Life coaches help people tackle personal and professional goals. You may want to explore this career if you are good at identifying obstacles, developing plans, and helping people. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says people in this field earn an average of $42,080 per year. You can get a certificate for $10,000 or less, which is much less expensive than the average $35,000 a year you'd pay for a bachelor's degree.
Learn more about how to become a life coach and find resources below.
What Does a Life Coach Do?
Life Coach Career Basics
Life coaches use organization and people skills to help their clients identify obstacles to their goals, then overcome those obstacles. They focus on future desires rather than the present.
Life Coach Career In-Depth
A life coach is not a therapist. They help their clients sort out where they are now, where they would like to go in life, and how to bridge the gap. They may refer clients to therapists or psychiatrists for clinical issues, but they don't diagnose. A life coach creates detailed plans for how a client can achieve an identified goal, such as getting a promotion or finding a relationship.
How to Become a Life Coach
Step 1
Choose a niche
Coaching is a vast field, so professionals have many niches to choose from. This helps coaches market their services to a specific type of client and gives potential customers confidence that the coach has expertise in helping people with their unique challenges. Some of the possible areas of specialization for life coaches include:
- Business
- Career transition and job search
- Romantic relationships
- Academic issues
- Spirituality
- Aging
- Work-life balance
- General wellness
Step 2
Complete a training program
Helping people improve different areas of their life is a big responsibility requiring specialized training. During training, prospective coaches learn the psychological principles of coaching, how to conduct a coaching assessment to determine clients' needs, ethics in coaching, and communication skills.
To get the best results from their training, students should find a program accredited by industry associations like the International Coach Federation (ICF). This process takes about 18 to 24 months. Depending on the program you choose, you may pay between about $2,500 and $12,000.
Step 3
Get a credential
You can apply for certification after you complete your training program. Credentials provided by professional associations like the ICF and the International Association of Coaching (IAC) require expertise and demonstration of high work standards. The annual membership fee for the ICF is $245 per year. The IAC's annual fees range from $169 to $319 per year.
For example, the ICF offers a Professional Certified Coach certification requiring 500 hours of coaching experience—450 of which must be paid—as well as at least 25 clients. You also need to pass a test.
Step 4
Set up a business classification
To get certain legal protections as a business owner, life coaches can get a business classification, such as a Limited Liability Company or Corporation designation. The process of setting up an official business varies by state. You will need to file articles of organization, reserve a business name, get a business license, and pay applicable fees (some states also require additional steps).
Filing fees for your paperwork are usually under $300, plus you'll pay ongoing LLC fees assigned by the state where you incorporate your business.
Step 5
Obtain business insurance
Although life coaches don't need insurance, getting coverage can help protect their business and give clients peace of mind. General liability insurance may be as low as $60 per month.
Step 6
Get to Work
Getting the word out is important for any business, especially one that is in its early stages. Placing ads in targeted publications can help life coaches get the exposure they need to boost their business. You should also attend networking events geared toward people in your niche — this may allow you to meet the types of clients you want to work with.
Sharing positive feedback from clients can also help life coaches gain the trust of prospective customers. Life coaches should ask regular clients to write a testimonial for the website and in promotional materials.
Life Coach Salaries and Job Growth
The BLS does not collect data for life coaches specifically, instead including them in the rehabilitation counselor data. As mentioned above, the average salary for that category is just over $42,000 per year. Also, note that life coaches can often earn more by working with professionals — CEO coaching and similar services often fetch a higher price.
State
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Projections Central, a U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored website.
Top 10 States With the Highest Job Growth
- New York: 30.3%
- Connecticut: 28.8%
- Arizona: 28.6%
- Colorado: 20.3%
- Texas: 18.7%
- Tennessee: 17.8%
- Georgia: 17.3%
- Arkansas: 17.2%
- North Carolina: 16.6%
- Utah: 16.2%
Courses in Life Coach Training Programs
Learning how to be a life coach requires covering diverse coursework. Classes in a life coach program may include the following:
Coaching Ethics
- ICF code of ethics
- Common mistakes
- Why coaching ethics matter
- Contracts and agreements
Leadership Theory
- Motivation techniques
- Communication skills
- How to be an effective leader
Cognitive Behavioral Coaching (CBC)
- Definitions and applications of CBC
- Types of cognitive distortion
- Detailed case studies using CBC
FAQs on Becoming a Life Coach
How do you become a life coach?
Find an industry association to get initial training and certification to become a life coach. To grow your coaching business, you'll need to market yourself to potential clients. With more experience, you can gain advanced credentials through ICF and earn the title of master coach.
How much does a life coach make?
Life coaches reported average salaries of $49,840 on Payscale.com. Your earnings as a life coach may vary depending on your specialty, rate, clientele size, and credentials.
How long does it take to become a life coach?
Your first training courses as a coach can take 20 to 120 hours of coursework. Advanced credentials, such as ICF's professional coaching certification, can take six to twelve months to complete and require logging at least 500 hours of coaching experience.
How much does it cost to become a life coach?
Programs to earn coaching credentials can cost between $2,500 and $12,000.
Are there life coach programs online?
Yes. You can find several online, in-person, and hybrid programs to become a life coach. Find all ICF-approved programs using its Education Search Service.
Components of a Successful Life Coach Career
Skills
Traits
Tools
Related Careers at a Glance
Related careers include:
Therapist
Become trained to counsel individuals, couples, and families through a variety of issues.
Social Worker
Help people navigate challenges and (sometimes) work with social services programs to improve their lives.
Nutritionist
Guide people toward their health goals and learn to eat healthy for their specific needs.
Lara Vukelich
Contributing Writer
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