Honest Scoop on Yoga Instructor Salary in 2023

There’s no denying the fact that the yoga industry, of late, is witnessing a stupendous boom with every chance or possibility of one being living on a yoga instructor salary if one is to learn and master varied yogic poses and nuances. 

However, there seems to be a little bit of confusion and vagueness surrounding the average certified Yoga teacher’s salary or remuneration, which demands immediate attention to clear the air of doubts shrouding it. 

In the United States, the salary of a Yoga teacher touches an average of $24.96 per hour, which in Indian currency is Rs.2,048, while the salary of a Yoga teacher in Europe varies from Euro 30 to Euro 70, making anywhere, from a national average annual sum of $60K or Euro 70K equivalent to Rs.49,23,750 in Indian currency. 

To reach the astounding figure, you would have to teach 26 yoga classes and sessions per week for a whole year at the rate of $50 per class, tantamounting to Rs.4,102.82 Indian rupees.

In India, a Yoga teacher’s monthly salary ranges between Rs.0.3 lakhs to Rs.0.9 lakhs creating an average annual salary of Rs.3.0 lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 664 latest salaries received from Yoga instructors. 

Ways of Becoming a Yoga Instructor Out to Make Some Big Bucks!

The year 2023 has witnessed a rapid insurgence of yoga practices, leaving room for a subsequent rise and demand for fitness trainers and yoga teachers/instructors. Studios the world over are popping up in every nook and corner of cities, with many of them opting to provide yoga training programs and certifications to equip their students to teach yoga.

From a financial perspective, the aforementioned proposition makes sense, with Yoga teacher training programs and certification costing around $3000 per student, which in Indian currency is Rs.2,46,227, unless one opts for an affordable and reasonable TTC abroad, with a class costing anywhere between $10-25 or Euro 15-35 which in Indian currency, the estimate of which is Rs.820-Rs.2,051.90.

Many of these newly-trained registered and certified yoga teachers/instructors (RYTs) may seek only to master and deepen their yoga practice or further their awe-inspiring yogic journey toward becoming Pilates instructors or group fitness instructors. 

A handful of them may not opt for imparting yoga lessons in yoga studios, gyms, or health clubs. However, a handsome majority of them will.

Below are some important, yet simple and easy steps one can adhere to taking into account one’s yoga practice and journey of a self-introspection and self-discovery leading to a thriving and fulfilling career in the realm of yoga instructors, making much more than minimum wage when it comes to Yoga instructor salary, whilst supporting a fascinating lifestyle of mindfulness, gratitude, with dollops of generosity.

Step 1: Train Like A Yogi

The first and foremost step to becoming a yoga teacher of abundance, pomp, flamboyance, and comfort is to become a yoga instructor. These days, one can opt for yoga schools imparting varied styles of yoga. Traditional styles like Hatha yoga, Iyengar yoga, or Ashtanga Vinyasa are common and ideal for 200-hour teacher training programs. 

If one chooses to register with Yoga Alliance, then one can also log hours spent training in other forms of yoga. The more you get immersed and engrossed in the teachings, the more authentic, valuable, and relevant will be your presence in the classroom. However, students need not solely listen to a fitness instructor reading aloud scripts about yoga postures and breathing alone. 

And better yoga teachers having experience and expertise to their credits, are more likely to have yoga students returning to practice with them, garnering more income for the gym or yoga studio in the process, which, in turn, paves way for a better Yoga teacher salary.

Step 2: Sit Down, Be Humble

To make a mark in the domain of yoga practice and sessions, simultaneously drawing a decent, handsome Yoga instructor salary to maintain a pretty decent and well-maintained lifestyle, working long days assisting yoga classes, deepening personal training on the meditation cushion, as well as refining and honing yoga teaching skills and holding space for people all over the world are prerequisites and are of fundamental necessities one can’t just easily shrug off! Offering your complete, full-on presence, and hosting your energy in the present moment, whilst ensuring a comfortable and conducive learning ambiance for the students coming to the retreat center, are two steps ahead of you becoming a certified yoga instructor and getting a handsome, satisfying Yoga teacher salary. 

