BJJ instructor salary

[Cricket]

Here are some general monthly expenses schools have...some are optional, but there's a lot more than just rent and utilities:

Rent: $4000-$5000 depending on your area (here, most places are $10-$20 per sq ft plus triple net) for a decent place with decent exposure (hidden crappy warehouses are about half that price)
Phone/Internet
Insurance for everything in your place
Gas
Water
Electric
Alarm System (as usually required by insurance companies)
Cleaning/bathroom supplies/mat tape and mat cleaner
Payroll for receptionist part-time(plus or minus if you run it alone or have help)
Payroll for a couple of instructors part-time(plus or minus if you run it alone or have help)
Accountant/CPA (depending on if it's close to tax season or how much you know about bookkeeping)
Bank Account Fees/Outside company that does your auto-billing
Personal Health Insurance
Advertising
Merch/shirts/patches to sell (price depends if you have to buy shirts/patches in bulk, depending on demand)

Again, this is VERY general and the main thing that will make or break a school is the rent and where you live. Generally, anything over $8,000 is profit.

Plus, keep in mind, if you make a killing, you're going to pay a small fortune in taxes to the IRS at the end of each year, which you have to save for each month or you're hit with a huge bill in April every year considering you make average profit.

Starting up a gym isn't easy - people think you invest in some mats (1000 sq ft of Dollamurs = $6,500) and you start making money. Some landlords will give you build-out to design your space - others will make you paint, put down tile, put up walls - then you install basic stuff like paper towel/toilet paper holders, mirrors, picture frames/decorations/banners, chairs for people watching, TVs if you want, kids area, weights/boxing ring/cage if you offer that, plus all the deposits that the phone/internet/water/gas/electric companies charge....etc etc etc - the little expenses add up.

Getting a large outdoor electric sign that is up to landlord standards and approved by the city, here, costs around $5000 plus installation. Also, permits for alarm systems and certificate of occupancy are required. Most people put roadside signs out on the marquee by the road of the shopping strip, which the landlord can charge up to $100/month here, plus you have to make your own design for the display (one time payment of about $100). Decals for your windows can be $200+ depending on what you want.

On top of this, you have to pay all of your personal bills (home rent/mortgage, car payment, gasoline, food, utilities, saving money to travel to compete, new gis since you're on the mat every day, they take a beating).

You can definitely make a living off BJJ - it's a lot of hard work, which is true of any self-employed person. It's also obviously a very physically demanding job, so if you get burnt out/hurt, there no time to take a week off for many instructors until you have some upper belts to fill in for you. Bottom line, get 250 students and you'll be more than fine and really shouldn't need a second job.

 

[An end for]

In my experience "salary" is often an appropriate term for a lot of the Brazilian instructors because they don't own the gyms, an American owns the gym and the instructor comes here on a work visa with the gym owner as his sponsoring employer.

So, I wonder how much the gym owners pay the Brazilian instructors in salary. I really have no idea.

I heard a figure like 600 reais a month that would supposedly be paid to my teacher's teacher by a certain gym for him to give classes 5 times a week in some gym or something. I might be very mistaken, though! Also, he didn't end up teaching there. Speculation, speculation...

Nevermind read it wrong and it was a very specific case but I think this could stay. Also not everywhere gives classes five times a week. Just saying things I heard.

 

[ElKarlo]

I can believe those numbers if you include employees--very roughly anyway. As I said, 250 students and someone is doing pretty well "even with" employees. 2 front desk people at $8/hr and lets say 60hrs/wk, there is ~$2,000. Throw in another full time, high ranking instructor ($4,000???). But still, 250 students probably brings in $25,000 to $35,000 per month before privates and retail sales.

It would take no less than the owner showing me a detailed account of income vs. expenses to prove to me that his school of 250 students is doing so poorly that he must also work another full time job. o_0

Also, $8/sq ft is insane. I honestly highly doubt that--especially for industrial space. I've worked in industrial areas my whole life. Maybe you're thinking $0.80 per square foot? My rental property w/ granite throughout the house, 6" baseboards, new paint, new carpet, nice location, etc. rents for $1/sq foot. lol. A high-end medical office in a very rich part of California will lease for $1.75/sq ft per months.

No way man. A lot of small shops pay 3-4K a month in rent. Even in crappy locations.

 

[Jinzumkei]

Here is what i find hard to believe. Most people pay about $130/mo for BJJ classes.

250 x $130 = $32,500/month. Lets be safe and just assume this particularly gym averages only $100/mo per person and call it $25,000.

Most BJJ gyms are in studios, often in business parks. I doubt the rent exceeds $3,000/month.

A gym needs a phone line and a computer plus lights. Add another $250/mo.

He's also going to need insurance, and I have no idea how much that would be. Lets just call it $1,000/month (probably very high).

He'd also need to very rarely purchase mats. Mats to cover an entire gym will probably run $10,000-$15,000, and lets just say he is paying those off in monthly installments of $300/mo.

Total expenditures are probably less than $5,000/month, and total income is probably around $25,000/mo. That's $20,000/mo left over without including retail sales and privates.

Maybe, I'm missing something, but IMO it would appear that an instructor with 250 students would be doing very well for himself, even if he employed someone an assistant instructor and/or office staff member him at a decent salary.

IMHO a BJJ business owner with a legit gym has every right to earn a good living, and I Hope they do. They put a lot into their training, took a major risk starting a business, and they work hard and work generally unpleasant hours (IMO). I just don't see why anybody with 250 students would ever "need" to hold a full time job in addition to their BJJ school.

I think you're missing a couple of things that may be a huge factor. If these instructors are working for themselves they most likely have to:

1) put aside money at the end of the year for taxes.

2) buy their own insurance. I'm not talking about insuring the school, but their own health insurance. Since their lively hood is based on them being relatively healthy, this is a must for any instructor. Not to mention once an insurance company finds out you are a bjj instructor your premium is going to be pretty high.

3) legal fees. This can range from anything like setting up an LLC or protection from frivolous lawsuits.


I think the % of instructors out there who are making really good money is less than 10% probably less than 5%. My guess is that the rest just either get by or have to supplement this income with a side job.

 

[87]

Here is what i find hard to believe. Most people pay about $130/mo for BJJ classes.

250 x $130 = $32,500/month. Lets be safe and just assume this particularly gym averages only $100/mo per person and call it $25,000.

Most BJJ gyms are in studios, often in business parks. I doubt the rent exceeds $3,000/month.

A gym needs a phone line and a computer plus lights. Add another $250/mo.

He's also going to need insurance, and I have no idea how much that would be. Lets just call it $1,000/month (probably very high).

He'd also need to very rarely purchase mats. Mats to cover an entire gym will probably run $10,000-$15,000, and lets just say he is paying those off in monthly installments of $300/mo.

Total expenditures are probably less than $5,000/month, and total income is probably around $25,000/mo. That's $20,000/mo left over without including retail sales and privates.

Maybe, I'm missing something, but IMO it would appear that an instructor with 250 students would be doing very well for himself, even if he employed someone an assistant instructor and/or office staff member him at a decent salary.

IMHO a BJJ business owner with a legit gym has every right to earn a good living, and I Hope they do. They put a lot into their training, took a major risk starting a business, and they work hard and work generally unpleasant hours (IMO). I just don't see why anybody with 250 students would ever "need" to hold a full time job in addition to their BJJ school.

+1 GOOD POST!

I am actually thinking of taking some business classes while train to eventually earn my ICP and will put a similar business plan into action, probably somewhere out in Cali. I just have to make sure I can get some startup funds and also be a "legit BB". You can "make a killing" but Im not in this sport for the money. I just want to spread my art and share it to the world.

 

[Gerbiljiujitsu]

Here are some general monthly expenses schools have...some are optional, but there's a lot more than just rent and utilities:

Rent: $4000-$5000 depending on your area (here, most places are $10-$20 per sq ft plus triple net) for a decent place with decent exposure (hidden crappy warehouses are about half that price)
Phone/Internet
Insurance for everything in your place
Gas
Water
Electric
Alarm System (as usually required by insurance companies)
Cleaning/bathroom supplies/mat tape and mat cleaner
Payroll for receptionist part-time(plus or minus if you run it alone or have help)
Payroll for a couple of instructors part-time(plus or minus if you run it alone or have help)
Accountant/CPA (depending on if it's close to tax season or how much you know about bookkeeping)
Bank Account Fees/Outside company that does your auto-billing
Personal Health Insurance
Advertising
Merch/shirts/patches to sell (price depends if you have to buy shirts/patches in bulk, depending on demand)

Again, this is VERY general and the main thing that will make or break a school is the rent and where you live. Generally, anything over $8,000 is profit.

Plus, keep in mind, if you make a killing, you're going to pay a small fortune in taxes to the IRS at the end of each year, which you have to save for each month or you're hit with a huge bill in April every year considering you make average profit.

Starting up a gym isn't easy - people think you invest in some mats (1000 sq ft of Dollamurs = $6,500) and you start making money. Some landlords will give you build-out to design your space - others will make you paint, put down tile, put up walls - then you install basic stuff like paper towel/toilet paper holders, mirrors, picture frames/decorations/banners, chairs for people watching, TVs if you want, kids area, weights/boxing ring/cage if you offer that, plus all the deposits that the phone/internet/water/gas/electric companies charge....etc etc etc - the little expenses add up.

Getting a large outdoor electric sign that is up to landlord standards and approved by the city, here, costs around $5000 plus installation. Also, permits for alarm systems and certificate of occupancy are required. Most people put roadside signs out on the marquee by the road of the shopping strip, which the landlord can charge up to $100/month here, plus you have to make your own design for the display (one time payment of about $100). Decals for your windows can be $200+ depending on what you want.

On top of this, you have to pay all of your personal bills (home rent/mortgage, car payment, gasoline, food, utilities, saving money to travel to compete, new gis since you're on the mat every day, they take a beating).

You can definitely make a living off BJJ - it's a lot of hard work, which is true of any self-employed person. It's also obviously a very physically demanding job, so if you get burnt out/hurt, there no time to take a week off for many instructors until you have some upper belts to fill in for you. Bottom line, get 250 students and you'll be more than fine and really shouldn't need a second job.

Here it is guys

Also that's not counting the build out which can be very expensive in the initial start up. The 1800 square foot place that I was looking at wanted 10 dollars a square foot to start...yep, they wanted a check for 18k. That was the starting negotiation but even if we can cut that in half that's a large chunk of change.

 

[trn450]

No way man. A lot of small shops pay 3-4K a month in rent. Even in crappy locations.

I know man. lol. My original post estimated the rent to be $3,000/mo. But, $0.80 to $1.20/sq ft is much more realistic than the claimed $8.00/sq ft.

I think you're missing a couple of things that may be a huge factor. If these instructors are working for themselves they most likely have to:

1) put aside money at the end of the year for taxes.

True, but I was referring to gross income. Not net. Business owners, especially in States like California will take a nasty hit. However, there are also places, like Texas, where personal income taxes are zero and business climate is very friendly. So, this isn't totally clear cut and not really a huge point.

2) buy their own insurance. I'm not talking about insuring the school, but their own health insurance. Since their lively hood is based on them being relatively healthy, this is a must for any instructor. Not to mention once an insurance company finds out you are a bjj instructor your premium is going to be pretty high.

Honestly, I doubt the insurance would be a problem for a health martial artist. There is no statistical evidence supporting some significant increase in mortality from teaching BJJ. (^_^). But yes, self employed people do pay for their own insurance.

3) legal fees. This can range from anything like setting up an LLC or protection from frivolous lawsuits.

LLC @ Legal Zoom is like $100. lol. And, I'm not sure that a BJJ gym owner would be any more subject to frivolous legal action than anyone else.

I think the % of instructors out there who are making really good money is less than 10% probably less than 5%. My guess is that the rest just either get by or have to supplement this income with a side job.

In terms of "instructors", I"m with you 100%. I doubt many business owners are working 2nd jobs, but I know there are some that do (one in particular that does it for fun though). And, I never really suggested that all BJJ gym owners make a killing, I was just referring to the post where someone claimed 250 students and the owner still HAD to work a second job.

There were a few things I only vaguely addressed, such as employment, and didn't consider at the time, such as marketing, but regardless at 250 students there is almost no way I can come to the conclusion that the owner should be hurting given how much BJJ schools charge (e.g. $130-180/mo in my area when Judo costs about $55/mo).

 

[trn450]

Here it is guys [quoted someone saying >$8,000 / mo is profit]

Also that's not counting the build out which can be very expensive in the initial start up. The 1800 square foot place that I was looking at wanted 10 dollars a square foot to start...yep, they wanted a check for 18k. That was the starting negotiation but even if we can cut that in half that's a large chunk of change.

