There are a lot of things you might imagine would attract someone to a career as a yoga instructor. The flexibility (literally), a genuine passion for the practice, the ability to making a difference in people’s lives… the list goes on. But one thing that doesn’t really come to mind is the opportunity to earn megabucks. In fact, most would assume that the career choice comes with a pretty humble salary.
But according a recent article from well+good, some instructors are bringing in a whopping $400,000 US a year! Nope, we didn’t accidentally put an extra 0 in there. Ava Taylor, owner of the world’s first yoga talent agency YAMA talent, says that some of her top clients are raking in the eye-boggling salary.
Take-home pay peaks and dips when you’re a yoga instructor, and $400,000 is definitely a peak, but it happens. All the cylinders have to be firing; everything has to be going your way.
-Ava Taylor, owner of YAMA talent. Via well+good
Crazy, right? But as you might imagine, it’s not just handstands and crow poses that are bringing in the big bucks. Ava explains that it’s actually the yoga-related side hustles that are turning these bendy babes into high rollers. So, if you’re a yogi hoping to turn your passion into a lucrative career path, this is how to do it.
Event appearances
According to Ava, this is the largest source of revenue for yogis. Think conference lectures or teaching at big festivals like Wanderlust.
“Someone who is successful in the live event space can make between $5,000 and $10,000 a weekend.”
Book deals
Yogis who also happen to have a way with words are rewarded greatly — Ava reveals publishing deals is the second biggest earner!
This can bring in anywhere from the high five figures to even six figures.
Endorsement deals
Endorsements have been a big thing in sport since forever and according to Ava, they’ve also made their way into the yoga world.
Typically, the brand will require a certain number of social media posts a month as well as a few in-person appearances at events.
Teacher training
Ever wondered how much yogis who teach other people to teach yoga earn? According to Ava — a lot!
A 200- or 300-hour teacher training in Ohio might cost $3,000 per person. If it’s in Bali, that might cost $5,000 per person, but it also includes room and board. So after you subtract the additional costs, you’re still left with the roughly $3,000 you would get if the training was hosted locally.
When you consider that the class may have up to 30 people in it, you can see how quickly the dollar signs would add up!
Video content
We introduced you to a few online yoga programs that allow you to take virtual classes from some of the world’s best instructors in this article. While these programs are relatively affordable, Ava reports that the yogis who feature in them can make a fortune!
These are incredibly powerful tech companies. It’s not uncommon to make $5,000 and $10,000 a month from a successful third-party platform.
Merchandise
When it comes to making a decent living as a yoga instructor, Ava says it’s all about the merch.
Whether it’s investing in their own custom-made hoodies, bags, and other merchandise, or getting a share of the profits from essential oils and products from other brands sold in-studio, an instructor can make a few thousand dollars a month.
As for teaching itself? Ava says that while it is, of course, important, it’s simply not what brings in the megabucks. However, she explains it’s all about paying your dues.
All my clients who are making $400,000 [a year], it took them 10 or 15 years to get there. They did their time teaching to half-full rooms or making $4 a class.