It’s worthwhile to remember that as, a yoga instructor, one doesn’t get paid so one, can breeze into the yoga studio just for a minute or two before the commencement of the class, whilst rattling off a list of yoga postures and waltzing off after 90 minutes duration. You receive an hourly rate for being fully present with your teaching and students, especially when it comes to you being a new yoga teacher. 

Fitness instructors/motivators with a handful of years of experience tend to get more freedom between classes to travel and get prepared in the process. All these so-called ‘tricks and trades’ go a long way in becoming the desired yoga teachers receiving handsome, decent Yoga instructor salaries to reach the pinnacle of success one day!

Step 3: Get Your Asanas Scheduled

This brings us to delve into pertinent points: yoga instructor jobs, Yoga teacher salaries, and how to get them.

Do inquire about prospective job opportunities, getting paid for executing administrative, marketing, or retail work in between classes, including getting paid to assist at the upcoming special event or yoga training program. 

In the United States, fitness instructors are paid on an hourly basis, minimum wage, flat salary, per-head bonus, or combination.

Small yoga studios tend to pay $35 per class, in Indian rupees it’s Rs.2,868, while more reputed and established studios pay up to $50 per class, equivalent to Rs.4,098 in Indian currency. Moreover, if you’ve years of experience, you might end up earning $75, which is an estimate based on salaries received by employees of The Online Studio. 

If you impart private yoga teaching sessions, you should look into the matter of rates for personal trainers in your locality. If you travel to your clients’ residences or workplaces, you can charge more fees.

To provide a major impetus to your Yoga instructor’s salary, consider selling private classes in attractive, eye-catching, distinctive packages instead of resorting to session-by-session. This gives you an edge over others in terms of budgeting, thereby making your client more likely to cling to you with their yoga practice.

Offer personal training to aspiring yogis, or heal clients via yogic therapeutic properties, gaining experience in the process-a sureshot way of boosting up your actual remuneration as a yoga instructor.

Step 4: Think Outside The Mat, Out-Of-The-Box

Impart private yoga lessons, and set your prices like personal trainers. Offer special workshops and special events to lure prospective clients, focusing on your core specialties or areas of interest. Host or help out on amazing yoga retreats or yoga teacher training courses, and do email marketing or administrative work for a yoga studio or gym.

Online yoga and online yoga teacher training are on the rise these days. Make it an effort to put together a well-produced, well-curated, high-quality series of yoga tutorials, simultaneously giving thought to opening up an online yoga studio.

Furthermore, write about yoga-oriented topics in magazines, and online publications, with yoga teachers also publishing books about their crafts thereby making a lumpsum amount of money. 

If you’re an experienced instructor in high demand, there’re chances of earning thousands by working with brands on advertising campaigns or attending high-profile events. 

On a final note, the most talked about and controversial way of making big bucks in the health and fitness industry is social media like Facebook, Instagram, etc. Depending on your following, one can earn between $500-$1000, (Euro700-1200) in Indian currency, ranging from Rs.40,999 to Rs.82,000 per Instagram photo for sponsored shoots.

Make a decent, flamboyant livelihood by getting a handsome Yoga instructor or Yoga teacher salary at Diya Yoga  –Yoga Alliance RYS 200 school located at the beautiful beach of Arambol, North Goa, India. Our best yoga teacher training programs fuse ancient Vedic knowledge with modern asanas taught by highly skilled Indian and International yoga experts. We decipher a comprehensive theoretical and practical training program during our 25-day structured course. 

On completion of our 200-hour teacher training program (YTT course), you’ll emerge as a confident teacher providing yoga lessons to aspirants. Join us in our noble effort to propagate the all-around benefits of yoga the world over!