Hello Dolls.
I realized yesterday that there is a component that I missed whilst putting together this chart about the cycle of too-small classes.
And that is: the secrecy surrounding what kind of money yoga teachers make.
While I was in training, I scoured the interwebs and came up with little info. SHOCKINGLY little info.
So let’s crowdsource this bitch. I can speak only about my own experience, so I would LOVE for you to post in the comments the different pay grades and your experiences with getting paid to teach yoga.
There is no benefit to holding this information close to the vest. Here’s my contribution:
- Studio A: $6/per head
- Studio B: $40/class plus $2 per head over 15 students.
- Studio C: $6/ per head
- Studio D: $35/class
- Studio E: (teacher’s discretion) % of donation
Alison Hinks Yoga 
Studio A: $25/class plus $2 per head over 13 students (must be drop-in students, not members or sevas)
Studio B: $30/class
Hi Elise! Thank you so much for your input! 🙂
A little more detail on the #’s: $6/head seems great, but I was very frustrated with the studio’s ability to help me bring in students. For both of those $6/head studios, I consistently had about 1-4 students. That’s pretty small, I think. Plus, once I end up paying taxes on that $24 ($6 X 4) I’m only left with $12. I much prefer the studios that offer a set rate per class. Those appear to be the studios that can draw a bigger crowd. I like knowing that I’m getting paid a fair rate for every single class.
studio A $6 per head – i had the same issue as you Alison – sometimes 4 peeps other time 14. 90 minute class
studio B – $40 per head for first 5 0r 6 – $2 each additional – 90 min
studio C – $50 for first 15 – $2 each additional – 75 min. class
studio D – $60 for first 15 – $2 each additional – 75 min. class
Gym/Varsity team – $50 per class – 60 min. class
Thanks Mike!!! 🙂
Studio A- $30 per class
Studio B- $20 per class
Studio C- $24 per 50 minute class/ $36 per 80 minute class/ $1 a head over 8 people
Thanks, Hannah! 🙂
Studio A: Teacher discretion donation back to studio. Tricky because some classes are large and some small. I tend to follow a flat rate percentage.
$20 per 75 minute class. it’s the only studio i teach at. the average attendance is 4 students per class… (it’s a very small studio).
Thanks for your input, Bunny! 🙂
Studio A: $25 per 75 minute class. Came to 21 dollars and some cents after taxes and withholding.
Studio B: $22.50 per 90 minute class. Can’t remember if that was before or after taxes and withholding.
Studio C: $30 per 90 minute class plus $2 head
I don’t teach yoga, but I coordinate having a yoga teacher lead a one-weekly class at my NYC office for me and my coworkers. She used to charge a flat rate of $50/class, then we divided that between the 4 of us. When she moved away, our new teacher’s lowest rate was $65/class, so we would split that between the four of us. Later, our old teacher came back and, at the same time, our class size grew to eight.
It didn’t seem right to split $50/class or $60/class amongst the eight of us, and since we figured that a) we used to pay her so little for almost two years because there were so few of us, and b) we can’t get a class in NYC for less than $10, we decided to change to a $10/class/student rate, so she is getting paid $80/class.
It might help to note that we work for a labor union, so fair pair is important to this group of yogis.
Finished TT in May, have been teaching for 1 month at the studio. I get paid $20/class + unlimited yoga if I want to practice there. If I didn’t want the free yoga then I would get paid $25/class. I have 5-10 students in my classes.
wow. i just graduated my 200hr training in may – and i’m teaching at the studio where i took said training. being that it’s my first gig, i’d assume that’s the deal with my rate ~ $15/class (flat). maybe i should be shopping around… i teach a 1 hr ‘all levels flow’ 3x/week.
Hm. I don’t think you are getting paid enough for your skills. That studio could have hired any yoga teacher and they hired YOU. ❤
post script: i average 15-20 students per class, but it has varied on occasion, when a holiday rolls around or something.
Studio a: $10 flat rate + $2/student
Studio b: $4/student (no flat rate or base pay)
Yikes! Help!
Oh, wow Mags 😦 That does not sound like a reasonable rate for your skills!!
The northeast urban and suburban areas probably pay more. Here is some information about northern New Jersey.
* community center $50 for one hour class
* community school $50 for one hour class (if you draw 20-25 students per session consistently, you can negotiate to get 50% of the registration, but you have to have a loyal group of students to back you up)
* Y probably $25 per class
* private one hour session $100-$125
I don’t know what the private studios pay–have heard it depends on the teacher. Readers may find the documentray Yoga Inc. and the article Yogis Behaving Badly interesting background material.
Studio A $6 per student.
Studio B % of donation at teachers discretion. I use a flat percentage rate.
University gym: $25/hour-long class regardless of number of students (ranges from 15-35 students)