Motivational speakers inspire others to improve.
Motivational speakers provide uplifting messages. Because the purpose of the message can be anything from losing weight to advancing in business, motivational speakers may be experts in their area of expertise. Pay usually is between $2,000 and $5,000 per speech, but this depends on the experience of the speaker, who the speaker is and what the speech topic is.
Typical Salaries
According to both the StateUniversity and SimplyHired websites, in 2011, the typical pay for a motivational speaker was $44,000. Hourly, this translates to about $21.15. However, motivational speakers do not work a standard 40-hour week. Instead, they work by engagement. The number of engagements usually is between 20 to 30 per year, but some professional motivational speakers accept many more invitations.
National Speakers Association
Some motivational speakers belong to the National Speakers Association. A 2007 salary survey from the association indicates that the average compensation per engagement for a member was $3,800 per speech. One group of speakers -- 47.4 percent -- earned between $2,001 and $5,000 per speech. The next largest group, 34.7 percent, made $5,001 to $10,000. About 9.4 percent earned $1,001 to $2,000, while 5.2 percent made more than $10,000 per engagement. Only 2 percent earned $501 to $1,000, and just 1.4 percent made $500 or less. The survey reported that the average gross revenue for a member was $177,000. However, this includes non-speech compensation such as the sale of books and motivational recordings.
Non-Standard Earnings
Some motivational speakers are celebrities, athletes, presidents and other famous individuals. These speakers command far higher rates per engagement than general motivational speakers. One of their speeches can equal what a general speaker makes in an entire year.
Other Pay
Even though motivational speakers usually earn somewhere between $2,000 and $5,000 per speech, speeches are not a speaker's only income source. Motivational speakers often put their concepts into books, articles or website content. They also sell products, such as organizational tools, compilations of inspirational quotes and memberships to their personal motivational website. This is a major reason why the average gross revenue reported by the National Speakers Association is in the six-figure range. The highest-paid general motivational speakers communicate through multiple mediums and use their power of persuasion to motivate people not only toward personal goals, but also toward spending money on the speaker.
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