Do Yoga Teachers Make Money?

For many people, becoming a yoga teacher is not about the money; instead, it is about following your passion. But it is also undeniable that we need money to survive, and it is vital to consider the financial aspects of any job before making a drastic career change. Being a yoga teacher is absolutely a viable career choice, but it takes some consideration and training before you can begin this exciting new path.

In this article, we will explore whether or not yoga teachers make money and how you can become a successful yoga teacher with a wide diversity of opportunities to generate income. Transforming your life and following the exciting journey as a yoga teacher is absolutely possible with a bit of awareness and planning. So, let’s explore the possibilities!

Do Yoga Teachers Make Money?

The short answer to this question is: it depends! For some yoga teachers, teaching yoga is just a part-time side job to explore their passion or perhaps get a free monthly pass at their favorite yoga studio. But for other yoga teachers, teaching yoga is their full-time job, and they dedicate their time and energy to making yoga teaching a viable career.  If you can figure out how to become a full time yoga teacher, you'll find that teaching yoga is a fulfilling and sometimes lucrative career path.

Whether or not you make money from being a yoga teacher really depends on you and how much time and energy you put into it. Generally, being a yoga teacher is a lot like running your own business. Many yoga teachers teach at multiple studios, online, or have their own private clients. Some yoga teachers start an online yoga business.  Yoga teachers often need to engage in their own marketing and advocate for themselves to generate enough business to succeed.

How Do Yoga Teachers Make Money?

There are many different ways for yoga teachers to make money, and these options can also greatly vary depending on where you live. There are often more opportunities for yoga teachers in bigger cities, but in these cases, there can also be more competition. The secret to being a successful yoga teacher is to have a diversity of income streams and to focus your time in the places that generate the most income.

Below we have generated a brief list of some of the ways that yoga teachers make money by teaching yoga in various locations. In all of these various settings, you can also offer a range of services, including group yoga classes, private sessions, workshops, specialty courses, or retreats. See below for the locations a yoga teacher can often work:

·      Yoga studio

·      Gym

·      University

·      Retirement home

·      Addiction treatment center

·      Hospital

·      Corporate businesses

·      Private yoga classes

·      Bachelorette parties

·      Private vacation homes

·      Retreat centers

·      Wellness centers

·      Ashrams

·      Online studio

·      Online course

Yoga teachers can also make money without teaching yoga necessarily but instead by using their skills in a different capacity. Some of the other options you can use to generate income with your training as a yoga teacher may include:

·      Yoga studio owner

·      Yoga studio manager

·      Yoga studio marketing assistant

·      Freelance yoga writer

·      Podcast about yoga

·      Yoga retail products

·      Yoga life coaching

·      Yoga teacher trainer

·      Yoga teacher mentor

·      Yoga Instagram influencer

There is a large variety of options for yoga teachers to grow their businesses. The best approach is to choose more than one to offer a range of services. Or you can select one option that generates the most income and specialize in that niche area. Try out different options and see what works best for you!  

Can You Make a Living Being a Yoga Teacher?

One of the biggest concerns of new yoga teachers is whether or not they can actually make a living being a yoga teacher. It is a harsh truth that many yoga teachers cannot survive by teaching group yoga classes alone. The key to truly making a comfortable living as a yoga teacher is to offer a range of different services beyond group yoga classes or to teach in a variety of settings. You can absolutely make a living as a yoga teacher with the right approach and consideration!

How Much Do Yoga Instructors Earn on Average?

The average earnings of a yoga teacher greatly vary depending on the services they offer and where they live. Generally, yoga teachers in large cities are paid more than yoga teachers in smaller towns. Additionally, offering workshops, courses, and private sessions typically pay more than a general group class.

The current estimation for the yearly salary of a yoga teacher varies from around $30,000 per year to $300,000 per year or more! The higher earnings are typically people who run their own yoga studios, have a yoga brand, or offer teacher training and retreats. Making a high earning from group yoga classes alone is not a viable business strategy for many yoga teachers. But the good news is that there are many ways to use your training as a yoga teacher to run a successful and thriving yoga business!

5 Tips for How to Make Money as a Yoga Teacher

1.     Start Building a Following

The most successful yoga teachers in a yoga studio typically have a following of students who regularly come to their classes. Some yoga studios pay teachers based on the number of students who come to their classes, so the more that you market yourself then, the more that you will earn. Additionally, by generating a following of students, you can also begin to offer them specialized workshops, courses, or private sessions to increase your earning opportunities.

2.     Diversify Your Offerings

Very few yoga teachers can make a thriving income by only offering group yoga classes. Although group yoga classes are certainly an excellent option for every yoga teacher to build their clientele, it is important to also expand to different offerings and possibilities. Some of the most common offerings that yoga teachers start to branch into is private sessions, teacher training, mentorship, workshops, courses, retreats, and writing. Explore the diversity of options to find what resonates most with you!

3.     Offer Private Sessions

Private sessions are one of the best ways to increase your earnings. In a private yoga session, you can often earn significantly more than you would in a group class. Plus, the individualized time with your students can really grow your connections and help you expand into other services in the future. Many yoga teachers go on to become yoga therapists to offer more robust private sessions, or they reach into the life coaching field as well.

4.     Expand Your Education

Another excellent way to increase your income as a yoga teacher is to have more than one skill. Getting training as a general yoga teacher is an essential foundation for you to begin from, but the learning doesn’t stop there! By getting specialized training in meditation techniques, breathwork, energy healing, specialized yoga styles, and other skills, you can offer more services at your local yoga studio or even expand into wellness centers and other settings with your range of services and class types.

5.     Know Your Worth

One of the biggest mistakes that new yoga teachers make is that they do not recognize their worth and the value of their skills. Offering free yoga classes as you begin as a yoga teacher can be a great way to grow your experience and build your skill set, but it is essential to remember that you don’t need to do this forever. Many yoga studios also often pay new teachers at a lower rate than more seasoned or highly trained teachers, but make sure to still value your own skills and ensure that you are earning enough per hour to cover your costs and make yoga teaching worth your time.

Becoming a yoga teacher does not mean that you have to be broke just to follow your passion! You can absolutely run a thriving business as a yoga teacher and earn a high income with a bit of thought, skill, and self-advocacy. Don’t be afraid to ask for a pay increase after you’ve been teaching at a studio for a while, and consider exploring teaching at various studios to find the place that pays you what you need to cover your bills.

Become a Yoga Teacher in Our Online Yoga Teacher Training Course

There are many things to consider when making the decision to start a career change as a yoga teacher, and taking steps on this path requires some ingenuity, initiative, and determination to truly make it work. But with an open mind and a clear heart, you can genuinely follow your soul’s journey and do what you have always dreamed of by becoming a yoga teacher!

In our online yoga teacher training courses, we give you all the tools and training that you need to become a truly successful yoga teacher. Our yoga teacher training courses go over the techniques of being a genuinely transformative yoga teacher as well as how to launch a thriving yoga business. With this combination of teaching tools and business training, we give you everything you need to become the yoga teacher you dream of being! So, reach out to us for more information on how you can begin this exciting journey!