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The differences between yoga teachers and fitness instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a yoga teacher and a fitness instructor. Additionally, a yoga teacher has an average salary of $52,895, which is higher than the $35,495 average annual salary of a fitness instructor.
The top three skills for a yoga teacher include anatomy, thai and asana. The most important skills for a fitness instructor are CPR, customer service, and work ethic.
| Yoga Teacher | Fitness Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $52,895 | $35,495 |
| Hourly rate | $25.43 | $17.06 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 52,681 | 31,212 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A yoga teacher is responsible for teaching yoga as an exercise to enhance general body wellbeing and fitness. Yoga teachers primarily focus on teaching students how to practice meditation, perform different body stretching poses and improve mindfulness, which leads to general body wellbeing. As a yoga teacher, you're required to have a university degree or certification from private training organizations that offer specialist courses. Yoga teachers are also called "yogis" or "yoga instructors."
A fitness instructor advocates good physical health by crafting different fitness programs and providing fitness training sessions to a group of clients or individuals. They focus on different kinds of work-out and exercise routines. A fitness instructor mostly works at a gym; however, there are instances when one can work independently or by providing house calls. Furthermore, a fitness instructor needs to build rapport with clients, making them feel at ease during sessions, which will also be beneficial in gaining a strong client base.
Yoga teachers and fitness instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Yoga Teacher | Fitness Instructor | |
| Average salary | $52,895 | $35,495 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $92,000 | Between $23,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a yoga teacher and a fitness instructor in terms of educational background:
| Yoga Teacher | Fitness Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between yoga teachers' and fitness instructors' demographics:
| Yoga Teacher | Fitness Instructor | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5% | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |