50+ Top Coaching Statistics You Need to Know in 2024

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Daniel Nic

February 19, 2025

Coaching is a huge industry worth over $15 billion. This vast ecosystem comprises tens of thousands of businesses and individuals that support clients achieve their goals.

These goals can be as broad as improving their company’s profit to something as specific as increasing their self-esteem. No matter the industry or problem, coaching can offer a solution.

If you want to know more about the coaching industry in 2024, keep reading to learn 53 essential coaching statistics.

The stats cover the coaching economy, the effects of COVID-19 on the industry, the average earnings of coaches, and client demographics.

So without further ado, let’s dive into it.

Coaching Industry Statistics (Highlights)

The coaching industry is worth a staggering $15 billion.
There are more than 70,000 certified coaches globally.
US-based coach practitioners make over $60,000 annually.
19% of clients achieved an ROI of 50 times or more.
One-third of all Fortune 500 companies use the services of coaches.
Online coaching platforms will reach $4.5 billion in market size by 2028.

Coaching Market Size and Growth

The coaching market comprises hundreds of thousands of service providers who bill customers based on the scope of work and the pricing of the coaching niche itself.

Clients, instead, are composed of individuals and companies looking for help in achieving a goal. Some examples include improving relationship communication, changing careers, and improving employee productivity.

To help you understand this sector’s enormous ecosystem and market growth, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of stats.

As of 2019, the coaching industry had an estimated size of $15 billion.
The coaching industry is estimated to grow to $20 billion this year, suggesting an annual growth rate of 6.7%.

Coaching industry market size

Between 2015 and 2019, the number of certified coaches grew by 33% to reach 71,000 globally. A few popular verticals for coaches include business, executive, life, and relationship.

Year	Number of Certified Coaches
2012	47,500
2015	53,500
2019	71,000

Number of certified coaches in the world

The total number of coaches is likely to be far higher, as many practice without professional certifications. LinkedIn alone shows over 4 million results for the term coach.
Globally, excluding North America, most practitioners are part of Gen X—individuals born between 1965 and 1980. In North America, the most represented generations are Baby Boomers (1946-1964), making up 54% of all coaches.
In 2019, 70% of all coaches were female, a 3% increase from 2015. Leading the way with 75% of representation, Eastern Europe and North America were the regions with the highest proportion of female coaches.
North American coaches generate 45.5% of the total global share of annual revenue. Between 2015 to 2019, the revenue generated by North America increased by 36%.
Although the total revenue is lower, Western Europe spends 1.4 times more per capita on coaching than North America.
The regions with the lowest proportion of revenue were the Middle East and Africa, contributing with just 2.8% of the global share, which equates to $80 million.

Region	Share of Global Coaching Revenue
North America	45.5%
Western Europe	32.2%
Latin America and the Caribbean	6.7%
Oceania	4.9%
Asia	4.4%
Eastern Europe	3.6%
The Middle East and Africa	2.8%

Region-wise global coaching revenue

Online coaching platforms are set to reach a market size of $4.5 billion by 2028. This expansion would represent a continued annual growth rate of 13.03%.
36% of knowledge entrepreneurs intend to sell coaching programs in 2022. This statistic demonstrates the increasing popularity of this monetization method among creators.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Coaching Industry

While other industries boomed during the pandemic, the coaching industry suffered greatly. As a result, many individual practitioners and businesses reported reduced earnings and significant changes to how they operated.

Here are some essential coaching industry statistics about the impact of COVID-19.

Before COVID-19, almost a quarter (24%) of all coaches engaged with clients exclusively on an in-person basis. However, the trend already saw coaches moving online. Between 2015 and 2019, the proportion of coaches using audio-video platforms doubled, going from 24% to 48%.
Since the pandemic, audio-video platforms saw an 83% increase as a method to coach clients. As expected, in-person coaching saw a significant decrease of 82% as the chosen way to deliver services.
87% of practitioners expect the virtual coaching trend to continue. With many platforms such as Zoom and Teams, coaches can now deliver high-quality sessions in remote settings.

Methods used to coach clients (Source: ICF)

As a result of the pandemic, many businesses and coaches reported closing (4%), becoming unemployed (7%), and making career changes (8%).
When comparing survey results between mid-2020 and early 2021, 5% fewer coaches cited the impact of reduced earnings. Similarly, 5% fewer practitioners reported working less. It suggests that the coaching economy is returning to pre-pandemic normalcy.

Effects of COVID-19 on coach practitioners (Source: ICF)

The International Coaching Federation found that the most affected geographies in terms of reduced earnings were Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Oceania. 50% of coaches in these areas experienced a reduction in earnings.
42% of coaches in Western Europe and North America experienced reduced income during the pandemic. The practitioners with the least affected earnings were based in Latin America and the Caribbean (28%).
Business coaching was affected more than other verticals, with 47% of respondents reporting lost income, compared to just 40% of non-business coaches.
Coaching suffered during the pandemic, with 42% of practitioners reporting a reduction in their number of active clients.
Between the initial pandemic outbreak and mid-2020, the income of 57% of practitioners decreased. New surveys show that earnings are improving. By early 2021, this number had decreased, and only 46% of coaches reported reduced earnings.

Change in income since the start of COVID-19 (Source: ICF)

Coaching ROI Statistics

The ROI of coaching is best measured by client feedback reports and surveys, which include both qualitative and quantitative results. There are various coaching business models and industries, so the results vary significantly for each vertical.

Here’s a curated list of general coaching ROI stats:

A survey by the International Coaching Federation that looked across a range of criteria asked if clients were satisfied with their coach. The report found that 95% of participants rated their coach as “good” or “excellent.”
99% of those that hire coaches, both companies and individuals, reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with the service. With 96% of those surveyed saying they’d repeat the coaching process.
According to a study by the International Coaching Federation, 68% of individuals who paid for coaching services made at least their initial investment back, with the median ROI at 3.4 from the initial investment.
Companies typically achieve a much higher return than individuals, with the median ROI being seven. A staggering 19% of companies that invested in coaching reported an ROI of 50 times.

ROI	Proportion of Those Surveyed
<1 Times	14%
1-10 Times	39%
10-49 Times	28%
>50 Times	19%

Distribution of Coaching ROI

Coaching Income Statistics

Coaching is a highly-skilled industry that generates its professionals’ significant earnings.

Although a coach’s income depends on many factors—including the type of services offered and the number of clients serviced—the most crucial factor is their years of experience.

To better understand coaches’ earnings, let’s look at the stats below.

In 2019, professional coaches in North America earned the highest income—an average of $62,500. Just behind them—earning $61,100—were practitioners from Oceania.
The region with the lowest annual earnings was Eastern Europe, standing at just $19,100, which is less than a third of the earnings of North American coaches.

Region-wise annual income from coaching (Source: ICF)

Clients reported paying coaches an average of $171 per hour, with the total amount spent on an engagement being $4,353.
Besides coaching, 94% of the practitioners offer additional services. Income diversification is a popular income stabilization strategy among practitioners.
The most common alternative services offered by coaches were consulting and training, with 60% of practitioners providing them.

Coaching Client Statistics

Many studies have looked into the profile of the individuals and companies that receive coaching. This section has statistics about the same.

The most typical clients for coaches are managers (27%) and executives (25%).
Clients between 35 and 44 years old represent 37% of all customers, which is the greatest of any age demographic.
Over two-thirds of coaching clients are between 35 and 54 years of age (67%).

Age Range	Proportion of Clients
<35 Years Old	25%
35-44 Years Old	37%
45-54 Years Old	30%
54+	8%

Region-wise global coaching revenue

Gen X represents 61% of all managers and leaders using coaching services. The remaining 39% is split equally between Millennials and Baby Boomers.
Many large businesses use coaches, with statistics showing that one-third of all Fortune 500 companies use executive coaching.

