What is a performance coach and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

A performance coach is someone whose expertise lies in helping people to enhance their ability to do something. From working with different managers, lawyers, musicians, and more, performance coaches can aid in them.

They use psychological tactics to help others overcome the obstacles that they are facing in fulfilling their maximum potential. They identify roadblocks that stop a person in achieving their full potential, set practical and achievable goals, develop new skills, and inspire and drive people to their success. A high school diploma or a GED may suffice for the position; however, a bachelor's degree in psychology or related field will be given preference. Prior work experience in social services is also desirable. A good performance coach needs to be a great communicator, motivator, and dependable.

The average hourly salary for the position is $14.30, which amounts to $46,861 annually. This career is expected to grow in the near future and result in new opportunities emerging all over the United States.

ScorePerformance CoachUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $48,571

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.0

Growth Rate 20%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.22%

Asian 5.43%

Black or African American 8.85%

Hispanic or Latino 13.19%

Unknown 5.64%

White 66.66%

Gender

female 32.67%

male 67.33%

Age - 34
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 - 34
Stress Level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.3

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Performance Coach career paths

Key steps to become a performance coach

  1. Explore performance coach education requirements

    Most common performance coach degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.9 %

    Master's

    13.9 %

    Associate

    6.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific performance coach skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service17.61%
    Rehabilitation12.63%
    Kids12.37%
    Training Sessions11.80%
    Training Programs10.52%
  3. Complete relevant performance coach training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New performance 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 performance coach based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real performance coach resumes.
  4. Research performance coach duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve experience training NFL prospects training for the NFL combine.
    • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
    • Head volleyball coach for the JV program.
    • Shadow CSCS coaches and aid with training athletes.
  5. Prepare your performance coach resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your performance 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 performance 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 Performance Coach Resume templates

    Build a professional Performance 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 Performance Coach resume.
    Performance Coach Resume
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    Performance Coach Resume
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    Performance Coach Resume
  6. Apply for performance coach jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a performance 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 Performance Coach Job

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Average performance coach salary

The average Performance Coach salary in the United States is $48,571 per year or $23 per hour. Performance coach salaries range between $29,000 and $79,000 per year.

Average Performance Coach Salary
$48,571 Yearly
$23.35 hourly

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How do performance coaches rate their job?

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Performance Coach reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

What I like the most is the fact that the S&C coach can have the experience and knowledge to teach a human being of any age and any level of performance how to get better, I love that I have the ability to tell a person more about his/her body, how does it move & how we can get it better. We have 7 billion people on earth and each person is a case study and a new experience to teach and learn from. It's amazing what this position can do to human in terms of spiritual, physiological & psychological growth. It's a life , it's more than a job for me.

Cons

I realize that there are some disadvantages and pains that I personally have suffered from, working with athletes & clients all day long can be hectic especially when you put full effort in day in and day out & the constant demand of growing your knowledge, then finding the right position that pays well and puts you in an organization to grow with...etc. these are all things that almost every S&C coach pass through, but these as well are what makes us grow as human beings & evolve around the field to make better decisions for us, our athletes and other trainers who want to set foot in this industry.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Helping athletes become better

Cons

The lack of support the state shows for football


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Working with individual players in one on one lessons. That's when I get a real chance to find out what knowledge the athlete is bringing to practice, who taught him that, and how and why it may work or not be the best technique available. I am about as nuanced a coach as you could get. The game of football is one of mental fortitude, discipline, and preparation. Raw athleticism, circus catches and big hits or helmet to helmet collisions.


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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.

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