As a high school coach, you'll be responsible for shaping young people into developed athletes. High school sports tend to be played at a higher level of competition than kids have experienced before, and that requires educated coaching. If you aim to be a high school coach, expect to work either full or part-time, and to earn a salary that can range anywhere from about $25,000 to more than $40,000 per year.

General Averages

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists coaches working in primary and secondary schools as earning an annual mean wage of $32,120 as of 2013. The jobs website Indeed, meanwhile, lists high school coaches as earning an average salary of $37,000 as of February 2015. The actual amount you'll earn can vary though, depending on what sport you're coaching, the school's budget and your experience level. Head coaching jobs tend to pay the most, while assistant coaches tend to earn less.

Girls' Sports Averages

According to the jobs website Simply Hired, high school girls' soccer coaches tend to earn a relatively higher average salary of $43,000 per year. Girls' basketball coaches also earned an average salary of $43,000. Head softball coaches, according to Simply Hired, earned an average of $42,000, while assistant coaches earned an average of $28,000 as of 2015. Head high school girls' volleyball coaches earned $24,000, notes Simply Hired.

Boys' Sports Averages

In boys' sports, football coaches earned the highest average salaries at $45,000 per year, while assistant football coaches earned an average of $36,000. Boys' head soccer coaches earned the second-highest salaries, at an average of $43,000. High school boys' basketball coaches earned an average of $36,000, according to Simply Hired, while high school baseball coaches earned an average of $27,000 as of 2015.

Becoming a Coach

Becoming a high school coach naturally requires a knowledge of the sport you want to coach. In addition, coaches are typically required to have a knowledge of exercise science, sports medicine and physical education. Because of that, many coaches are also teachers, and often physical education teachers at that. Some schools or school districts also require coaches to attend coaching trainings and earn state or local certifications in coaching. Coaches also typically need to be trained in first aid and CPR. To earn more as a coach -- or to be promoted from assistant to head coach -- might require a certain number of years of experience or advanced training, such as a master's degree in sports science or a related field.