Suppose you are a gymnast who has an insane level of flexibility in your body and has a dream to inspire people of your town with your gymnastics skills. You want the people of your town to have the same level of flexibility and durability that you have. Moreover, you also wish that people in your locality be able to compete in the athletic competition and win medals at the state and national level. So, to fulfill your dream, you want to start your own gymnastics gym in your place. But before finalizing the decision to open your gymnastics gym, you might have to find the answer to the question, “How much is the cost of opening a gymnastics gym?”

As per Fact MR’s research shows that the gymnastics equipment market in 2023 grew at a CAGR of 4.0% and reached a valuation of $7.1 billion. Furthermore, during the time span of 2023-2033, the market will expect rapid growth with a CAGR of 4.2%, reaching a valuation of $10.71 billion. All these analyses represent that whether you open your gymnastics gym or sell the equipment, you can start a profitable career in the industry while inspiring people of your town towards athletics. 

But, still, you have not found the answer to the question of how much you need to invest while starting your gymnastics gym. Cost estimation related to the gym is not as easy as it seems. You have to consider a lot of factors, starting from equipment purchase price to website development. Here, we will discuss all the possible factors that influence the cost of your initial startup. 

How much does it cost you to start your gymnastics gym? 

Before finalizing your decision about operating your gymnastics gym, you have to make sure that you have done deep market research about the location and the target audience.  This market research involves the gender demographics and age limit of the clients that you are going to target. As per Live Strong’s research, the age limit ratio of boys to girls changed. For the age limit of 6-12, the ratio of females who participate in gymnastics is 58%, while males make up 22%

However, males surpass females in participation when they reach the age bracket of 25 to 34. In this age bracket, females who participate in gymnastics are around 10%, while males make up 25%. For an accurate cost estimation of your gym, you have to consider another factor as well. Here are some of the important factors that enable you to calculate the amount that you need as an initial investment for your gymnastics gym. 

Gymnastics equipment purchases 

For a gym, the most important purchase that you can make is that of the gymnastics equipment. The purchase of equipment is like a one-time investment in your gym. After that, you just have to pay for the maintenance and equipment services. However, the equipment that your clients need in the gym doesn’t fall in the category that often requires servicing. Depending upon the size of your gym, the cost estimation of the equipment may vary from several thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars. 

As per FinModelsLAB’s research, the average cost you need to spend on gym equipment may vary from $50,000 to $200,000. At this cost, you have to purchase the necessary equipment for your gym, which may include the cost of mats, bars, beams, and vaults. For further clarification, let’s break down the cost of each equipment. So, you can get the exact amount you have to invest in individual equipment. However, the price of the equipment may vary depending on the quality and size of the equipment. 

Cost of individual equipment you need to purchase

  • Mats: Mats are the most fundamental equipment that needs to be purchased for your gym. It allows your clients to land safely without hurting themselves during practice. If you want to buy a professional mat for your clients to prepare them for the competition, it may cost you up to $800. If your gym has clients who are beginners, you can buy a mat that can cost you up to $50
  • Bars: If you want to give your clients advanced training, you must install bars in your gym. These bars enable them to practice gymnastics professionally. You can either use uneven bars or single stationary bars, depending on the size of the gym. The uneven bars can cost you up to $600 to $3000, while a single stationary bar can cost you up to $200 to $500. 
  • Beans: Beans that you can install in your gym are crucial for your gym gymnastics tools and add to their beauty. You can vary the cost of the beans by changing their quality. A high-quality bean can cost your gym up to $2000, while a bean for a beginner can cost between $200 and $500
  • Vaults: Vaults enable your clients to perform gymnastics in an easy and convenient way. However, these vaults are costly, and a single horse can cost your gym between $800 and $1800. Thus, to reduce the cost of the vaults and to improve the safety of the clients, experts suggest that you have to buy at least two vaulting horses at a time. 

Thus, you have to make sure that your gym has all the necessary equipment so that your clients can easily perform their athletics practice. 

Facility lease or purchase

After making a cost estimation for your gym equipment.  Now, you have to calculate the cost of whether buying a facility is preferable for you or acquiring the facility on lease. Buying the gym facility or renting the gym on lease have their benefits. As per the research, the average cost for leasing a 10,000-square-foot facility can range between $800 to $1500 per month. The cost of the lease can range based on the size and location of the facility. However, if you want to be the owner of your gym facility, you need to make an investment costing between $250,000 and $1 million. 

For example, After purchasing the equipment, you divert your focus to the facility for your gym. Then, you have two choices standing in front of you: you can buy the facility or pay monthly rent. If the budget you have left is not in the cost bracket of buying the place, you have to go for the leasing option. As it enables you to allocate funds toward hiring coaches and marketing your gym on a tight budget. Moreover, if you have unlimited investment, you can buy the property as it assures you long-term stability, potential appreciation, and equity. 

