Life Coach Salary (How Much Can You Make?)

Life Coach Salary (How Much Can You Make?)

The national average life coach salary is around $67,800 per year. But it can range anywhere between $27, 000 – $128, 500.

In this comprehensive guide, I will cover:

So if you’re looking to switch careers and become a life coach, or want to supplement your current salary, this guide will give you a complete understanding of what to expect.

Let’s jump right in!

How Much Do Life Coaches Make?

The average life coach makes around $98 per hour, $1,412 a week, $5,560 a month, and about $67,800 a year in the US. 

I calculated this number given the coach works 14 hours a week.

This figure is based on employed coaches, and it does not include self-employed ones.

Many life coaches are self-employed, which means their income depends on their ability to attract clients and set their rates.

Self-employed coaches have the potential to earn A LOT more than the national average! With your own coaching business, you have the potential to make a 6-figure income annually.

Average Life Coach Salary Based On Region

The 2023 ICF Global Coaching Study conducted a survey of over 14,951 coaches in 157 countries and territories. Here are the results they found:

Region	Yearly Average
Asia	$33,900
Eastern Europe	$18,700
Latin America And The Caribbean	$22,900
Middle East And Africa	$29,600
North America	$67,800
Oceania	$58,800
Western Europe	$52,400
Global	$52,800

It's pretty apparent that life coaching is thriving in all parts of the world now.

The average global income for coaches rose from $47,100 in 2019 to $52,800 in 2023, an increase of 12%.

Average Life Coach Salary Based On Niche

The life coaching niche that you choose will determine your life coaching salary to a large extent.

Let us go through some of these niches and what their respective salaries are:

Niche	Hourly Rate
Career Coaching	$16.06
Executive Business Coaching	$21.19
Health and Wellbeing Coaching	$15.36
Personal Development Coaching	$14.36
Relationship Coaching	$35.29

Factors That Determine The Salary Of A Life Coach

There are a range of factors that influence the ultimate salary of a life coach.

I have touched upon many of them before, but these are the building blocks of your career as a life coach and need to be considered carefully to estimate your income potential.

Here are the factors that determine the salary of a life coach:

#1 Niche & Target Market

The target niche is one of the primary factors that determines your life coach salary.

If a life coach specializes in a popular area like coaching for business leaders, they can typically make more money than coaches who offer general life coaching services.

Also, if their clients are wealthy individuals or big companies, they can charge higher fees.

Trust me, always niche down.

#2 Structure

How a life coach structures their business also affects how much they earn.

Coaches who offer one-on-one sessions usually make more than those who do group coaching or online courses.

Coaches who offer packages or subscription services tend to make higher and more steady income compared to those who charge by the hour.

#3 Experience & Expertise

The level of expertise and years of experience directly affect your annual revenue.

A coach with less than a year's worth of experience cannot charge the same fees as, say, what a seasoned coach of over ten years can charge.

Here are the findings from the 2023 ICF study, regarding experience vis-à-vis rates charged:

#4 Education & Certifications

One of the major upsides of life coaching is that you don't need to have specific qualifications.

But getting some qualifications can help a life coach's credibility and allow them to earn more.

Coaches with degrees or certifications in fields like psychology, counseling, or coaching can often charge more than those without such credentials.

So, if you're serious about pursuing the career, specific training by accredited coaching associations like ICF, IAC or EMCC definitely adds value.

#5 Clientele

The types of clients a life coach works with also impact their earnings.

Coaches who work with famous people, celebrities, or executives from big companies can typically charge higher rates than those working with general consumers or small businesses.

Coaches serving clients with specific needs or challenges, like major life changes or big personal/professional issues, may also be able to charge more.

Of course — your clientele depends on your experience, as well as two sets of skills I'm going to be getting into next: marketing and sales skills.

#6 Marketing & Sales Skills

How effectively you market yourself and how well you can close sales will have a big impact on how much you can earn, both as an independent coach and in terms of the salary you can command.

The life coaches who last are the ones who treat it like a business. You must think like an entrepreneur and a business owner.

Marketing and sales are essential skills you need to develop as a coach. Some life coaching programs do help with this but most times it is up to you to hone them.

#7 Location

The location also matters.

For example, the average annual salary for a life coach in New York is $59,488, whereas in Delaware, it is $53,543, and in Utah, it is $58,535.

In Illinois, the average annual life coach salary is $49,735.

#8 Testimonials

Client testimonials speak to your proven track record, and are a great way to showcase the benefits of your coaching programs.

Research has found that adding customer testimonials generates approximately 62% more revenue.

When a prospective client sees that a life coach has added value to previous clients, it naturally builds trust and confidence.

So if you have some great testimonials of past clients, make sure you have them on your coaching website!

#9 Delivering Outcomes

Delivering outcomes is an important factor too.

Can you help guide your clients to achieving their goals? 

Do they notice a drastic difference in the aspect of their life you are coaching them in?

Some life coaches have a natural knack for it, while, for others, it comes with life and coaching experience.

Answers to these questions will ultimately determine what coaching is worth to your clients and if you don’t want to limit yourself to being employed coaches and want to make your way to your own 6-figure coaching business, we can help you with that.

Bottom Line

There you have it - the salary of an average life coach and the varying factors it depends on, from location and niche to market demands and personal business models.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your coaching business, understanding them will significantly impact your success.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Did we cover everything? Is there any tip or experience you’d like to share for coaching salaries?

Let us know in the comments below!

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