Did you know that the average cost of living in the United States ranges from $38,266 to $85,139 annually? Depending on the size of your family, will determine the amount of income your family will require just to make ends meet. The cost of living is changing constantly and we are seeing the compound effect at every angle we turn. If you love fitness and health, being a yoga teacher is a respectable profession allowing you to take care of yourself and your family.
On average, a yoga teacher makes $25-$35 an hour and the national average salary is 60K per year. However, there are several factors that can determine your salary as a yoga teacher. These factors are location, experience, area of specialization, and number of hours you are willing to work.
In addition to all of these factors, there is also one more important factor to consider. Your salary as a yoga teacher will be impacted whether you decide to be a yoga teacher in another studio, or if you decide to teach in your own yoga studio. Each of these factors will play a role in your salary as a yoga teacher.
Location
You have to be very careful with where you decide to teach yoga. Whether you are opening your own studio or teaching at another studio. Either way, you want to make sure that you asking yourself these questions and doing your homework.
You need to research the neighborhood where you decide to locate your yoga studio. What is the crime rate in the area? How many people take yoga in the area? Is there currently a yoga studio in the area? What is the rating of any yoga studios in the area? Is the current yoga studio classes full or need additional teachers?
These are all great questions to ask yourself while researching a community or location to teach yoga. Crime rate is important because of the impact it will have on your rental rate and business insurance prices. Plus if the crime rate is high near your studio, you may not get many people to join your classes. Think of your business insurance like car insurance, the faster the car, the more you will pay in insurance. So, the worse the crime rate, the more expensive your business insurance will be.
Knowing the clientele in the area is also a very important aspect. Knowing how many people practice yoga in the area as well as knowing about yoga studios in the area will help you to make the best decision. If there isn’t a yoga studio for let’s say 30 miles, then it might be a good fit to open a yoga studio. However, if there is already a yoga studio in the area, but they are not able to provide enough classes, maybe checking to see if they are in need of a yoga teacher might be the best option.
Another great reason for starting off as a teacher in another yoga studio, you will get additional practice teaching, pick up techniques, and even build your clientele. If something happens and this studio doesn’t work out you can always open your own studio in the same area and already have clients for your studio.
8 Things To Know Before Opening A Yoga Studio
Experience
What kind of experience can you offer your clients? The more experience you have, the more money you can make as a yoga teacher. Clients will pay for experience and expertise. Make it known how long you have been teaching yoga. Let them know where you have studied and what techniques you have learned along the way. All these things along with what you share with your clients will help you to gain their trust as in return you will receive referrals.
There are no certification requirements to become a yoga teacher, however, there are some courses you can take to become certified. You should have some knowledge and have been practicing yoga before deciding to teach yoga. Again there are no requirements even on how much you know about yoga. Do you need to be an expert? Absolutely not! However, you want to at least know the basics so that you can teach the basic yoga moves to your class.
What do you have or know that can make your teachings stand out as opposed to any other teacher? Know your competition so that you are able to explain where you fit in and how you can benefit those in the area. Why should they want to go to your classes as opposed to any other yoga teacher? What do you have that the competition does not have? If you are trying to be a yoga teacher in another studio, let the owner know what you have that can benefit the studio, the current members, and how you will help get new members into the classes.
8 Essential Items For A Yoga Room
Area of Specialization
Do you have an area of specialization or a niche that you can bring to the table? It is great to have your own spin on how you train/teach yoga. The four common areas of these niches are yoga for athletics, yoga quest training, kids yoga, and curvy yoga.
These are some great niches that you can specialize in to target a certain audience. Just looking at these four niches, I am sure you are already putting together ideas in your head on how you can use them. These are all great ways to build your business and stand out in the yoga spectrum.
Athletes will probably want something more challenging in yoga since they already have a competitive mindset. Kids’ yoga will be fun, especially if they are the type of child that is always pushing and wanting to learn new things. Curvy yoga could be more like a beginner’s class because they may not be as flexible as some of the slimmer students. There are many people who join yoga because it’s a more relaxed way to work out as opposed to going to a gym. Yogaquest training allows you to incorporate modern-day interests into a yoga session. This may include a dancing yoga routine or even a themed yoga session.
Willingness to Work
Your salary as a yoga teacher will have a major impact on the amount of time you are willing to work. If you are averaging $25 an hour and only working ten hours a week, that is only $250 a week. Working ten hours a week is reasonable for a new yoga teacher, especially if you are still trying to attract clients to your studio.
There is no right or wrong way to operate your business. Keep in mind, the idea to have your own business is to make sure that you are able to have the time and freedom you need to work around your family’s needs. Each situation is different and you have to choose the solution that is best for you, your family, and your needs. The more time you are able and willing to put in, the more your salary will be as a yoga teacher.
Conclusion
Something to think about as you are working toward your new career as a yoga teacher. If you do not have a lot of time to offer to teach yoga, you may want to consider working for a yoga studio and not owning a yoga studio. Owning a yoga studio takes a lot of work, time, and money to keep open. If your dream is to eventually own a yoga studio, do not stray away from your dreams.
Whether you are a yoga teacher or a yoga studio owner, you want to make sure that you are creating the income your family needs. Make sure you have the allotted time that will allow you to achieve your dreams. Either way, you can make a respectable income as a yoga teacher. You do not have to own a studio to make a good living to provide for your family. Keep in mind that the more experience you have, as well as any specialty areas of training, will make an impact on your salary as a yoga teacher.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two different levels that you can take. The first level is a 200-hour program that will take three to five months to complete. The second level is a 500-hour program that can take anywhere from six months to a year to complete. It is recommended that you have several years of yoga training before deciding to become a certified yoga instructor.
There is no right or wrong way to find your first yoga teaching job. There are many tips you can use, such as practicing everywhere, starting your own class, looking online, thinking outside the box, and asking your teacher for recommendations. Opportunities are always available, you just have to be open-minded.
To learn more about starting your own Yoga Business check out my startup documents here.
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Yoga Fan
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online yoga business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a yoga business owner in public at a studio or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Yoga Business Boss: I want to help future yoga business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.