What Is Life Coaching?
What is a life coach? Learn how to start your career as a life coach and help others achieve their goals.
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- Since life coaching is an unregulated industry, there are no formal education or certification requirements.
- Many life coaches hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and most have a graduate degree.
- The International Coaching Federation offers credentialing to train and endorse life coaches.
If you enjoy solving problems and helping others succeed, and are seeking a flexible, entrepreneurial career, life coaching might be the right path for you. Life coaching is an accessible, customizable career with many personal and financial benefits. Read on to learn more about how to become a life coach.
What Is a Life Coach?
Life coaches focus on their clients’ present and future goals, helping them to set attainable benchmarks that will lead them to successfully change various aspects of their lives. While some life coaches provide general guidance, others specialize in areas such as health and wellness, finance, relationships, or career coaching.
Coaching is solution-focused and time-limited, unlike counseling, psychology, and social work careers that focus on treating trauma and mental health concerns. Life coaching is an unregulated industry with no educational or licensing requirements. Empathic and organized people who are good communicators may be best suited to pursue a career as a life coach.
How Much Do Life Coaches Make?
Life coaches in North America make an average of $67,800 annually, according to the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF’s) 2023 Global Coaching Study. Additionally, they charge around $272 for an hour coaching session, which translates to $98 of revenue after accounting for business costs.
Earning potential depends on factors like geographic location, whether a coach works for an employer or runs their own coaching business, education and credentials, expertise in areas of specialty, and years of experience.
| Years of Experience | Average Hourly Pay |
|---|---|
| Entry Level (<1 year) | $25.39 |
| Early Career (1-4 years) | $38.24 |
| Mid Career (5-9 years) | $58.64 |
| Late Career (10-19 years) | $71.25 |
Where Do Life Coaches Work?
Many life coaches are self-employed, providing coaching services in an office space locally or virtually to clients anywhere in the world. Others secure employment at an organization, like a residential care or treatment facility, wellness collective, or corporate setting, as a benefit for employees.
Self-employed coaches must be prepared to run a small business, managing marketing, billing, and financial accounting, or outsourcing some of these tasks as their client base grows. Life coaches primarily work with adults, though some specialize in mentoring teens to help them with personal development, career or college aspirations.
Requirements to Become a Life Coach
Life coaching is an unregulated industry with no mandatory educational or licensing requirements. However, education, training, and certification can help you prepare for a career as a life coach.
The International Coaching Federation offers credentialing to help coaches demonstrate their commitment to excellence and accountability. The organization also accredits coaching training programs.
Many different organizations offer coaching training programs, such as the International Association for Professional Recovery Coaches, which trains and certifies coaches focused on addiction recovery. While no degree is required to work as a life coach, 30% of coaches hold a bachelor’s degree, while 65% have a graduate degree, according to the International Coaching Federation.
Life coaching is a common second career choice for counseling and social work professionals who want lighter case loads, less complicated billing, and greater self-determination.
Is Becoming a Life Coach Right for You?
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind as you decide if becoming a life coach is right for you:
- Being in charge of your own flexible schedule
- Option to work remotely via telephone or video conferencing
- Supporting people in making positive changes in their lives
- No mandatory education or certification requirements
- Lack of mandatory training can create the risk of harm to coaches and clients
- It can take time and effort to find clients
- Self-employed life coaches must run their own business
- Can’t accept insurance payments, potentially reducing the pool of potential clientele
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Life Coach
Because the industry is unregulated, there are no formal requirements to work as a life coach. However, many life coaches have degrees and prior work experience in fields like psychology, counseling, or social work.
