Salary Insights for Health & Wellness Coaches
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Average Health Coach Salary
The Health Coach industry is growing rapidly - it’s estimated to be worth $7 billion today! - which means there’s an abundance of work for Health Coaches. A Health Coach’s salary can vary widely and depends on a variety of factors, such as location (rural or urban; small or big city); client demographic (low-income families or those with disposable income); services provided (adding grocery tours or pantry clean outs to regular coaching services); years of experience; if the Health Coach works part-time or full-time; and if the Health Coach is self-employed or employed by an organization.
According to popular job listing sites such as Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a full-time Health Coach can range from $50,000 - $80,000 per year (based on over 1,000 salaries submitted to both sites). There are Health Coaches in the top 1% making seven figures!
The sky’s the limit for earning potential, and there’s major flexibility when building a Health Coach career that meets your personal and career goals. What works for one person won’t work for another—that’s IIN core concept of bio-individuality in action, and applies to how much a Health Coach will charge and earn.
Salary Difference by Location
Depending on where a Health Coach is living and practicing, their hourly rate or full coaching program rate will align with the cost of living in their particular location.
For example, a Health Coach living and practicing in New York City may be able to charge a higher hourly or program rate, and earn a higher salary, than a Health Coach outside of the city. The cost of living in New York City is one of the highest in the U.S. and is reflected in higher salaries across the Health Coach and wellness industries, and according to salary.com, the median salary for Health Coaches in New York City is around $70,000 per year.
According to Indeed.com, the highest paying cities for Health Coaches in the United States include New York City, New York; Dallas, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; San Antonio, Texas; Franklin, Tennessee; and Tuscon, Arizona.
Health Coach Career Outlook
- Gain Financial Independence and Career Flexibility: Health Coaches are wellness entrepreneurs with ample opportunities to develop personal and financial independence. The hiring of Health Coaches is also increasing, such as with health technology companies like Noom and Wellory (founded by an IIN graduate), as well as in doctor’s offices and wellness centers such as the Mayo Clinic and The Well (co-founded by an IIN graduate).
- Improve Health Outcomes (While Working from Home): People are more conscious than ever of their health, looking for guidance on how to improve diet, lifestyle, and find balance and fulfillment in their lives. Health Coaches help people create and achieve their goals, making them key players in health care. Health Coaches can practice in-person or virtually—the rise of telemedicine is making it easier, safer, and more affordable to get access to quality care, and get much-needed support and accountability from a Health Coach!
JOIN A RAPIDLY GROWING SECTOR OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Health Coaches and their services are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that employment of health educators and community workers, which includes health and wellness coaches, would grow by 13% from 2019 to 2029. As health consciousness grows, people are looking to hire Health Coaches because they desire to reclaim their health and lower their healthcare costs. The New York Times even recently wrote about why everyone needs a Health Coach! Now's the perfect time to become a Health Coach, creating a career and life you’ve always dreamed of.
Career Options for Health Coaches
There are many opportunities for Health Coaches to create successful careers, and not just in a private coaching business:
Become a social media wellness influencer
Influencer marketing is a new career option, but it doesn’t show signs of going away anytime soon! People look to influencers for advice and guidance, often around wellness practices or products. Use your Health Coach training and expertise to become an influential resource and build your social media presence.
Create a blog with brand partnerships
If you love to write, create recipes, share lifestyle tips – or all of the above – creating a blog as a Health Coach is a great option. Similar to becoming a social media wellness influencer, you can align your Health Coach brand with other brands to create paid opportunities for promotion on your blog or website.
Lead wellness-focused retreats all over the world
Global wellness tourism is estimated to become worth over $1 trillion by 2027, which means incredible opportunities for Health Coaches. Lead or curate retreats, provide Health Coach services at a hotel or spa, or create your own wellness-focused destination, like IIN graduate Miriam Rodriguez Marquez in Nicaragua.
Open a health-focused restaurant or meal delivery service
Capitalize on the growing interest in health and wellness by opening a restaurant with healthier food options, or a meal delivery service that brings healthy food right to someone’s door, like IIN graduate and co-founder of Sakara Life, Danielle DuBoise. Many popular fast-food chains have altered their menus to align with customer’s health goals, and there’s a continued need for healthier takeout and dine-in options (especially as interest in healthy travel grows).
Create a corporate wellness practice
Workplace wellness is a growing sector of the market, with research demonstrating the benefits of workplace programs to improve employee wellness, reduce healthcare costs and absenteeism, and improve productivity. Health Coaches can lead group sessions, as well as provide guidance on how to create healthier habits at work and create better work-life balance (even when working remotely!).
Become a published author
A great way to share your expertise with a large audience, writing a book is an option many Health Coaches pursue! Whether it’s a cookbook, a personal storytelling of your own health journey, or anything in between, becoming a published author demonstrates your dedication to your passion. Plus, IIN offers a book-writing course for Health Coaches – check out LaunchYour Dream Book.
Get involved in local health advocacy
Health Coaches are experts in more than just healthy eating—they can advocate for all aspects of a healthy life! Health Coaches can get involved with local schools to influence healthier eating, or attend meetings with local representatives to ask for support in making your environment as healthy as possible, from improving access to healthy food to increasing community safety with more bike lanes, sidewalks, and street lamps.
Develop healthy food, beauty, fitness, or self-care products
Health Coaches are equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to create wellness products they know will help people lead healthier, happier lives. IIN graduate Jil Larsen built a juice bar in the heart of NYC’s financial district; IIN graduate Melissa Wood founded her own workout brand and method; IIN graduate Agatha Achindu grew her baby food company exponentially; and IIN graduate Bobbi Brown created her own line of supplements for beauty from the inside out.
Don’t take our word for it – check out some successful IIN graduates!
Maria Marlowe
Graduate Maria Marlowe coaches clients, updates her blog with new recipes, speaks to live audiences and still has time to relax with friends in the evening. Quite a change from her old career in finance!
Robyn Youkilis
For Graduate Robyn Youkilis, super busy days are the norm. Splitting her time between running her New York City-based nutrition and coaching practice, filming her talk show on Veria Living and cultivating her own healthy life, she's on the go from morning to night.
Gina Bria
Inspired by her background in anthropology, graduate Gina Bria created a product to help hydrate her mother in her nursing home. Working out of the Center for Social Innovation in New York City, Gina tranforms lives every day.
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One Conversation Could Change Your Life
Get in touch with an Admissions Representative – they're also IIN graduates! – at (877) 730-5444 to learn what becoming an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach could mean for you! Explore our FAQ page for additional information.