How to Become a Life Coach in Arizona

Life coaching is a growing industry. As more people realize how coaching can help them set and meet goals, achieve more in their careers, improve their family lives, get fitter and make other life improvements, qualified professionals will be in increasing demand.

If you live in Arizona and are looking for a career switch, or even a part-time side job, consider training to become a life coach. This job requires the ability to listen to people and their needs, to set goals and hold clients accountable, to motivate others and to be organized and compassionate. To be a successful life coach, start with a professional training program.

Search Certified Life Coach Programs

Get information on programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

Getting Started as a Life Coach in Arizona

There are no official requirements for calling yourself a life coach or working as one in Arizona. But many employers and clients prefer to work with coaches who have some formal training. The International Coach Federation, or ICF, is a good place to start in finding a training program. You may also consider getting certified through the ICF. The credential can help you land more clients.

Coaching Educational Programs in Arizona

Living in Arizona, you can access an ICF-accredited program with in-person classes, online courses and self-study programs.

  • The Institute for Integrative Coaching, Tucson. This accredited school mixes weekly webinars with two, four-day classes in-person in Tucson. Courses in the program include things like integral theory, compassionate communication and human development. The instructors are certified and experienced coaches who will guide you to find your first clients. The certification program will prepare you to become ICF-certified.
  • Adler Learning USA, Phoenix. In Phoenix, you can complete a longer and more in-depth coach training program at Adler, a Canadian company accredited by ICF. Called the Professional Coaching Program, the series of courses takes 12 to 18 months to complete and includes online and on-site learning. Upon completion, you will be ready to be certified at the ICF’s entry level.

Getting Certified as a Life Coach

You don’t have to be certified to begin working as a life coach in Arizona, but it is strongly recommended as a way to stand out to potential employers and clients. The ICF is the main certifying agency. Entry-level certification is known as ACC, or Associate Certified Coach. To qualify for the ACC level, you must have completed 60 or more training hours and 100 hours of work experience.

To become a Professional Certified Coach requires that you have 125 hours of training and at least 500 hours of coaching experience. With 200 or more hours of training and 2,500 hours of work experience, you’ll qualify to become a Master Certified Coach.

Life Coach Salaries

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual income for life coaches was $61,900 in 2015. North America had about 17,500 coaches working that year, some part-time and others full-time. The BLS does not record state-by-state life coach salaries, but Ziprecruiter.com recorded an annual salary of $61,817 in Arizona for 2019. It’s important to understand that this includes part-time workers, so there is potential to earn more as a full-time life coach.

Working as a Life Coach in Arizona

Some life coaches are hired by companies, but many work on their own as freelancers and small business owners. Companies that may hire coaches include consulting, wellness or coaching companies. Any type of company may hire a coach as part of a wellness program offered to employees.

For the most flexible type of work, including coaching part-time as you hold down another job, consider freelancing. You can take on clients, choose your own hours, and charge and earn whatever you want. The most demand for life coaches in Arizona will be in the Phoenix and Tucson areas where there are big population centers and college campuses.