Yoga instructor earnings are reported within the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupation for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, which includes the titles Yoga Instructor and Yoga Teacher. The latest national snapshot below is from May 2025, while the detailed industry, state, and metropolitan figures are from May 2023.
Contents
- National earnings distribution
- Pay by industry
- Employment and pay by state
- Metropolitan area statistics
- High-concentration locations
- How to read these yoga instructor statistics
National earnings distribution
The BLS reported 322,930 U.S. jobs in the occupation covering yoga instructors in May 2025. The occupation’s mean hourly wage was $25.20 and its mean annual wage was $52,420. The median hourly wage was $22.67. These are national May 2025 figures from Occupational Employment and Wages - May 2025.
The detailed May 2023 distribution shows how widely reported hourly pay varied across the occupation. There were 279,450 U.S. jobs. The 10th-percentile hourly wage was $12.91, meaning 10% of reported wages were at or below that level. The 25th-percentile wage was $16.20, the median was $22.35, the 75th-percentile wage was $29.62, and the 90th-percentile wage was $38.82. The figures come from the BLS May 2023 occupation table.
| May 2023 wage point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $12.91 |
| 25th percentile | $16.20 |
| Median | $22.35 |
| 75th percentile | $29.62 |
| 90th percentile | $38.82 |
The 2025 national snapshot is newer, but it should not be combined directly with the 2023 detailed geography and industry tables. Both series cover the broader BLS occupation rather than a yoga-only wage series.
Pay by industry
Industry makes a substantial difference in the May 2023 data. Other Amusement and Recreation Industries was the largest listed employer, with 188,370 workers and mean pay of $25.23 per hour, or $52,470 per year. Civic and Social Organizations employed 24,020 people, with mean pay of $19.81 per hour and $41,200 annually. Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals, employed 11,880 people at $23.29 per hour and $48,440 annually.
Other Personal Services employed 8,030 people and reported mean pay of $29.02 per hour, or $60,350 annually. General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employed 3,160 people, with mean pay of $22.82 per hour and $47,470 annually.
Several smaller industries reported higher mean wages, although their employment counts were much lower. Technical and Trade Schools employed 510 people at $27.10 per hour and $56,360 annually. Outpatient Care Centers employed 190 people at $31.85 per hour and $66,260 annually. Specialty Hospitals employed 50 people at $32.04 per hour and $66,650 annually. Home Health Care Services employed 50 people at $30.28 per hour and $62,980 annually, while Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals employed 40 people at $30.68 per hour and $63,820 annually.
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities reported $42.07 per hour and $87,500 annually for 100 workers. Spectator Sports had 580 workers at $22.69 per hour and $47,190 annually. These small employment counts matter when comparing industry averages: a high mean in a narrowly represented industry does not describe the earnings of the much larger recreation-industry workforce.
Employment and pay by state
Among the largest state workforces in May 2023, California had 39,470 workers in the occupation, 2.20 jobs per 1,000 jobs, a location quotient of 1.20, and mean pay of $29.49 per hour or $61,340 annually. Texas had 19,030 workers, 1.40 jobs per 1,000, a 0.76 location quotient, and mean pay of $20.61 per hour or $42,880 annually. New York had 18,720 workers, 1.99 jobs per 1,000, a 1.08 location quotient, and mean pay of $31.43 per hour or $65,370 annually.
Florida had 15,860 workers, 1.66 jobs per 1,000, a 0.90 location quotient, and mean pay of $21.50 per hour or $44,710 annually. Illinois had 14,460 workers, 2.41 jobs per 1,000, a 1.31 location quotient, and mean pay of $26.36 per hour or $54,830 annually.
| State | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | Mean annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 39,470 | 2.20 | 1.20 | $61,340 |
| Texas | 19,030 | 1.40 | 0.76 | $42,880 |
| New York | 18,720 | 1.99 | 1.08 | $65,370 |
| Florida | 15,860 | 1.66 | 0.90 | $44,710 |
| Illinois | 14,460 | 2.41 | 1.31 | $54,830 |
The highest concentration figures in the supplied state data were in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Montana, and Virginia. Colorado had 9,910 workers, 3.50 jobs per 1,000, and a 1.90 location quotient; mean pay was $24.82 per hour or $51,620 annually. Kansas had 4,710 workers, 3.34 jobs per 1,000, and a 1.81 location quotient, with mean pay of $19.10 per hour or $39,730 annually.
