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Pilates instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pilates instructor. Pilates instructors usually study dance, kinesiology, or business. 71% of pilates instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,533 real pilates instructor resumes to see exactly what pilates instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for pilates instructors are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.
There are also many online pilates instructor courses to help get the education required to be a pilates instructor.
There are certain pilates instructor certifications that you should consider. These pilates instructor certifications include Certified Pilates Instructor and Pilates Mat Specialty Certification.
What education do you need to become a pilates instructor?
What degree do you need to be a pilates instructor?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 9%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a pilates instructor?
- Dance, 15%
- Kinesiology, 14%
- Business, 11%
- Psychology, 9%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for pilates instructors
| Pilates instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 8.67% |
| University of California - Davis | 8.00% |
| New York University | 7.33% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 7.33% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 6.00% |
Best majors for pilates instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dance | 14.5% |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 13.6% |
| 3 | Business | 10.9% |
| 4 | Psychology | 9.0% |
| 5 | Communication | 5.9% |
Best colleges for pilates instructors
The best colleges for pilates instructors are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A pilates instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pilates instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become pilates instructors.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$46,950
Enrollment
9,407
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
20 best online courses for pilates instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pilates instructors
The most affordable schools for pilates instructors are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for pilates instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for pilates instructors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pilates instructors
The hardest universities for pilates instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for pilates instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for pilates instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
7. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
10. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pilates instructors
The easiest schools for pilates instructors to get into are Wayland Baptist University, felician university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pilates instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for pilates instructors.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
7. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average pilates instructor salary by education level
| Pilates instructor education level | Pilates instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,276 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,062 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,124 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,222 |
Pilates instructor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025