Sometimes mixing yoga and money can feel about as unlikely as mixing oil and water. Many begin their practice from a personal and spiritual level, which evolves into the desire to pursue yoga as a career. Making the transition from an inward pursuit to a moneymaking opportunity is tricky.
This is complicated further by the wide spectrum of pricing, which revolves around location, demand, and type of venue. If you are planning to pursue a full-time career as a yoga teacher, it might be wise to assess how much money you need to cover your expenses. From there, you can build a plan of how to structure your fees.
Statistics show that yoga instructors make an average of 28K to 45K annually. The yogic path is varied and diverse. Think about what you enjoy and what fits well with your personality.
Some questions you may want to ask yourself are:
• What age group do you enjoy working with?
• Are you more comfortable in a group setting or a private one?
• Do you like intense athletic yoga or relaxing therapeutic styles?
• Do you want to own a business or work for others?
In addition, the area you live in will be one of the main determining factors in what you can expect to earn. However, there are some guidelines.
• Private lessons – $45 to $85 an hour
• Studio Classes – $25 to $35 per class or $3 to $6 per student
• Community Centers – $15 to $25 per class
• Colleges – Schools are beginning to offer yoga as an elective and instructors can make $30 to $40 per class.
• Corporate – Many employers are turning to yoga for the physical and mental benefits. You could expect to make $85 to $100 per training session.
If you have a head for business and some start-up capital, you may pursue other options such as opening your own studio or designing and hosting retreats. Be sure you calculate the marketing expense, as that is one crucial element for success in these types of ventures.
Another new emerging concept is the teacher owned co-op studio. The tricky aspect of this is finding enough teachers with the same types of goals that work well together. One way to work out expenses is to figure out space cost per hour, and work out a plan around that.
If you love yoga and want to follow that path, then just take a deep breath and believe. It may take time, but you will achieve your goals.