Ever wondered how much money you could earn as a health coach? Health coaching is a growing industry and the earning capacity in this profession is on the rise.
Learn how to boost your health coach salary.
Here's a breakdown of the latest health coach salary stats according to Indeed (November 2024):
- Health coach salary range–$22,476 to $105,8476 per year.
- Average health coach salary–$48,752 per year.
- Average hourly rate of a health coach–$21.06.
In this post we’ll explore the factors that influence a health coach’s pay-scale, so you can boost your health coach salary, while pursuing a rewarding career that you love.
Why Is Salary Important
An entrepreneurial mindset should be nurtured, especially when you’re in the business of helping people stick to their healthy habits in order to reach their health goals.
Understanding your earning power will help you identify how much money you would like to earn. Whether you’re employed by a wellness company or you’re running your own online group sessions for a little extra income. It’s important to know your worth.
What Is the National Average Health Coach Salary?
Here’s what some of the top job sites are reporting when it comes to the average base salary of a health coach in the United States as of November 2024:
- Indeed: $22,476 to $105,8476 per year
- Glassdoor: $45,000 to $69,000 per year
- Payscale: $27,000 to $91,000 per year
- Salary.com: $53,000 to $90,846 per year
4 Factors That Influence a Health Coach Salary
Here are our top four factors that influence health coach salaries:
1. Location
There's a correlation between the cost of living and a health coach's salary. This is highlighted in the list below, that shows the six highest paying health coach cities in the United States. Further, at the end of this article you will find a table that compares the average health coach salaries in each state.
Highest Paying Health Coach Cities in United States as of November 2024 (data from Indeed):
- New York, New York: $33,819 to $172,304 per year
- San Francisco, California: $46,505 to $96,064 per year
- Franklin, Tennessee: $44,405 to $74,102 per year
- Dallas, Texas: $32,733 to $92,213 per year
- Phoenix, Arizona: $37,908 to $75,178 per year
- Naperville, Illinois: $38,476 to $86,752 per year
2. Years of Experience
Your level of experience will impact your earning potential as a health coach, with higher rates earned by more experienced coaches who are filling more senior roles.
According to Salary.com (November 2024) a health coach's yearly salary increases with experience (salaries are shown as an average per year):
- Less than one year experience–$63,433
- Two to five years experience–$66,212
- Five to eight years experience–$69,639
- Eight or more years experience–$69,884
3. Your Credentials
Your education level will have a major impact on your earning potential as a health coach. Here’s how you can boost your health coach salary using your education:
Get NBHWC Board-certified
Many employers are looking for National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)-certification as a prerequisite. This involves graduating from an NBHWC-approved program (many of which are offered as an online course, including PHCI’s Master Coach Certification Course), before sitting the board exam.
Do You Have a Degree in a Related Field?
Holding a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in a related field will also provide further job openings and you're more likely to earn a higher rate.
Here’s a list of qualifications held by PHCI graduates:
- Personal Training
- Nursing
- Osteopathy
- Naturopathy
- Massage therapy
- Dentistry
- Marketing
- Social Work
Additional credentials will also help you define your niche and find your target audience.
For example, say you're a personal trainer AND a certified health coach. These two qualifications will allow you to offer complementary services to your future clients in the areas of fitness and health. Thus, your client avatar will be someone looking for a coach that offers these two services and you can set your price point accordingly.
4. Full-time Versus Part-time
It may seem pretty straight forward, but the number of billable hours you work will impact your earning potential as a health coach. If health coaching is your full-time gig and you have a full client roster then you’re going to earn more money from your health coaching than someone who is only putting in part-time hours. Being in high demand will earn you a higher income.
Health Coach Job Opportunities
Health coaching is a rapidly growing industry with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting a growth rate of 17 percent from 2020 to 2030 for health educators and community health workers.
In the most recent list of top 20 global fitness trends published by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2022, health and wellness coaching was ranked number 10, and has been consistently found in the top 20 since 2010.
The field of health coaching encompasses a variety of different career paths. Here are a few health coaching career opportunities for you to consider:
Private Practice
Whether you choose to do in-person coaching, online, or a mix of both, running your own health coaching business gives you the flexibility to decide your work hours. You also get to choose your clients and your coaching style.
The PHCI health coach certification program offers an in-depth business and marketing curriculum that will help get your own health coaching business off the ground. Here at PHCI, we continue to offer support to our graduates, even upon completion of your course, so you can grow your private practice into a flourishing health coaching business with confidence.
Pros:
- Choose your clients and how you coach them (one-on-one, in groups or host a virtual health summit)
- Flexible hours
- Work from home
Cons:
- Lag in cash flow as you grow your client list
- Attracting clients on your own will require clever marketing skills, are you up for the challenge?
- Proactively finding your own professional network and mentors
Corporate Health and Wellness Programs
Health and wellness initiatives have been proven to increase employee productivity and reduce illness-related absences and are now offered by many large corporations.
