What Is A Health Coach Salary?
Wondering what is a health coach salary?
How much you earn as a health coach depends on a number of things, like experience, where you live, your niche, marketing-savvy, and more.
Average Health Coach Salary
According to glassdoor.com, the average health coach salary in 2021 is about $47,100. They report it ranges from $33,000 on the low end up to $67,000 on the high end.
The salaries listed on glassdoor are likely just that - salaries - paid to health coaches who work for other companies, such as Noom or Parsley Health. While it’s fantastic that more and more companies are hiring health coaches, if you want to maximize your earning potential, entrepreneurship is the way to do that.
For Health Coaches that choose the entrepreneurial route, with time, dedication, and hard work health coaches can make 6 and even 7 figures.
The highest-earning health coaches are those who take the time to understand marketing and social media, and use it to their advantage to grow their audience and following. They use social media and their websites to reach more people and sell products online (such as online programs or PDFs), so that their earning potential is not limited by time or geography.
Personally, it took me 4 years to hit six figures, and I know many health coaches who are earning 6 figures as well. On the other hand, I know many more health coaches who make 30-50K, and coach as a side job.
Factors That Affect A Health Coach Salary
Here are some of the key factors that can affect a health coach’s salary:
Certification & Additional Training: Health coaching is a fast-growing career and the skills and experience a health coach gets before they start coaching can have a huge impact on their earning power. For example, health coaches who are officially certified through a reputed school are likely to attract more clients and are able to charge more because of their credentials. Additionally, if a health coach chooses to get further training they can then charge a premium for the added value they are able to bring their clients.
Being An Employee Or Entrepreneur: Health coaches who choose to work as an employee, for example, at a doctor’s office or gym, will have a monthly salary they can depend on. However, the pay may be less than what they’d be able to charge if they were self-employed. On the other hand, as an entrepreneur, health coaches have the potential to earn more than an average salary. This does take time but with continued effort and dedication, you can get there. It’s a great idea to start off working for another company, but if you want to maximize your earnings, you’ll have to eventually make the leap to running your own business.
Location: In general, Health Coaches in larger cities can charge more than those in rural places, but as the world becomes more digital, those lines are blurred. If you’re an expert in your niche and have great testimonials and experience, that trumps location.
Health Coaching Niche: Health coaches who niche down have the potential to earn more than someone who is more generic in their offering. This is because health coaches with a niche are able to market more effectively than those who are generalists, which means your ideal customer finds YOU (and you’re not always trying to find them). Also, by becoming the go-to expert in one key area, with a track record of positive testimonials, you’re able to charge more.
Marketing Savvy: You can be the best health coach in the world, but if nobody knows you exist, you won’t be able to help anyone, or earn anything. Marketing is an area a lot of health coaches struggle with, but is an area I absolutely love, so it’s something I help my Health Coach Business Bootcamp students feel more confident about. There are many ways to market yourself, beyond live streaming your life on Instagram (although, you could do that if you want to!). From content marketing to email marketing, live events, and brand partnerships there are tons of ways to grow your business without being glued to social media.
Confidence: Sometimes, earning potential comes down to confidence. Do you feel bad or awkward charging for your services, and your voice trembles when you say your rates (even though you’re probably undercharging)? Or, are you confident in the value you bring to the table, and do you unapologetically share your rates? Potential clients can sense fear or confidence, and chances are they themselves will feel more confident hiring a confident coach than they will one who is unsure of themselves, even if it costs more. One of the most important steps for any coach is to squash the self-doubt and believe in yourself.
Income Streams: If you’re only selling your time, your income is going to be capped. Meaning, if you’re only offering one-on-one coaching, you can only earn whatever your rate is time the number of hours you can work. Savvy and high-earning coaches add multiple income streams to their business, including passive income streams, which don’t require much of their time. Examples include PDFs, online courses, or affiliate programs.
As you can see, a health coach's salary depends on several factors. If you need help shaping your health coaching career, carving out your niche, and building a steady income stream, check out my Business Bootcamp.
