So I did some one-off practice sessions over the summer and the coach was always $15 or $20/hour...I swear. I recently got into the practice group scene and everyone is charging $25 or $30 an hour. I don't really care and I know most of these/you people are poor and deserve the money, I'm just curious if there was some industry-wide decision over the past few months to raise the going rate like 10 bucks.
Going rate for coaches
- Thread starter trojanpony
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That's been pretty standard for years, I think. It seems as if it's been that way for the past four years or so.
It depends on a lot of factors, but I think we've always paid $50-60 for three hours and $40-50 for two hours. Sometimes less money for smaller or poorer groups, newer coaches, friends doing favors, etc.
It depends on a lot of factors, but I think we've always paid $50-60 for three hours and $40-50 for two hours. Sometimes less money for smaller or poorer groups, newer coaches, friends doing favors, etc.
Hey, when I was at IO way, way back in the '90s, the going rate was $5 per person for the whole three-hour rehearsal--and it was considered a tip, that you had to pay or else Charna would yell at you, but it wasn't technically required and the coaches would make a show of "no, no, you don't need to pay me" before they took the money.
As a Chicago director, I think $20 per hour would be a reasonable rate to be comped for my time. When I was simultaneously coaching several groups at $5/head, it probably averaged out to about that in the long run anyways. (btw, I currently get paid $25/hour by the City of Chicago to teach teens improv and I think that's more than fair.)
I know there's a difference in cost-of-living between Chicago and NYC, but for me, $30 an hour seems like it's pushing it unless you're a top-tier teacher/performer/director. For comparison's sake, the average per hour salary for other jobs...
Arbitrators, mediators and reconcilers -- $28.27/hour
Arbitrators, mediators and reconcilers decide or recommend resolutions, penalties and liabilities on claims regarding legal matters.
Annual salary: $58,790
Urban and regional planners - $28.33/hour
Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for land use and physical facilities in towns, cities, counties and metropolitan areas.
Annual salary: $58,940
Loan officers -- $29.77/hour
Loan officers approve various types of credit loans and advise borrowers on financial status and methods of payments.
Annual salary: $61,930
Operations research analysts - $31.08/hour
Operations research analysts are brought into businesses and organizations to identify, investigate and solve logistics problems through the use of statistical analysis and computer programs. The type of problems can vary depending on the nature of the business, whether it's a production factory or the military.
Median annual salary: $64,650
Personal financial advisers - $31.79/hour
Personal financial advisers work with individuals to asses their financial situation and help them reach certain goals, which can be anywhere from establishing a retirement fund to deciding the best investment options.
Median annual salary: $66,120
Management analysts - $32.72/hour
Management analysts look at a company's structure and business plans for ways to improve revenue and productivity.
Median annual salary: $68,050
Civil engineers - $32.98/hour
Civil engineers draw up plans for roads, airports and other public goods and oversee their construction.
Median annual salary: $68,600
Mechanical engineers - $33.58/hour
Mechanical engineers are involved in the creation of new tools, machines and components, from the concept's inception to the production and testing stages.
Median annual salary: $69,850
I know there's a difference in cost-of-living between Chicago and NYC, but for me, $30 an hour seems like it's pushing it unless you're a top-tier teacher/performer/director. For comparison's sake, the average per hour salary for other jobs...
Arbitrators, mediators and reconcilers -- $28.27/hour
Arbitrators, mediators and reconcilers decide or recommend resolutions, penalties and liabilities on claims regarding legal matters.
Annual salary: $58,790
Urban and regional planners - $28.33/hour
Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for land use and physical facilities in towns, cities, counties and metropolitan areas.
Annual salary: $58,940
Loan officers -- $29.77/hour
Loan officers approve various types of credit loans and advise borrowers on financial status and methods of payments.
Annual salary: $61,930
Operations research analysts - $31.08/hour
Operations research analysts are brought into businesses and organizations to identify, investigate and solve logistics problems through the use of statistical analysis and computer programs. The type of problems can vary depending on the nature of the business, whether it's a production factory or the military.
Median annual salary: $64,650
Personal financial advisers - $31.79/hour
Personal financial advisers work with individuals to asses their financial situation and help them reach certain goals, which can be anywhere from establishing a retirement fund to deciding the best investment options.
Median annual salary: $66,120
Management analysts - $32.72/hour
Management analysts look at a company's structure and business plans for ways to improve revenue and productivity.
Median annual salary: $68,050
Civil engineers - $32.98/hour
Civil engineers draw up plans for roads, airports and other public goods and oversee their construction.
Median annual salary: $68,600
Mechanical engineers - $33.58/hour
Mechanical engineers are involved in the creation of new tools, machines and components, from the concept's inception to the production and testing stages.
Median annual salary: $69,850
I'll also go ahead and add that while $5 head is common (propagated by IO through the 90s and then becoming the de facto community standard), there are plenty of folks who charge a flat rate for their time as well as folks who direct for free. I don't think neither coaches nor performers put much thought into why it is the standard or why they should pay it other than, "that's the way it is."
To be honest, I'm kinda fading out of the directing game for now, but if I came back I would adopt a $X/hour standard for simplicity's sake.
To be honest, I'm kinda fading out of the directing game for now, but if I came back I would adopt a $X/hour standard for simplicity's sake.
Sammy, your per-hour rates are deceptive, because they imply 40 hours/wk of time. Some of us may make decent money at coaching but I don't anyone who uses it as principal income. That coaching fee also includes (to a lesser extent) travel time, which is subsumed into a 40hrs/wk salary as well. I'm sure someone working 40 hours a week coaching out of a single location might be able to charge less.
Compare this to the cost of taking a typical improv class. 16 people x $350 / 8 weeks x 3 hours is $233 an hour (to the school most likely). Or, to put it another way, if I'm in a group of 3 paying a coach 20 (amoungst us) an hour for three hours for 8 weeks (plus 15 an hour for space), I have to pay $280 versus 300-350 I would have paid for the same time in a class with 5 times as many people. Where's the better value? Depends on the coach.
Compare this to the cost of taking a typical improv class. 16 people x $350 / 8 weeks x 3 hours is $233 an hour (to the school most likely). Or, to put it another way, if I'm in a group of 3 paying a coach 20 (amoungst us) an hour for three hours for 8 weeks (plus 15 an hour for space), I have to pay $280 versus 300-350 I would have paid for the same time in a class with 5 times as many people. Where's the better value? Depends on the coach.
$5 foot longs
I've paid $5 per rehearsal for the last 8 years in Chicago. Good thing there's no inflation in Chicago. That's been for iO harold teams and other long form groups. When I was in smaller groups we'd usually end up paying like $20 an hour.
There are some harold teams now that have 10 people which will net you enough to get 25 cans of Old Style in the Cabaret.
I've paid $5 per rehearsal for the last 8 years in Chicago. Good thing there's no inflation in Chicago. That's been for iO harold teams and other long form groups. When I was in smaller groups we'd usually end up paying like $20 an hour.
There are some harold teams now that have 10 people which will net you enough to get 25 cans of Old Style in the Cabaret.
