Self Defense Instructor Salaries in California
How Much Does a Self Defense Instructor Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Self Defense Instructor in California is $62,568.
While Salary.com is seeing that Self Defense Instructor salary in CA can go up to $77,965
or down to $51,953, but most earn between $57,012 and $70,627.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Self Defense Instructor
Facing Salary Structure Challenges? Let Our Expert Guide You
The job market is increasingly challenging. Our whitepaper, Navigating the Challenges of Creating Salary Structures, offers guidance on creating salary structures. Provide your phone number and work email to download the full version.
We will handle your contact details in line with our Privacy Policy.
If you prefer not to receive marketing emails from Salary.com, you can opt-out out of marketing communications at any time by clicking unsubscribe.
Choose a prefer time
Choose Your Preferred Time
All times are listed as US Eastern time (Boston/New York)
-
9:00 AM-9:30 AM
-
9:30 AM-10:00 AM
-
10:00 AM-10:30 AM
-
10:30 AM-11:00 AM
-
11:00 AM-11:30 AM
-
11:30 AM-12:00 PM
-
12:00 PM-12:30 PM
-
12:30 PM-1:00 PM
-
1:00 PM-1:30 PM
-
1:30 PM-2:00 PM
-
2:00 PM-2:30 PM
-
2:30 PM-3:00 PM
-
3:00 PM-3:30 PM
-
3:30 PM-4:00 PM
-
4:00 PM-4:30 PM
-
4:30 PM-5:00 PM
-
5:00 PM-5:30 PM
-
5:30 PM-6:00 PM
-
6:00 PM-6:30 PM
-
6:30 PM-7:00 PM
-
7:00 PM-7:30 PM
-
7:30 PM-8:00 PM
Similar Job Salaries to Self Defense Instructor by Company
Loading results...
| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
Athletes Global
Self Defense Instructor
|
$80,834/yr
|
RANGE: $70,890 - $90,779
|
|
Los Angeles County Office of Education
2025/2026 - Associate Faculty - Martial Arts/Self-Defense
|
$71,044/yr
|
RANGE: $62,097 - $79,990
|
|
Santa Rosa Junior College
2025/2026 - Associate Faculty - Martial Arts/Self-Defense
|
$66,225/yr
|
RANGE: $57,654 - $74,796
|
|
Delta Defense
Outside Sales, District Manager - Self Defense Industry - Southern California & Hawaii
|
$117,557/yr
|
RANGE: $104,572 - $130,542
|
|
AOB Products Company
Marketing Manager - Optics/Self - Defense
|
$128,798/yr
|
RANGE: $114,459 - $143,136
|
|
Motlow State Community College
Cyber Defense Instructor
|
$85,330/yr
|
RANGE: $75,621 - $95,038
|
|
BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL (U.K.) LTD
Cyber Defense Analyst Instructor
|
$114,554/yr
|
RANGE: $104,727 - $124,381
|
|
Booz Allen
Cyber Defense Analyst Instructor
|
$95,022/yr
|
RANGE: $86,512 - $103,533
|
|
Jobleads-US
Defense Counselor
|
$101,048/yr
|
RANGE: $91,564 - $110,531
|
|
TemPositions
Defense Attorney
|
$148,863/yr
|
RANGE: $133,382 - $164,343
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Self Defense Instructor Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Self Defense Instructor can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Self Defense Instructor job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Self Defense Instructor jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Self Defense Instructor positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Self Defense Instructor salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Self Defense Instructor salary is $71,548 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Self Defense Instructor salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Self Defense Instructor in California is $62,568,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Self Defense Instructor jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Self Defense Instructor jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $71,548 | $5,962 | $1,376 | $34 |
| Santa Clara | $71,548 | $5,962 | $1,376 | $34 |
| Fremont | $71,412 | $5,951 | $1,373 | $34 |
| San Francisco | $70,845 | $5,904 | $1,362 | $34 |
| Daly City | $70,845 | $5,904 | $1,362 | $34 |
| Berkeley | $69,273 | $5,773 | $1,332 | $33 |
| Oakland | $69,273 | $5,773 | $1,332 | $33 |
| Hayward | $69,160 | $5,763 | $1,330 | $33 |
| Antioch | $65,359 | $5,447 | $1,257 | $31 |
| Vallejo | $63,816 | $5,318 | $1,227 | $31 |
What Does a Self Defense Instructor Do?
This is a good self defense knife to throw in your truck or to attach to your gear when you go camping to possibly use in a self defense situation.
Updated December 13, 2021
For self defense purposes, it is typically recommended to choose a knife at least a 4-inch blade, however, that is not to say knives with shorter blades cannot be effective for self defense.
Updated November 11, 2021
That said, if used properly all the knives on this list are great alternatives to carrying a firearm and VERY effective for self defense purposes.
Updated October 22, 2021
Anyone can learn basic physical self-defense skills, even someone small, elderly, with physical disabilities, overweight, or out of shape.
Updated December 22, 2021
That said, if you’re looking for a self defense knife that doubles as an EDC knife, there are better options for you on this list.
Updated December 22, 2021
Empower Your Talent Strategy with Salary.com's Skills Library.
Struggling with Managing Your Job Descriptions?
View Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles, 18 Industries, and 26 Job Families.
Skills LibraryOur job description management tool- JobArchitect streamlines your job description process. Say goodbye to the hassle of crafting job descriptions.
Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Self Defense Instructor Salaries
What is the average of a Self Defense Instructor in California?
The Self Defense Instructor salary range is from $57,012 to $70,627, and the average Self Defense Instructor salary is $62,568/year in California.
The Self Defense Instructor's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Self Defense Instructor salary in the United States?
The Self Defense Instructor salary in San Jose, CA is $71,548
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Self Defense Instructor's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Self Defense Instructor.
What is the growth rate of the Self Defense Instructor's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Self Defense Instructor or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Self Defense Instructor.
