Can You Live Off Being a Yoga Teacher?

Short answer: Yes, but not by accident. Long answer: Absolutely, if you build your teaching career the right way.

As someone who teaches, mentors, hires, trains future instructors, and runs an accredited RYS-200 that serves the military community, I’ve seen this question from every angle. And the truth is far more hopeful than most people think.

Below is the real, LRW-level breakdown of what makes it possible, and what holds people back, based on experience, case studies, and proven strategies that actually work in today’s wellness industry.

Why People Think You Can’t Live Off Yoga (and Why They’re Wrong)

Most people base their beliefs on:

• One studio job

• $25–$40/hr class pay

• An oversaturated local market

• A single income stream

But that’s not a career, that’s a gig. Working teachers, including many LRW grads, make a sustainable income because they diversify, build a brand, and understand the business side from day one.

Yes, You Can Live Off Yoga, If You Use the 5-Stream Income Model

Here’s what actually makes it sustainable:

1. Teaching Classes (Online + In-Person)

   1. Consistent income + relationship buildingLRW grads commonly make:

      1. $30–$60/hr studio classes

      2. $50–$80/hr gym or private studio classes

      3. $20–$30 virtual (recurring subscription model)

2. Private Sessions

   1. The real moneymaker.$75–$150/hr is standard, and many teachers scale to $200+.This is where teachers begin replacing traditional salaries.

3. Workshops + Specialty Series

   1. A 2-hour workshop at $35–$65 per person can exceed weekly class pay.

   2. Topics that work well:

      1. Restorative for Stress Relief

      2. Chakra Balancing

      3. Back Care + Mobility

      4. Yoga for Anxiety

      5. Yoga for Military Families (your signature LRW lane)

4. Programs, Courses, and Retreats

   1. This is where teachers go from “making it” to thriving.

   2. Examples:

      1. 6-week virtual series: $99–$249 per student

      2. Weekend retreat: $400–$1,000 profit after expenses

      3. Corporate wellness: $150–$300/hr

5. Contract Work with Nonprofits & Military Programs

   1. This is LRW’s wheelhouse — and one reason our grads thrive.

   2. Where we’ve seen teachers get paid:

      1. MSAN, MWR, USO, Wounded Warrior Project

      2. Military spouse wellness programs

      3. Nonprofit partnerships

      4. PCS-flexible recurring contracts

This is one of the most reliable paths to stability because the military community needs trauma-informed, nervous-system-literate yoga teachers.

Case Study: How Military Spouses Are Doing It

Here’s the pattern among LRW students who replaced or built a real income:

They:

• Teach 2–3 classes/week

• Take 2–4 private clients

• Run monthly workshops

• Teach virtually to keep income during PCS

• Build relationships with nonprofits and bases

• Lean into their personal story (SOF spouse, caregiver, etc.)

• Learn to talk about yoga in terms of nervous system science

• Use LRW graduation hours as a launchpad, not the finish line

Result: $1,500–$4,000/month very achievable within the first year$4,000–$7,500+ with specialty certifications (Yin, Restorative, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Ayurveda)

Military families have:

• Built-in community

• Built-in trust

• Built-in demand

• A desperate need for nervous-system regulation

• A shortage of safe, accessible, trauma-informed teachers

This is why LRW training is designed exactly the way it is, to turn military spouses into in-demand, well-paid yoga professionals who can teach anywhere the military sends them.

The Truth: Yoga Teaching Is a Business (Not a Side Hobby)

You can live off yoga. But you must treat it like a profession:

• Know how to price

• Understand nervous system language

• Learn marketing basics

• Create multiple income streams

• Build long-term relationships

• Stay plugged into military communities

• Continue education (Yin, Restorative, Trauma-Sensitive)

• Offer real solutions, not just classes

Most people don’t fail because of lack of talent. They fail because they don’t treat it like a business.

What I Tell Every LRW Student:

Yoga isn’t the career, you are. Yoga is the vehicle.

Teach, guide, support, and serve with integrity…and the income follows.

Conclusion: Yes, You Can Absolutely Live Off Being a Yoga Teacher

If:

• You diversify

• You stay consistent

• You lean into your unique story

• You build a real foundation

• You serve a real community (military + SOF especially)

• You choose a high-impact, high-credibility training like LRW

…it is absolutely possible, and incredibly rewarding.

Yoga isn’t just a job. It’s a profession, a calling, and a sustainable, flexible career that moves with your military life.