Yoga Instructor Salary: How Much Does A Yoga Teacher Make?

Fitness is a growing industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, careers for all types of fitness trainers are growing by an impressive 19% (1). This includes anyone who works as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, certified yoga instructor, and other specialties. 

If you’re thinking of getting into a career in yoga, consider all the facts. The market is big and growing, but salaries vary widely. A lot of factors go into determining what you can earn, including credentials, location, and whether you are employed or go freelance. 

The Average Yoga Instructor Salary

It is difficult to find a single consistent measure of average salary for a yoga instructor. There is so much variety in the industry, but it helps to look at some averages collected by various companies or organizations. 

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How Much Does a Yoga Instructor Make Per Year?

The BLS does not record data specific to yoga instructor jobs. It includes yoga in the category of fitness trainers and instructors. The average median salary for workers in this industry in 2021 was $40,700 per year. Here are some averages recorded by various websites that track yoga instructors specifically: 

• According to Glassdoor.com, a yoga instructor in the U.S. makes $60,227 per year on average (2). 

• Zippia.com reports an average annual salary of $45,673 (3). 

• Salary.com lists yoga instructors as earning an average of $56,871 per year (4). 

• According to Indeed.com, the average annual salary for teaching yoga is $74,868 (5). 

Average Salaries Per Hour

Many yoga instructors work and are paid by the hour. According to the above sources, there is also a wide range of average hourly earnings for yoga teachers: 

• $19.57

• $21.96

• $29.00

• $31.81

Clearly, the data are not completely clear on yoga and fitness salaries. Use these numbers as a guide only and realize that actual pay can be significantly more or less. 

How Much Does a Yoga Instructor Make By Location? 

One of the biggest factors in determining salary and hourly rates in fitness is location. In general, you can earn more in large cities and you will have to charge less in rural areas. 

According to the BLS, the states with the highest earnings for fitness professionals are (6): 

• New York

• The District of Columbia

• Vermont

• Connecticut

• Massachusetts

• California

• Washington

• Colorado

• Alaska

• Hawaii

• Illinois

• Vermont

• New Jersey

• Delaware

The BLS also reports on metropolitan areas. The cities where you can earn the most in fitness are: 

• Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

• San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

• Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI

• New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

• Burlington-South Burlington, VT

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

• Salinas, CA

• Bremerton-Silverdale, WA

• Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH

• Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

How Yoga Instructors Get Paid – By the Hour, Class, Student, and More

One of the biggest reasons there is a lot of variety in yoga earnings is that there are so many ways to work and get paid. Your first of two main choices is to work as an employee. This will give you an hourly or annual salary. Some types of employers that hire yoga instructors include: 

• Gyms

• Yoga studios

• Spas and resorts

• Universities

• Community recreation centers

• Corporations with employee wellness programs

• Holistic health and complementary and alternative medicine offices

Gyms and yoga studios are the most typical employers for yoga teachers. How they pay instructors varies. Few provide an annual salary, as many instructors work part-time. More common is hourly pay, pay by the class, or pay by each student recruited for a class. 

Your other option is to work as an independent contractor, or freelancer. This option makes you a small business owner. This can be more difficult but also gives you more flexibility to choose what to charge students and when and how often to work. 

How to Boost Your Salary As a Yoga Instructor

Because there is so much variety in what yoga teachers earn, you have significant flexibility to make as little or as much as you want. Here are some ways to maximize income as a yoga instructor. 

Add Credentials

While the government does not regulate yoga instructors, most employers require certification and students are unlikely to work with an uncertified instructor. In the yoga industry, certification is known as RYT (registered yoga teacher). 

At a minimum, you should have the entry-level 200 RYT credential. This requires 200 hours of yoga training. If you want to be able to charge students more, you can earn more advanced and specialized credentials. These include the 500 RYT and the Experienced RYT 200 and 500 levels as well as children’s and prenatal yoga. 

Check out this post for more information about what Yoga Alliance certifications mean. 

Work Full Time, or More

This is a great career for flexibility. It’s easy to work part time and even to teach a yoga class here or there as a side hustle in addition to a full time job. If you want to truly earn as a yoga teacher, look for full time employment at a gym or studio. 

You can even add additional time, working more than full time. Add weekend and evening classes or individual sessions. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate

Large gyms might have set pay scales, but most smaller gyms and yoga studios have leeway to negotiate with instructors. Discuss your pay and don’t be afraid to ask for more. Be prepared with reasons for a higher rate, including your credentials and experience. 

Sell Yourself to Gain Clients

If you work independently, this is absolutely essential. You need to be an entrepreneur. Build a website, get on social media, attend networking events, and market yourself and what you offer. Even if you work in a studio or gym, you have to sell yourself or students will not choose your class. 

Retaining students is always less costly than gaining new clients. Here are some tips for high yoga client retention. 

Find Creative Ways to Earn

As a qualified yoga instructor, you can do so much more than just teach classes or individuals. Look for all the ways you can earn to increase your income. Build up a social media presence to become an influencer, for instance. This takes time, but ultimately, you can earn through your social channels. Another option is to take your yoga instruction online. Offer videos and courses online to reach more students. 

Tackle bigger venues in person as well. Become a speaker or event instructor. Appearing at events, like festivals and conferences, can pay really well. You might also consider training new yoga instructors once you have enough experience. 

How to Become a Yoga Instructor

Now that you have salary information, you can make a more informed decision about your yoga career. The first step in becoming an instructor is to be a practitioner yourself. You should be passionate about yoga and experienced in your own practice. Then, follow these important steps:

• Research a yoga teacher training program that works for you. It could be in-person or online. 

• Enroll in the certification course of your choice. It should be approved by the Yoga Alliance as a registered yoga school (RYS).

• Once you are credentialed, you can begin teaching, but you might want to consider shadowing and mentoring with a more experienced instructor first. 

• In the meantime, start looking for a position in a yoga studio or gym or begin planning your small business. 

• Create a website and social media platforms to expand your reach. 

• Start taking on students when you’re ready. 

Did you know you could make a career out of teaching yoga? You just need a passion for the practice and the right qualifications. For the latter, check out our Yoga Alliance approved Yoga 200 Online Yoga Teacher Training course.

References

1. Fitness trainers and instructors: Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, September 8). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm 

2. Salary: Yoga instructor (April, 2023). Glassdoor. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/yoga-instructor-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm 

3. Yoga instructor salary. Zippia. (2023, April 6). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.zippia.com/yoga-instructor-jobs/salary/ 

4. Yoga instructor salary. Salary.com. (2023, March 28). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/position/yoga-instructor-salary 

5. Yoga instructor salary in United States. Indeed.com. (2023, April 11). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.indeed.com/career/yoga-instructor/salaries 

6. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, March 31). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm