As a coach kick-starting a new career, the most fundamental question on your mind is “what is the salary for life coach professionals”? You may begin reflecting on whether it’s time to quit your full-time job and focus on your coaching business full time. And so although you entered the field of coaching to impact people’s lives, you also want to ensure the income received is enough to sustain your livelihood.

According to research by ZipRecruiter, 63% of life coaches make between $11,000 and $40,499 per year. However, the national average salary is $72,919 a year, and the upper range of pay is $335,500. In 2016, the International Coach Federation (ICF) conducted a study and found that the average annual income for coaches in North America alone was $61,900. The average salary for life coach professionals in the Middle East, Asia and Africa are in the mid $30,000. In Western Europe, the average salary is $55,300.

New coaches ideally start at a more reduced hourly fee, and it is somewhere between $80-$200 per hour. Coaches with many years experience (veterans), often charge between $250-$600 per session. The salary for life coaches will depend on the factors below.

Factors Affecting The Salary of a Life Coach

Standard hourly rates for life coaches offering one on one hourly sessions; precisely, self-employed coaches frequently depend on the factors listed below:

• Education/Training
• Niche or Specialty (The average hourly earnings by niche are $190 according to a 2018 Sherpa executive coaching survey.).
• Clientele base
• Geographical Location
• Experience (Life coaches charge different fees depending on their experience, but the average cost for a one-hour session with a life coach is $231.).
• Alternate coaching income streams (motivational speaking for organizations, mentor coaching, coaching packages,and writing books).
• Commitment

Does Certification Make a Difference?

Does certification make a difference in the salary for a life coach? According to industry experts, indeed, it does. Studies show that coaches who procure life coach certifications receive more income than those who are uncertified. For a certified professional life coach, the average annual salary as per payscale.com is $77,000. In addition, the salary ranges between $27,019 – $210,933.

Salary For Life Coach: How Does it Compare?

The salary of the careers listed below is based on a national average and obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018-2019 Occupational Outlook Handbook. These career professionals are often compared to life coaches.

Human Service Career Average Salary

Mental Health Counselors $42,840

Marriage and Family Therapists $49,170

Social Workers $46,890

Drug & Alcohol Counselors $38,512

Community Health Workers $45,360

Social and Human Service Assistants $33,120

A career in life coaching is very lucrative and rewarding, and there is no limit to what you can earn as a life coach. As you launch your career, bear in mind the factors that surround the salary for life coach professionals. Your earnings potential will depend not solely on the factors listed above but also on your passion for serving people. You want to be patient with the process as you build your life coaching business.

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Peggy Adegoke
Life Coach
Writer, Coaches Training Blog community