Career Coach Salary: How Much Can You Expect to Earn?

Key takeaways

A career coach's salary varies based on the services offered, such as helping others write resumes, secure promotions, find roles, or apply for jobs. 

• The median annual pay for a career coach in the United States is $65,140, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1]. 

• Your location, education, industry, experience, and whether you work for yourself or as an employee can all impact your career coaching salary.

• You can pursue a career coach certification to help you stand out as a career coach and an expert in your particular industry.

Explore the skills you need to become a career coach, along with the average career coach salary and how it can vary. If you’re ready for professional-level training to help you demonstrate your proficiency, check out the Goodwill Career Coach and Navigator Professional Certificate. While learning about relationship management, how to recruit and work with clients, and the technology trends impacting career coaching, you can earn a career certificate in as little as two months. 

What is a career coach? 

As a career coach, you will help clients improve their career prospects, whether deciding what they want to do, navigating a tricky time at work, working toward a promotion, or finding a new role. Career coaching is often a satisfying career for those looking to help others in their journey to finding a fulfilling career. As with any coach, your role is to guide and motivate clients so they feel confident about making their own career decisions. 

Career coaches work within both the private and public sectors, but no matter where they work, they generally have the following responsibilities:

• Support clients as they navigate career transitions

• Ask open questions that help clients make career decisions

• Collaborate with the client to set career goals

• Motivate clients while providing accountability

• Offer resume writing advice

• Provide interview coaching and mock interviews

• Advise on job search techniques

• Help with job offer negotiations

What skills does a career coach need?

To become a successful career coach, you must master workplace and technical skills. Career coaching requires training, knowledge, and people skills for working directly with clients.

Workplace skills:

• Communication skills

• Active listening

• Patience

• Time management

• Ability to motivate others 

• Empathy

• Attention to detail

• Observation skills

• Relationship-building skills

• Growth mindset

Technical knowledge and skills:

• Goal setting

• Knowledge of the industry or area covered

• Job market knowledge

• Business skills

• Resume writing skills

How much does a career coach make in average salary? 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a career coach earns a median annual pay of $65,140 in the United States [1]. To get a more specific idea of the average salary for career coaches, it helps to review data from sources such as Glassdoor, Payscale, and Indeed, which reveal that the average annual career coach base salary varies widely. Remember that these figures represent general career coach salaries rather than career coach salaries for a specific field or specialization. 

Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay as of February 2026. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Clients often hire career coaches on an individual basis. According to the International Association of Career Coaches (IACC), career coaches can charge anywhere from $100 to $300 per hour [5]. 

Factors that impact a career coach salary range

As a career coach, you’ll find many factors, including location, type of employment, education, and experience, that can impact your salary. Below, examine each in more detail to gain an understanding of the role it plays. 

Location 

Generally, where in the country you work can significantly affect your salary. For example, in general, working in cities contributes to higher earnings. According to the BLS, the top-paying states and their average annual salary for career coach jobs are as follows [6]:

1. California: $96,440

2. Washington: $87,560

3. Massachusetts: $82,910

4. New Jersey: $82,460

5. District of Columbia: $80,820 

Type of employment and hours worked

Whether you are salaried or self-employed can significantly impact your earnings in a career coaching position. According to the IACC, the average coaching fee ranges from $100 to $300 per hour [5]. These figures starkly contrast the salary you can expect if you are salaried, which is an average of about $31 per hour [1]. 

However, it’s important to remember that while contractors can bill higher hourly earnings, they must also consider costs like insurance and non-billable time spent on marketing and strategizing. 

Education 

Career coaches can come from various educational backgrounds, depending on where and for whom you work. Roughly 65 percent of career coaches hold a bachelor’s degree, 20 percent hold a master’s degree, and 10 percent have an associate degree, according to Zippia [7]. A degree can add to your credibility as a coach, even if you are self-employed, and may lead to a higher salary. Popular degree majors for career coaches include English, business, communication, and human resources. Another approach is to study for a degree in the field you want to coach. 

Some industries may have specific requirements. For example, if you want to work as a career coach in a school or college, you typically need a master’s degree in a subject such as counseling or psychology. 

What qualifications do you need to be a career coach?

Although you don’t need a specific major to become a career coach, a bachelor’s degree can help set the foundation for your career. Professional experience in your particular field, or general professional experience if you plan to provide broad services, helps you coach others to work toward and achieve their career goals. Career coaching certification can help you learn how to apply your skills and experience to attract and retain clients.

Career coach certification

However, a degree isn’t the only option for showcasing your value. A career coach certification is essential for many industries. 

Some industries prefer a professional certification, which can also help self-employed professionals. Coaching is not a regulated industry, so having a certification from a professional body makes you stand out as reputable. 

You may consider certifications from any of the following professional bodies:

• Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC)

• National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 

• International Coaching Federation

• National Career Development Association (NCDA)

• The Career Development Network

It might also help to have certifications related to your coaching industry. For example, with proper training, someone with an IT background or education could coach IT professionals later.

Industry

The industry you work in as a career coach affects your earning potential. According to Glassdoor, the median annual total salary, which includes base salary and additional pay, and may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation, for the top-paying industries for career coaches includes [2]:

• Information technology: $90,385

• Construction, repair, and maintenance services: $85,437

• Retail and wholesale: $77,821

• Management and consulting: $69,492

• Health care: $63,846

Experience

Experience counts greatly in the coaching industry and can affect your earning power. According to Glassdoor, the total median pay career coaches earn is as follows. These figures include base pay plus additional pay such as profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, and additional compensation [2]:

• 0–1 year: $71,000

• 1–3years: $76,000

• 4–6 years: $83,000

• 7–9 years: $89,000

• 10–14 years: $104,000

• 15+ years: $116,000

As the industry’s not regulated, the more experience you have and the longer your roster of happy clients, the higher the rates you can typically charge. Because your clients will look to you to help them identify their goals and strategize how to reach them, it's helpful to have experience to draw from.

Experience in your industry is also extremely valuable if you choose to specialize. Using the example of IT professionals, a background in IT shows that you understand the industry, which can help you guide your clients.

Job outlook

The job outlook for career coaches is generally promising. The BLS predicts that school and career coaching positions will grow by 4 percent between 2024 and 2034, a rate that is as fast as the national average for all jobs [1]. 

Discover free resources for your career

Join our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, to gain access to career tips and industry insights. Then, discover the following free resources as you explore career coaching:

• Learn from experts: Future-Proofing Your Business Strategy With GenAI

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

• Watch on YouTube: Career Counseling: The Human Side of the Future of Work 

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses. 

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