Insurance premiums

To tackle legal compliances and to meet the basic employees’ rights, it is also essential for you to calculate the cost estimation of insurance premiums. Moreover, having insurance for your startup enables you to cover the losses in case of theft, fire, or vandalism. The cost of insurance premiums can range based on the size, location, and the type of coverage you need for your gym. However, this cost can vary based on the country’s economy. For example, in the USA, the average cost of insurance can range between $700 and $4000 per year. 

Your gym is a place that is prone to a high risk of injuries while performing athletics. So, the insurance policy covers the events in case of any injury or accident that happens on the premises. Moreover, you can also buy insurance premiums that cover property, worker’s compensation, and auto insurance in case you have a vehicle in the name of your company.  So, if any mishaps occur on the premises, the insurance company pays you all the losses. 

For example, in your gym, you have a team of 10 employees that train your clients in different shifts. One day, due to a fault in the bars, the instructor taught the client how to use it. He fell from a height, and due to this, severe back injury happened to him. If you have already bought the insurance plan, you can take that employee to the hospital, and the insurance company can pay the hospital expenses. Moreover, it also enables you to tackle legal compliance if any accident inquiry occurs. On the contrary, if you don’t have bought the insurance plan, you have to face severe consequences like legal compliance and hospital issues. 

Salaries for staff and coaches

If you want to ensure that your gymnastic gym runs the marathon of long-term success, it is essential for you also to estimate the salaries of the staff and coaches you are going to hire. Proper estimation of the salaries enables you to separate the wages of the staff from other budgets. So, you are able to pay your staff if no client shows up at the gym. As per statistical research, In the USA, the average salary of a gymnastics coach varies from $40,000 to $50,000 per year. However, the administrative staff of the gymnastics center have an average salary of $25,000 to $35,000

However, this cost can vary depending on the qualifications and experience of the staff in the fitness industry. Apart from offering a salary, you also have to consider other perks like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave. You can also provide them with bonuses based on their performance.  

Position in gym Amount in US dollars
Head coach$50,000$60,000
Assistant coach $25,000$35,000
Administrative assistant $20,000$25,000
Program director$60,000$75,000

Gymnastics software

Apart from having an experienced team, you also need to use gymnastics software to streamline your gym administrative tasks. The software enables you to ensure an environment where you and your clients don’t have to hustle for the daily routine of the gym. The software enables you to manage your clients, staff,  and classes while having an advanced POS system built in. So you can provide your clients with a secure payment system for transactions. 

However, during the initial days, you must allocate a budget for the purchase of gymnastics software. An average gym management software can cost up to $149 per month or $2000 per year.  

Website development and maintenance

If you want your gym to mark its online presence while attracting clients from around the world, it is essential for you to have your gym website. This website enables you to promote your gym online and showcase the services your gym is going to offer to your clients. Moreover, it also allows your clients to book appointments from there. So, it is important for you to include the cost of website development and maintenance during the initial cost estimation of your startup. 

As per the statistical analysis, the average cost that you need to invest in the development of your gym website can vary from $2,000 to $10,000. The maintenance cost that you can invest varies from $35 to $500 per month. So, you need to make a clear budget that is allocated for the website development and maintenance from the initial startup cost. 

Marketing and advertising expenses 

If you want your clients to reach out to your gym in the crowd, you have to spend a decent amount on marketing and advertising your gym. Thus, it enables you to reach potential clients and achieve long-term results. In general, the marketing cost that you can spend on your gym ranges from $ 5,000 to $20,000 per year, depending upon the target audience you want to reach. 

As per Smart Insights’ research, around 62.3% of people worldwide use social media daily. So, to attract those 62.3% of the population, you have to make sure that you also make an investment in social media advertisements. If you want to target an audience from different social media platforms, you have to invest around $200$300 per month. Similarly, if you want to attract an audience from print media or television, you have to spend an additional $1000$10,000+

The final cost of opening a gymnastics gym 

ExpensesAverage amount
Gymnastic equipment purchase$50,000$100,000
Facility lease or purchase$10,000$50,000/month $500,000$ 1 million to purchase
Insurance premiums$5,000$10,000/year
Salaries for staff and coaches$150,000$250,000/year
Gymnastics software$1500$2000/year
Website development and maintenance$5,000$10,000/one-time cost $200$500/month maintenance
Marketing and advertising expenses$10,000$20,000/year
Total $231,700$442,500+

Final takeaway

If you want to inspire people in your town with your gymnastics skills, it is essential for you to have a gymnastics gym so that you can fulfill your dream. However, before making a decision, it is also important to estimate the cost of opening a gymnastics gym. However, after analyzing all the essential factors, from gymnastics equipment purchase to marketing expenses, the final investment that you need to open your gym can vary from $231,700 to $442,500+.  This means if a person wants to start a gymnastics gym, he must have atleast $231,700 in the bank account to run the gym successfully.