Become an Instructor
Earning Potential as a Pilates Instructor
At this point, you may be wondering what your earning potential is as a Pilates instructor! You are obviously looking to invest time and money into your Pilates education, so you want to make sure that you are able to not only live your passion but also make a return on your investment!
When looking at earning potential as a Pilates instructor in Australia, a great place to start is looking is the Award Rate for the Fitness Industry. You can find this on the Australian government’s Fair Work website. The reality is that most instructors get paid much higher than the award rate, however it’s a good place to look at the minimum amount that you can be paid a Pilates instructor in Australia.
According to the website Payscale (2021), Pilates instructors can earn up to AUD $106,000 per year.
There are quite a few factors which can affect how much you get paid as a Pilates instructor,
for example –
Whether You Teach a Single Class or Block of Classes
You can be employed to teach a single class where you drive to the venue for one class and drive home OR a block of classes where you teach 5-10 classes
back to back. You are usually paid more to teach a singular class compared to a block (because you have to drive to a venue for just one class), however with the block of classes, you are earning more over the course of the day.
What Type of Class You Instruct
It also depends on the type of class that you instruct. As a general rule, you can earn more money instructing on the studio equipment (such as the Reformer, Wunda Chair, and Cadillac) because this is considered more of a specialty skill.
Class Size
The size of the class can also make a difference in how much you are paid. For example, you may be paid more to teach a one on one private class compared to a group class.
Industry Experience
Another big factor with regard to pay is how much experience you have in the health or fitness industry. For example, someone with 10+ years experience in the fitness industry may be paid more than someone who is brand new to instructing.
Whether You’re Paid Hourly or Per Class
Depending on the class you run, you can be paid hourly OR you can be paid per class and this can affect your earnings.
Location
Location can also play a big factor in how much you are paid as a Pilates instructor. For example, a Pilates instructor in Bondi may be paid more than someone who instructs classes in rural Australia. Or it can go the other way also, if Pilates instructors are really rare in a rural location, they may be in higher demand and may be paid a higher rate!
Employee Versus Contractor
Once you complete your Pilates certification, you can choose to set up your own ABN and work as a contractor to multiple businesses or you can look for work as an employee. Some employers only hire contractors while others hire instructors as employees. As a general rule, contractors get paid a little bit more however they don’t have the added benefits of superannuation, annual leave and sick leave