The Salary of a Bikram Yoga Instructor
Bikram yoga was started by Bikram Choudhury in 1972, after he helped United States President Richard Nixon alleviate his phlebitis using hot baths and yoga postures. In Bikram yoga, practitioners follow a set series of 26 postures in a room that is heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Most Bikram yoga instructors are self-employed, and their salary can vary considerably, from around $20,000 per year to more than $70,000, depending on the number of students, overhead costs and location.
Other People Are Reading
-
Studio Rates
-
Most Bikram instructors are self-employed. Bikram instructors who are starting out may rent space in another yoga studio, spa or health club. According to Yoga Training Guide, teachers who move around and work at different studios can earn between $20 and $40 to start, while those who work on staff for one studio can earn between $25,000 and $40,000 per year. If you are working freelance, you may only teach a few classes a week to start. Experienced teachers with a full schedule of classes can earn $50,000 to $75,000 a year.
Private Students
-
Bikram yoga instructors can also take on private students. According to Yoga Training Guide, private students will pay from $75 to $200 and up per session. You may also be able to charge for travel time. You should keep in mind that if you are teaching private Bikram lessons in your students' homes you may have to provide a heater and humidifier and a means to transport them. You may also be able to work at corporate retreats and events, where you can earn upwards of $500, depending on the length of the event and the number of classes you are required to teach.
-
Start-up Costs
-
Bikram yoga has high start-up costs. This is partly because of the cost for certification. Bikram yoga is a copyrighted process, and instructors must be certified by a Bikram-licensed school before they can claim to teach Bikram yoga. Certification courses last nine weeks, and can cost between $10,000 and $15,000, including accommodation. There are also affiliation costs associated with opening a Bikram yoga studio. Bikram studios must pay a franchise fee of $10,000, a royalty of 5 percent of gross revenues, an advertising fee of 2 percent of gross revenues and a technology fee of $100 per month. Private instructors may not need to pay these fees.
Additional Factors
-
There are higher costs for opening a Bikram yoga studio than for some other types of yoga studio. This is largely down to the high cost of heating the studio or practice space to the 105 degrees Fahrenheit required to practice Bikram yoga. You will also need to pay insurance and rental costs. Jenny Anderson, owner of a Bikram studio in Redmond, Washington, stated in a 2009 Forbes article that she had 100 students, earned $27,000 a month in revenue and paid around $20,000 a month in overhead costs. Instructors who teach in private homes or community centers may need to invest in a space heater and humidifier large enough to heat an area quickly.
-
References
- Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