Corporate health and wellness coaches are employed to provide:
- Health programs
- Nutrition coaching
- Fitness coaching
- Mental health care coaching
- Online coaching
- On-site coaching.
Often, corporate health coach positions come with a competitive salary, and are ideal for health coaches looking for job security.
Pros:
- Job security
- Competitive salary, often with benefits
- Clear career path
Cons:
- Less control of your coaching program
- You may need additional qualifications for some positions
- Less flexibility with your work schedule
Healthcare Industry
In the healthcare setting, health coaches work alongside doctors and other allied-health professionals to combat lifestyle-related disease in patients. Health coach jobs can be found in doctor’s offices and in hospitals, and have been proven to increase patient satisfaction and reduce physician burnout and stress.
Pros:
- Job security
- Working as part of a healthcare team
- Clear career path
Cons:
- Less control of your coaching program
- You may need additional qualifications for some positions
- Less flexibility with your work schedule
Online Coaching
Online coaching is a growing industry. Job openings are currently advertised for health insurance companies, as well as wellness centers such as Mayo Clinic and health technology companies like Noom.
Pros:
- Job security
- Competitive salary, often with benefits
- Clear career path
Cons:
- Less control of your coaching program
- You may need additional qualifications for some positions
- Less flexibility with your work schedule
Spas, Fitness Clubs and Health Clubs
Health and wellness coaches in this setting often use a holistic health approach with their clients. This includes coaching clients toward a healthy lifestyle by providing guidance on nutrition, encouraging physical activity and implementing strategies that promote behavioral change.
Job descriptions in this field often ask for a certification in personal training in addition to holding a health coaching credential.
Pros:
- Job security
- Large client base
- Working as part of health and fitness team
Cons:
- Less control of your coaching program
- You may need additional qualifications
- Less flexibility with your work schedule
Social Media Influencer
Do you enjoy creating captivating content on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or YouTube? Then maybe you could consider becoming a social media influencer? Influencers earn money by promoting their own products and programs, like PHCI graduate Danielle Meitiv, and/or getting paid to endorse products and programs that align with their own health and wellness ethos.
Pros:
- Be your own boss
- Flexible work hours
- Work from home
Cons:
- It may take time to build a following
- Variable income
- Social media trolls
Become an Entrepreneur
Do you see yourself as an astute entrepreneur? Then combine your health coaching know-how with your savvy business skills and build your empire.
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out PHCI graduate Helen Marshall’s business story on how she grew her business, Primal Alternative into a global success by combining her passion for food and cooking with her health knowledge and business smarts.
Turn your vision of opening a restaurant, starting a food-delivery service or selling natural skincare products online, into a profitable business to be proud of.
Pros:
- Be your own boss
- Flexible work hours
- Work on your own terms
Cons:
- It may take time to see your hard work pay off
- High risk (but potential for high reward)
- May require initial financial investment
Recap
The career outlook for health coaches is highly promising. In this post, we've discovered that a health coach salary is dependent on several factors including:
- Location (where you live)
- Years of experience
- Your credentials
- Full-time vs part-time
In summary, health coach job opportunities are abundant and salaries are competitive. It's time for you to start your career today!
Average Health Coach Salaries: A State-By-State Comparison
How much does a health coach earn where you live? Check out our comprehensive state-by-state comparison in the table below (data from Indeed, April 2022):
State | Average Salary per year |
|---|---|
Alabama | $53,925 |
Alaska | $64,452 |
Arizona | $43,797 |
Arkansas | $45,038 |
California | $50,327 |
Colorado | $42,444 |
Connecticut | $60,719 |
Delaware | $65,082 |
Florida | $40,045 |
Georgia | $42,434 |
Hawaii | $49,897 |
Idaho | $39,274 |
Illinois | $46,102 |
Indiana | $41,602 |
Iowa | $38,153 |
Kansas | $42,120 |
Kentucky | $40,050 |
Louisiana | $58,939 |
Maine | $36,449 |
Maryland | $44,258 |
Massachusetts | $43,622 |
Michigan | $35,715 |
Minnesota | $42,200 |
Mississippi | $45,431 |
Missouri | $37,006 |
Montana | $40,398 |
Nebraska | $35,800 |
Nevada | $44,732 |
New Hampshire | $46,563 |
New Jersey | $46,270 |
New Mexico | $36,516 |
New York | $49,427 |
North Carolina | $38,454 |
North Dakota | $42,552 |
Ohio | $42,552 |
Oklahoma | $34,073 |
Oregon | $34,551 |
Pennsylvania | $38,427 |
Rhode Island | $35,233 |
South Carolina | $44,492 |
South Dakota | $35,120 |
Tennessee | $45,863 |
Texas | $45,863 |
Utah | $35,905 |
Vermont | $42,288 |
Virginia | $30,562 |
Washington | $43,193 |
West Virginia | $43,677 |
Wisconsin | $41,326 |
Wyoming | $41,326 |
Cell | Cell |
Ready to take that leap? Sign up to become a certified Primal Health Coach today.