Utah had 5,210 workers, 3.10 jobs per 1,000, and a 1.69 location quotient; mean pay was $25.78 per hour or $53,630 annually. Montana had 1,500 workers, 3.00 jobs per 1,000, and a 1.63 location quotient, with mean pay of $20.91 per hour or $43,500 annually. Virginia had 10,960 workers, 2.75 jobs per 1,000, and a 1.50 location quotient; mean pay was $21.92 per hour or $45,590 annually.
The highest-paying states listed were New Jersey at $32.20 per hour and $66,970 annually for 8,520 workers; New York at $31.43 per hour and $65,370 annually for 18,720 workers; Connecticut at $31.06 per hour and $64,600 annually for 2,910 workers; Vermont at $30.16 per hour and $62,720 annually for 370 workers; and California at $29.49 per hour and $61,340 annually for 39,470 workers.
Metropolitan area statistics
The May 2023 metropolitan data show both scale and concentration. New York-Newark-Jersey City employed 20,290 people, with 2.14 jobs per 1,000, a 1.16 location quotient, and mean pay of $33.84 per hour or $70,380 annually. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employed 14,000 people at $26.47 per hour and $55,070 annually, with 2.26 jobs per 1,000 and a 1.23 location quotient.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employed 11,600 people, with 2.57 jobs per 1,000, a 1.40 location quotient, and mean pay of $27.30 per hour or $56,790 annually. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua employed 7,450 people, with 2.70 jobs per 1,000, a 1.47 location quotient, and mean pay of $27.70 per hour or $57,620 annually.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria employed 7,270 people at $24.66 per hour and $51,280 annually, with 2.35 jobs per 1,000 and a 1.28 location quotient. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington employed 6,270 people at $25.14 per hour and $52,300 annually, with 2.22 jobs per 1,000 and a 1.20 location quotient.
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood had 6,130 workers, 3.85 jobs per 1,000, and a 2.09 location quotient; mean pay was $25.02 per hour or $52,050 annually. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward employed 5,830 people at $39.82 per hour and $82,820 annually, with 2.41 jobs per 1,000 and a 1.31 location quotient.
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington employed 5,740 people, with 1.45 jobs per 1,000, a 0.79 location quotient, and mean pay of $21.10 per hour or $43,890 annually. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue employed 5,310 people at $29.97 per hour and $62,330 annually, with 2.56 jobs per 1,000 and a 1.39 location quotient.
High-concentration locations
A high location quotient identifies an area where the occupation is more concentrated than in the nation; it does not necessarily identify the highest pay. Lawrence, Kansas, illustrates the distinction: it had 340 workers, 6.89 jobs per 1,000, and a 3.74 location quotient, but mean pay was $18.34 per hour or $38,150 annually.
Bend-Redmond, Oregon, had 450 workers, 4.95 jobs per 1,000, and a 2.69 location quotient, with mean pay of $23.83 per hour or $49,570 annually. Boulder, Colorado, had 880 workers, 4.52 jobs per 1,000, and a 2.45 location quotient, with mean pay of $25.40 per hour or $52,830 annually.
New Bern, North Carolina, had 180 workers, 4.07 jobs per 1,000, and a 2.21 location quotient; mean pay was $21.47 per hour or $44,660 annually. Missoula, Montana, had 250 workers, 3.91 jobs per 1,000, and a 2.12 location quotient, with mean pay of $20.19 per hour or $41,980 annually.
Among nonmetropolitan areas, Northern Vermont reported $30.90 per hour and $64,270 annually for 80 workers. Southern Vermont reported $29.76 per hour and $61,900 annually for 120 workers. Northwest Colorado reported $28.34 per hour and $58,950 annually for 550 workers. Eastern Utah reported $27.90 per hour and $58,030 annually for 380 workers. Capital/Northern New York reported $27.83 per hour and $57,880 annually for 100 workers.
How to read these yoga instructor statistics
These figures describe wage-and-salary workers in nonfarm establishments and exclude self-employed workers. Annual wages are BLS full-time equivalents where noted. That means the statistics are useful for comparing reported occupational pay across places and industries, but they do not represent every independent yoga teacher, studio owner, contractor, or business built from private classes.
The occupation is a direct BLS match for Yoga Instructor and Yoga Teacher, but the published series is not yoga-only. The most precise interpretation is therefore: earnings reported for the BLS occupation that includes yoga instructors. The May 2025 national figures are a newer national snapshot, while all detailed industry, state, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan figures above are May 2023 observations from Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 39-9031 Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors. Neither set is a forecast.