My 7 Yoga Teacher Jobs and How They Pay
I currently hold seven yoga teaching jobs, along with a few side gigs that help me sustain a full-time career as a yoga instructor. Here's a breakdown of those roles, along with insights into how well each opportunity pays, in my experience.
1. Yoga Studios
I taught yoga for three years before I ever taught in a studio. I currently work at three different yoga studios. It has taken some trial and error to find studios that are the right fit for my style and approach to teaching yoga.
Generally, studio pay is on the lower side, with rates varying widely depending on your location. I've seen pay as low as $25 per class and as high as $75. While I enjoy the community and experience of teaching at studios, I would burnout if I tried to support myself financially by exclusively teaching studio classes.
2. Teaching in Residential Buildings
I also teach yoga with two companies that provide residential building amenities. This is where I first started teaching in person, and I’ve held these jobs the longest. The classes are typically included in the residents' gym or amenities fee, so the participants attend for free, which makes these classes a more relaxed environment.
Additionally, you get to know a consistent group of residents and it’s very rewarding to see their practice progress. Plus, there’s more flexibility in how and what you teach compared to yoga studios. The pay is on the higher end of yoga studio rates, which makes these jobs an important part of my income.
3. Community Classes
I teach group yoga classes at a community center for a non-profit organization. Out of all my group classes, this job pays the highest—about three times more than the average yoga studio class. This was surprising to me, I wrongfully assumed a non-profit would not pay competitively. However, in this case, that has not been my experience.
4. Independent Work
In addition to my formal jobs, I have several independent yoga teaching roles. These include:
Private Sessions: These can be ongoing one-on-one sessions or one-off group sessions for special events or corporate clients. The pay varies widely here anywhere from 2x - 5x yoga studio group class rates. This category tends to be the most lucrative, and it's an area I’m actively looking to expand.
Online Classes and Workshops: I teach both live and recorded classes online. The earning potential here depends entirely on the number of people who sign up, making it a bit unpredictable but with high potential.
Yoga in the Park: During the summer, I host my own yoga classes in the park. These classes are a fun and flexible way to engage with the local yoga community while earning some extra income. Again, pay is a bit unpredictable depending on the number of participants that are able to attend.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, there are many opportunities to teach yoga beyond the studio setting. I always encourage fellow instructors to think creatively when designing your career. Your path might look different from mine, depending on your life stage, interests, and goals.
There’s no single "right" way to build a yoga career, and that’s the beauty of it. Everyone's journey is unique, shaped by their individual aspirations and priorities.
In the next episode of Full Time Flow, I’ll share how I landed these jobs and the strategies I’ve used to find new teaching opportunities.