I don't think any of us doubt that starting a business is expensive, even one with relatively low overhead like a MA studio. (All of those costs you outlined are normal to all businesses, but many businesses have many additional costs, especially when there are materials and employees involved in things like manufacturing).

I think what got most people worked up here was the claim that a guy with 250 students was struggling. Nobody believed that. And, with your statement and the person whom you quoted's statement, I think our suspicions were justified. :icon_chee

 

[Jinzumkei]

True, but I was referring to gross income. Not net. Business owners, especially in States like California will take a nasty hit. However, there are also places, like Texas, where personal income taxes are zero and business climate is very friendly. So, this isn't totally clear cut and not really a huge point.

Fair enough. And yes California is tax hell

Honestly, I doubt the insurance would be a problem for a health martial artist. There is no statistical evidence supporting some significant increase in mortality from teaching BJJ. (^_^). But yes, self employed people do pay for their own insurance.

I think the issue is that they are prone to more injuries a year that may require physical therapy or specialists. I only this because I have a friend who is an instructor and had to change carriers and they wouldn't let him buy a cheaper plan because of his job.

LLC @ Legal Zoom is like $100. lol. And, I'm not sure that a BJJ gym owner would be any more subject to frivolous legal action than anyone else.

This is true about legal zoom. And maybe a gym owner wouldnt be subject to more legal actions but when you have a small business it seems like a good idea to have a good lawyer to refer to a variety of laws.

In terms of "instructors", I"m with you 100%. I doubt many business owners are working 2nd jobs, but I know there are some that do (one in particular that does it for fun though). And, I never really suggested that all BJJ gym owners make a killing, I was just referring to the post where someone claimed 250 students and the owner still HAD to work a second job.

There were a few things I only vaguely addressed, such as employment, and didn't consider at the time, such as marketing, but regardless at 250 students there is almost no way I can come to the conclusion that the owner should be hurting given how much BJJ schools charge (e.g. $130-180/mo in my area when Judo costs about $55/mo).

I agree. 250 students is a lot of students and it would surprise me if some one who had that many paying monthly students would have trouble making ends meet.

 

[kying418]

Dont forget, rent is relative.

For every place that is 3-4k+ per month for rent, there are far more places in the USA (especially in this economy), where you can get a nice decent sized place for $1000-$2000 a month.

Not every place has rent like CA, NY/NJ, etc.

 

[johnnyvtx]

In my experience "salary" is often an appropriate term for a lot of the Brazilian instructors because they don't own the gyms, an American owns the gym and the instructor comes here on a work visa with the gym owner as his sponsoring employer.

So, I wonder how much the gym owners pay the Brazilian instructors in salary. I really have no idea.

Why would anyone have to sponser a Brazilian Black Belt when there are plenty of great Black Belts already here in the U.S.

 

[Oliver Geddes]

mrf

 

[SMillard]

I have no reason to believe SMillard or his instructors are lying . . .

I'm sure his instructor is not taking on that full time job in addition to his gym duties for his own health. He obviously feels the income he is getting from teaching and running his gym is not satisfactory. Maybe his idea of a satisfactory level of income is not the same as everyone else's.

first off thank you, second to everyone refering that I'm crazy and/or smoking crack so what if I do. I'm relaying information my instructor and a previous instructor told me, so my mental state and personal life choices are irrelavent.

One thing I forgot was the monthly billing service schools have to pay for processing the payment and fees. I do know a little about that since my parents owned a billing service many years ago and you can basically count a couple percents off your monthly fee going to that billing service. It was actually very profitable, maybe if I weren't crazy and smoking to rock I would have kept the company instead of going in the army.

 

[redaxe]

Why would anyone have to sponser a Brazilian Black Belt when there are plenty of great Black Belts already here in the U.S.

Where in the U.S.? Black belts are still pretty rare outside of California, the Eastern Seaboard, and a few other major cities. Imagine what it was like five years ago. There were almost no non-Brazilian black belts around.

In my city, BJJ has only been around at all for a little over a decade, and there was one black belt here. Back then if you wanted to start a BJJ school, you HAD to fly someone up from Brazil. Today there are more than 20 black belts in the area, some Brazilian and some local.

