
In the USA, teaching yoga brings between $20 to $50 per hour for running group classes. Full-time yoga instructors, especially those with experience or who work in urban areas, can earn an average annual salary of $40,000 to $60,000. However, yoga instructor jobs remuneration can vary widely based on location, experience, and whether the instructor teaches private sessions or at upscale studios.
If you want to teach yoga, start by developing a consistent personal practice to deepen your understanding of yoga. Then, enroll in a 200-hour yoga teacher training program certified by a recognized organization like the Yoga Alliance. After completing your training, gain teaching experience by offering classes to friends, volunteering, or working at local studios. Continuing education and specialized training can also enhance your skills and become one of the appreciated and experienced teachers.
Becoming a teacher and conducting yoga classes can be challenging as it requires a strong commitment to learning both the physical practice and the philosophical aspects of yoga. It involves completing a comprehensive teacher training program, gaining experience, and continuously deepening one’s personal practice. Teaching yoga also requires good communication skills, patience, and the ability to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students. While rewarding, it can be physically and emotionally demanding.
