How to hire a class instructor

How to hire a class instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step class instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a class instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new class instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a class instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The class instructor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect class instructor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of class instructors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Class Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Class Instructor	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardiovascular exercises (exercises for the heart and blood circulation), strength training, and stretching. They work with people of all ages and skill levels.	$11-28
   Strength And Conditioning Internship	Strength and conditioning interns are students, under an internship scheme, who provide assistance to staff in a comprehensive strength and conditioning programs' teaching and implementation. The programs integrate diverse curriculum focusing on the science and techniques associated with strength and conditioning... Show more	$13-37
   Manager/Personal Trainer	A manager/personal trainer performs fitness training, human resource management, and sales in a single job role. First-aid certification is one of the main requirements for the role... Show more	$18-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Yoga
   • Kids
   • Course Curriculum
   • Course Materials
   • Curriculum Development
   • Fine Arts
   • CDL
   • Learning Styles
   • Mathematics
   • Group Fitness Classes
   • Child Development
   • DOT

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead modified yoga and meditation sessions to enhance balance and flexibility ;
   • Develop fitness and wellness classes such as step aerobics, pilates and other routines ensuring a diversity of class offerings.
   • Teach aerobics, step, kickboxing and Zumba classes.
   • Create syllabus, reading and writing assignments, develop and grade tests.
   • Create lesson plans and homework assignments for ESL students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
   • Prepare ESL Spanish-speakers to pass U.S. citizenship test through weekly lessons and mock interviews.

   More class instructor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the class instructor job description is a good way to get more applicants. A class instructor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a class instructor in Alaska may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level class instructor. Additionally, a class instructor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average class instructor salary

   $37,717yearly

   $18.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level class instructor salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average class instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$50,187	$24
   2	Massachusetts	$42,461	$20
   3	Texas	$41,449	$20
   4	Rhode Island	$40,039	$19
   5	Maryland	$39,621	$19
   6	New Jersey	$38,132	$18
   7	Arizona	$37,476	$18
   8	North Carolina	$35,531	$17
   9	Florida	$34,915	$17
   10	Minnesota	$32,993	$16
   11	Georgia	$32,938	$16
   12	Indiana	$32,185	$15
   13	Colorado	$32,177	$15
   14	Illinois	$32,090	$15
   15	Utah	$31,478	$15
   16	Wisconsin	$31,015	$15
   17	Michigan	$30,461	$15
   18	Oregon	$25,694	$12
   19	Alabama	$24,673	$12
   20	Ohio	$24,633	$12

   Average class instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rutgers University	$65,960	$31.71	70
   2	City of San Jos	$52,130	$25.06	1
   3	Avamere	$44,517	$21.40
   4	Trustmark Insurance Co	$43,200	$20.77	47
   5	PCC Community Markets	$42,504	$20.43
   6	Ryder System	$42,143	$20.26	38
   7	Trilogy Health Services	$41,138	$19.78
   8	Suncoast Post-Tension	$39,378	$18.93	2
   9	Calyx Brands	$39,368	$18.93
   10	Snapology	$38,466	$18.49	75
   11	Cherokee Town and Country Club	$38,299	$18.41	3
   12	TransForce	$37,898	$18.22	1
   13	City of Tacoma	$37,237	$17.90
   14	Irving Isd	$37,063	$17.82	7
   15	Port of Long Beach	$36,521	$17.56
   16	the-learning	$36,457	$17.53
   17	IMC Companies	$36,410	$17.50	8
   18	Baptist Health Care	$36,172	$17.39
   19	HealthFitness	$35,983	$17.30	121
   20	Montage Hotels & Resorts	$35,690	$17.16	1

4. Writing a class instructor job description

   A job description for a class instructor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a class instructor job description:

   Class instructor job description example

   HealthFitness has an opportunity for a part-time or as-needed (1 hpw), Yoga Instructor at our client site located in Lynn, MA!
   Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday working the hours of 11:30 am-12:30 pm
   
   Your Impact:
   
   As a Yoga Instructor, you will lead class participants, guiding them to "connect to breath" while conducting a series of physical and mental exercises, tailoring classes to both beginner and advanced level students.
   
   What sets you apart:
   
   + 200+ hr Yoga certification from HealthFitness approved agency required.
   
   + Excellent customer service and communication skills, including the ability to motivate others.
   
   + 2+ years instruction experience strongly preferred.
   
   + Adult CPR/AED First Aid Certification through the American Heart Association, Red Cross or American Safety & Health Institute required.
   
   + Will be required to follow any current or future site COVID-19 vaccination policies including but not limited to proof of vaccination, weekly testing, etc.
   
   Why you'll love HealthFitness:
   
   HealthFitness, a Trustmark company, is a proven leader in providing fitness solutions that engage and connect people both on-site and online, to create a strong community of health. Our work focuses on creating meaningful connections with each of our participants to help them move forward. We foster each individual's journey by creating communities of health within the organizations we serve - so that everyone is supported. As an employee of HealthFitness you will enjoy a variety of health and financial benefits and receive competitive pay. We provide personal and professional support, training and development and flexible employment opportunities.
   
   HealthFitness is committed to leveraging the talent of a diverse workforce to create great opportunities for our people and our business. EOE/AA. Race/Color/Gender/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Age/Disability/Veteran
   
   Trustmark is pleased to have earned recognition from the Chicago Tribune as a Chicago Top Workplaces 2020 & 2021 Award winner. The award is based exclusively on Trustmark associate responses to an anonymous survey. The survey measured 15 key drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of an organization.
   
   Keywords: Namaste, mindfulness, vinyasa, 200, RYT, yogi, group exercise, group fitness, instruct, strength, core, sculpt, meditation, hot yoga, group, bikram, yoga alliance, breath work
   
   Required SkillsRequired Experience

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right class instructor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with class instructors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit class instructors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your class instructor job on Zippia to find and recruit class instructor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit class instructors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new class instructor

   Once you've found the class instructor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new class instructor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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