 

[Steelviper]

Dont forget, rent is relative.

For every place that is 3-4k+ per month for rent, there are far more places in the USA (especially in this economy), where you can get a nice decent sized place for $1000-$2000 a month.

Not every place has rent like CA, NY/NJ, etc.

True, but places where the rent is cheaper like that (like out here in the rural midwest) also can't charge as much as the coastal folks. The prices tend to scale.

 

[Narsil**]

+1 GOOD POST!

I am actually thinking of taking some business classes while train to eventually earn my ICP and will put a similar business plan into action, probably somewhere out in Cali. I just have to make sure I can get some startup funds and also be a "legit BB". You can "make a killing" but Im not in this sport for the money. I just want to spread my art and share it to the world.

hey gsparky

your alter egos have these crazy future plans also?

 

[Stratamagnus]

True, but places where the rent is cheaper like that (like out here in the rural midwest) also can't charge as much as the coastal folks. The prices tend to scale.

But you also don't need to charge as much to have things even out, right?

 

[s.c.]

Here it is guys

Also that's not counting the build out which can be very expensive in the initial start up. The 1800 square foot place that I was looking at wanted 10 dollars a square foot to start...yep, they wanted a check for 18k. That was the starting negotiation but even if we can cut that in half that's a large chunk of change.

Just so you know, that's only $1500 a month.

 

[Half Amazing]

Why would anyone have to sponser a Brazilian Black Belt when there are plenty of great Black Belts already here in the U.S.

Marketing purposes probably, it sounds pretty impressive to a layperson to have an instructor from where Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was created, whether or not he is actually better than your average American black belt (especially since Brazil is in the name of the martial art).

 

[Aethyr]

Here we go again.

1) Most BJJ schools are opened with investors. That means a BJJ blackbelt with no credit history, barely a grasp of the English language can't just walk into a commercial location and open a school. He will partner with 1 or more partners with financial backing. That means at best, the instructor is 50% owner. So whatever numbers you guys are twiddling around in your head, divide it by 1/2.

2) Tenant improvements - You will never find a spot that is exactly what you need. You will always need to do demolition/construction. You guys have no idea just how much construction costs...well, you do in you're in construction. Even a modest build-out will cost $20-50k or more.

3) Permits, studies, city fees - Much of costs aren't in the construction alone - think architects, permits and engineering studies that are required by the city. For my business, one of the many studies required by the city was a parking study. The engineering firm I used cost me $3000. $3000 for just a damn parking study. And that was just 1 study.

3) Marketing - So you've found a cheap light industrial spot for $1.20/sq foot. Congrats. Too bad no one knows its there. So now you have to spend hundreds, if not thousands a month on marketing to let everyone know you're there and why you're better than XYZ gym around the corner. Just to give you some perspective - for a highly competitive google adword search of "brazilian jiu-jitsu", you can pay anywhere from $3-$10 for ONE CLICK. The sky's the limit. Large companies can easily spend $20 million a MONTH on google ads alone. That's not including traditional marketing. Just google.

Marketing MUST be a percentage of your gross. Typically you should spend anywhere from 15-20% on marketing. Why? With 250 students, more students are getting hurt, canceling/quiting than they are at 50 students. If 1 student a month quits at 50 students, then 5 students a month are quitting at 250 students. That means you need 5 new students a month just to break even on your student count. And that means more marketing to get those additional new students.

4) Employees. If your instructor is the only employee working to manage 250 students, then your school is in bad shape, with poor customer service/response times and probably not very personal instruction.

5) credit card fees - Yes, minor in comparison to the other costs, but yet another mouth to feed. Depending on who you use, fees are typically 1.5-3% of every transaction.

6) association fees - most BJJ schools are part of some association. Yet another mouth to feed.

7) Freezes/holds. Out of 250 students, you can easily have 10-20 freezes or holds on payments every month. Again, another thing cutting into your bottom line.

So no, your 250 student school's instructor isn't starving or poor. But he's not making close to $20k a month either. Divide that 1/2 or more. And start deducting the costs above.

I'm actually considering partnering with some BJJ BBs to open a BJJ school. You want to know my forecasts for profitability? I expect to pull about $50k in about 2-3 years. I make more than that at my day job. Playing with the numbers, I'm not sure its worth it, honestly, considering I need to invest $50-100k initially.