Jiu Jitsu is one of the most popular (and effective) martial arts. In the past decades, BJJ gyms have gained the world, especially after Brazilian champions started traveling and opening schools in different countries, expanding their brands and teaching Jiu Jitsu even in small cities. But have you ever wondered how much do Jiu Jitsu gyms make?
As a general rule, Jiu Jitsu gyms make around $80 – $250 a month per student. A BJJ school with 100 students would make around $8000 and $25000 per month, depending on the gym type. On average, a BJJ gym monthly cost is about $2200 – $8500. The higher expenses are usually rent and insurance.
There are a lot of questions on this subject that go from athletes that want to open their own school to investors and outsiders that are curious to learn more about this business model. To understand the numbers described above, let’s dig deeper into the finance behind a BJJ gym and some tips on how to maximize profits.
Average Monthly Price (School Type)
One of the most important things to check to know exactly how much a Jiu Jitsu gym can make is the average price for a monthly membership. This is the first number were going to check. In our research, we separated the BJJ schools into three categories: new brands, well-established brands, and premium schools. This is important because premium gyms (in big cities or with famous world champion instructors) usually are way more expensive than new schools in a small town, for example.
As a general rule, the price for a monthly BJJ plan in the US can vary between $80 and $250. The average price is around $120 – $150. However, training in well-established brands can cost more. Schools with famous instructors, or in big cities usually cost more than $200 for a monthly membership.
| School Type | New Schools, Basic Programs, New Brands | Well-Established Brands, Good Professors, Good Structure | Famous Instructors, Big Cities, Premium Gyms |
| Price per Month | $80 – $120 | $120 – $200 | $250+ |
Average Monthly Income (School Type | Total Students)
Knowing how much a Jiu Jitsu gym make per student is important to have a better idea of how much money a BJJ school can make depending on the number of enrolled students. The first year is the hardest for BJJ school, as getting the first 50 is hard, especially if you are trying to put a new brand in the market. But after that things usually start to grow faster. In the following table, you’ll be able to check the expected income range for each type of gym with 10, 50, 100, 200, and 300 students.
| School Type | New Schools, Basic Programs, New Brands | Well-Established Brands, Good Professors, Good Structure | Famous Instructors, Big Cities, Premium Gyms |
| Total Students | Income Range (Month) | Income Range (Month) | Income Range (Month) |
| 10 | $800 – $1200 | $1200 – $2000 | $2500+ |
| 50 | $4000 – $6000 | $6000 – $10000 | $12500+ |
| 100 | $8000 – $12000 | $12000 – $20000 | $25000+ |
| 200 | $16000 – $24000 | $24000 – $40000 | $50000+ |
| 300 | $24000 – $36000 | $36000 – $60000 | $75000+ |
Other Sources Of Income
The tuition fees are not the only source of income in a BJJ school. At least, they should not be. There are ways to increase the revenue of Jiu Jitsu gym by selling products and services that have a higher average price and a better profit margin.
- Gis
The gi is fundamental for practicing Jiu Jitsu. Everyone must train in using gi, that’s a mandatory item for any BJJ practitioner. It can be expensive for students, but it’s great news for gym owners. If you know that you will have demand for that product whenever a new student arrives at the gym, in addition to selling a subscription plan, you will also have a good chance of selling a gi. A good idea is to buy kimonos without customization and at a good price and customize with your brand. This way, gym owners can get a good profit margin and still do free marketing with the brand’s visual identity stamped on all students.
- Private Classes
Private classes are an exceptional way to improve the revenue of a Jiu Jitsu gym, as a single 1-hour private BJJ session per week can cost up to $250. That’s the price for a month of training in a premium gym. Add 4 students in your week and you’ll be adding $1000 to your business revenue for 4 hours of work in a week.
Monthly Costs of A BJJ Gym
The bad part of any business paying the bills, as there are costs involved to keep everything functioning well. In a Jiu Jitsu gym, it’s no different. There are obvious costs (rent, power, people, etc), but there are also some hidden costs, things that you’ll only realize are super expensive after you already have a problem (maintenance, for example). It’s hard to estimate an average cost for a BJJ gym, as there are factors that can influence things like rent (small towns vs big cities), insurance, personal, etc. Even so, the expected monthly cost for a small Jiu Jitsu gym should be around $2200 – $4500. For a medium-sized school, expected costs are in the range of $4500 – $6350. Premium schools are expensive to maintain, with monthly costs varying between $6350 – $8500.
Related Questions
Do Jiu Jitsu gyms make money? As a general rule, Jiu Jitsu gyms make good money, especially if they offer a good program for kids. However, there are costs involved, and keep a gym running can be expensive. Having at least 50 students is essential for the financial health of the business.
Why are Jiu Jitsu gyms so expensive? Jiu Jitsu gyms can be expensive depending on where you live and who the coach is. Schools in small towns are usually cheaper than the ones in capitals. Also, training with famous instructors/world champions or premium schools is usually is more expensive.
