What is a health coach and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Amanda Barefield,
Xia Jing
introduction image

A health coach guides and supports individuals in achieving health goals through personalized plans. They work with clients to identify specific areas of focus, such as nutrition, and exercise, and develop action plans that are tailored to each individual's unique needs. They help clients stay accountable to their goals, provide educational resources, and offer ongoing support and motivation. Health coaches’ goal is to empower individuals to take charge of their health and well-being.

What general advice would you give to a Health Coach?

Amanda BarefieldAmanda Barefield LinkedIn Profile

Professor, Augusta University

Any experience is good experience, whether through an employer or as a volunteer. Don't isolate yourself to positions based on titles. Think "outside the box" and look at all job descriptions, keeping your skill set and experience in mind. Be willing to accept a position that may not be your dream job but will give you opportunities for future improvements. Always show enthusiasm to sit at the table and utilize your broad skill set in healthcare administration, even if that means volunteering for projects or committees.
ScoreHealth CoachUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $38,671

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.7

Growth Rate 12%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.20%

Asian 6.24%

Black or African American 8.59%

Hispanic or Latino 17.17%

Unknown 6.39%

White 60.41%

Gender

female 79.13%

male 20.87%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.6

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
9.1

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Health Coach?

Pros

  • Ability to work independently

  • Constant learning and growth opportunities

  • Opportunities for networking and collaboration

  • Ability to work remotely

  • Ability to specialize in a particular area of health coaching

Cons

  • Can be emotionally draining when dealing with clients who struggle to make progress

  • May require a significant financial investment to start and build the business

  • Requires ongoing continuing education to stay current with best practices and trends

  • Can be challenging to build and maintain a steady client base

  • May require extensive marketing efforts to attract new clients

Newest jobs for Health Coach in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Health Coach career paths

Key steps to become a health coach

  1. Explore health coach education requirements

    Most common health coach degrees

    Bachelor's

    63.8 %

    Master's

    15.6 %

    Associate

    11.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific health coach skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service14.55%
    Patients12.93%
    Optimal Health10.92%
    Disease Management6.06%
    Ongoing Support4.95%
  3. Complete relevant health coach training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health coaches learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a health coach based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health coach resumes.
  4. Research health coach duties and responsibilities

    • Participate in workshops and offer lectures on various health topics, aim toward prevention and management of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
    • Motivate staff to participate in lunch time yoga and strength training exercises as well as cooking demos and office nutrition trivia.
    • Promote, educate and assist individuals in health management including diabetes management, nutrition, stress management and tobacco cessation.
    • Obtain CPR certification before the summer program begin.
  5. Prepare your health coach resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health coach resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a health coach resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Health Coach Resume templates

    Build a professional Health Coach resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Health Coach resume.
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
    Health Coach Resume
  6. Apply for health coach jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a health coach job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Health Coach Job

Zippi

Are you a Health Coach?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average health coach salary

The average Health Coach salary in the United States is $38,671 per year or $19 per hour. Health coach salaries range between $26,000 and $55,000 per year.

Average Health Coach Salary
$38,671 Yearly
$18.59 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do health coaches rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Health Coach reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Helping people with diabetes and helping them realize that they can still have a normal life

Cons

Other people being negative to diabetics


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Helping other people who can't help themself

Cons

Not teaming up because I trust team work is always the best to acquire knowledge and provide good result.


Working as a Health Coach? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Health Coach FAQs

Search for health coach jobs

Loading...
Loading...

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse community and social services jobs