Business Coaching Statistics

Business coaching is a generic term that encompasses several verticals, including leadership coaching, executive coaching, business/organization coaching, and small business coaching.

Here is a selection of interesting business coaching stats.

The market size of business coaching in the United States grew to $14.2 billion and is expected to expand by a further 2.6% this year.
Between 2012 and 2022, the business coaching industry grew by more than $3 billion to surpass $14 billion.

Size of the business coaching industry in the US (Source: Ibis World)

In the United States, there are over 60,000 companies focused on business coaching that collectively employ over 111,000 people.
The average annual compensation for a business coach in the U.S. is $88,371.
Ibis World estimated that less than 5% of revenue was generated by the industry’s largest companies, suggesting that many small companies and individuals have a significant market share.
65% of all coaches identify as business coaches. When compared to 2016, this represents a 3% increase.
The number of business coaches identifying as Leadership Coaches increased by 5% between 2015 and 2019.
40% of engagements for business coaches last seven months or longer, which is far greater than non-business specialists.

Life Coaching Industry Statistics

Life coaching is part of an expanding coaching vertical that helps clients progress in personal areas of their life. Commonly, the help areas can include work-life balance, relationships, and communication skills.

Here are some essential life coaching statistics to help you better understand the industry.

In 2022, the US-based life coaching industry is expected to generate $1.4 billion in revenue. Obviously, the global life coaching industry is likely to be far greater than this figure.
Between 2017 and 2022, the market’s revenue has grown by an estimated 3.2% annually.
Over 22,000 businesses in the United States focus on life coaching.
The average annual compensation for a life coach in the United States is $60,182, and $60,800 in North America.
20 to 30-year-olds were most likely to be employed as life coaches, representing 32% of those surveyed. The second and third most likely demographics were 40+ (31%) and 30-40 (29%), respectively.
In a survey, 41% of the respondents mentioned self-confidence/self-esteem as one of the top three reasons for seeking coaching, while 36% mentioned work/life balance.

Reasons for seeking coaching services (Source: Coaching Federation)

Miscellaneous Coaching Statistics

In this section, we’ll cover some miscellaneous coaching stats that we’ve found.

Every month, over 1.5 million internet searches are conducted for life coaches, business coaches, and executive coaches.
The average session lasts 70.6 minutes for in-person coaching and 48.2 minutes for remote coaching.
The session frequency is typically two to three times per month for the duration of the engagement.
99% of coaches have undergone coach-specific training accredited or approved by an official body.
BetterUp is the largest coaching startup in the world. The platform has raised $600 million to date and was last valued at $4.7 billion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the coaching industry?

As of 2019, the coaching industry was worth $15 billion annually. As a proportion of annual revenue, the United States contributed 45.5%.

How fast is the coaching industry growing?

Over the past decade, the industry has grown by a CAGR of 6.7%. It is expected to become a $20 billion industry in 2022.

Is business coaching in demand?

Business coaching is the most in-demand coaching vertical. The US market alone is worth $14.2 billion annually and is expected to grow further by 2.6%. One of the most popular types of business coaching is executive coaching.

What is the ROI of coaching?

Businesses that use coaching gain a median ROI of seven times. For individuals, the ROI is 3.4 times. The ROI can vary significantly for each client, with some clients reporting an ROI as high as 50 times.

Is coaching really effective?

Statistics suggest that coaching is effective in helping clients reach their goals. In a survey by the International Coaching Federation, 99% of clients reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with the service received, while 96% said they’d repeat the process.

How big is the life coaching industry?

In the United States alone, the life coaching industry is set to generate $1.4 billion in 2022, giving it an annual growth rate of 3.2% over the past five years. Of course, the number is much larger when considering other geographic areas.

What is the average age of a life coach?

20 to 30-year-olds are life coaches’ most likely age demographics, representing 32% of the industry. And those aged between 30 and 40 represent 29%, and over-forties represent 31% of all life coaches.