Yoganomics: How do yoga teachers make money?

In reporting a story for the New York Times Magazine about a yoga teacher who is going on food stamps, I started wondering about how the business of yoga is structured. There are few full-time teaching jobs, as far as I could tell, and almost no one I talked to was getting health insurance or other benefits. So, I wonder—what's the deal? To make decent money in yoga, do you have to open your own studio, or even a chain of studios? How much of a yoga studio's profit comes from the workshops they require teachers to take? (The basic 200-hour training course costs $4,000 to $6,000, I was told.) Do a few famous gurus with studio chains make lots of money while everyone else struggles to make a bare living (or not), especially since the recession began? If you have thoughts or info about any of this, post a comment below, or send me a note at bazelon@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Photograph by Digital Vision.

Tags: yoga

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Emily Bazelon is a founding editor of Double X, and a writer and editor at Slate.

Comments

To make decent money in yoga,

By: saada | Thu, 10/01/2009 - 05:30

To make decent money in yoga, do you have to open your own studio, or even a chain of studios? How much of a yoga studio's profit comes from the workshops they require teachers to take.Thanks for sharing your views..
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It is depend on the packages

By: wiger | Wed, 09/30/2009 - 07:16

It is depend on the packages that you are offering & also on yoga masters, how they satisfy people.I have an blog about business where you can also get many ways of Money earn & also get valuable information about Foreign exchange as well

Even if you work in a school

By: deniyal | Thu, 09/24/2009 - 23:54

Even if you work in a school or a studio as part timer you get paid for it and in case of absence of students you'll not be exempted...No health benefits doesn't mean that you're totally out, freelance working gives you freedom to allot time in useful way..First Aid Supplies | Earthquake kits | Personal Emergency Kits | Earthquake Emergency Kits | First Aid Kits

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By: deniyal | Thu, 09/24/2009 - 03:24

What do you all think of these courses? Do you think that it would be worth doing one? While I am not looking to make money from teaching yoga I still want ...Stretching

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It is an admitted fact that

By: emmas | Fri, 09/04/2009 - 08:27

It is an admitted fact that yoga teachers are earning a lot and they are not like ordinary people. They have specialization in Yoga and have enough money to spend their life. They do not have to use cash advance like we people.

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By: emmas | Fri, 09/04/2009 - 08:26

It is an admitted fact that yoga teachers are earning a lot and they are not like ordinary people. They have specialization in Yoga and have enough money to spend their life. They do not have to use cash advance like we people.