What Is the Average Health Coach Salary? Your State-by-State-Guide

Does the idea of becoming a health coach excite you, but you feel unsure if a health coach salary will pay the bills?

If so, then this post is for you. Here, you'll find the latest research on what the average health coach salary is, and the major factors that influence a health coach’s payscale, so you can change people's lives, whilst pursuing a rewarding career that you love.

According to Indeed as of August, 2023, the average health coach salary in the United States ranges from $21,047 to $82,889 per year.

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 (per year) in the United States as of August 2023:

• Indeed:  $21,047 to $82,889 per year
• Glassdoor: $29,724 to $93,804 per year
• Payscale: $37,000 to $69,000 per year
• Salary.com: $59,878 to $79,330 per year

Factors That Influence Salary

Here are four factors that influence where you sit on the health coach salary payscale:

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.

6 Highest Paying Health Coach Cities in United States as of August 2023 (data from Indeed):

1. New York, New York: $38,134 to $99,617 per year
2. St. Petersburg, Florida: $34,574 to $56,463 per year
3. Dallas, Texas: $16,780 to $80,288 per year
4. Denver, Colorado: $36,161 to $64,329 per year
5. San Diego, California: $32,548 to $78,469 per year
6. Franklin, Tennessee: $40,944 to $43,316 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.

According to Indeed (August, 2023) a health coach's yearly salary increases with experience:

• Less than one year $35,897
• 3 to 5 years $46,253
• More than 10 years $57,039

3. Your Credentials

Your education level will have a major impact on your earning potential as a health coach. Many employers are looking for National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching certified health coaches, which you can earn as part of the PHCI advanced Master Coach Certification Course.

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 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 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.

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.

So what do health coach job opportunities look like?

Here are seven health coach career options for you to consider:

1. 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 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

2. 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 implement health programs, provide nutrition and/or fitness coaching, either online or on-site. 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

3. Healthcare

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

4. Health Insurance Companies

Major insurance companies employ health and wellness coaches to assist their members with their lifestyle goals. These jobs are offered either as remote or in-person contracts.

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

And there are a wide variety of job opportunities available to certified health coaches, including: 

• Running your own online health coaching practice
• Working in corporate health and wellness
• Health and wellness coaching in the healthcare setting
• Being employed by a health insurance company
• Coaching at a spa, fitness club or health club
• Becoming a savvy social media influencer
• Building your empire as a health entrepreneur

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): 

Ready to take that leap? Sign up to become a certified Primal Health Coach today.