Ski-schools, instructors & $$$ (2)

While we discovered yesterday how American ski resorts beat their European counterparts in the price of a full-day ski lesson, we're comparing today what ski instructors from the two continents end up benefiting from what clients pay for their instruction time.

Let's just compare a French ski instructor doing a decent season in a top resort like Avoriaz, with one working in my neighborhood, let's say Deer Valley. Let's further assume that they each teach 700 hours in the season.

Believe it or not, the fully-certified American ski instructor will end up earning almost half of what his French counterpart receives, even though the hourly rate paid by the client is less than half in France than in the USA.

The American instructor will get about $25 per hour and maybe $5,000 in tips over the course of the winter. Let's assume the tips will take care of the taxes due and that individual will end up with $17,500 net of taxes at the end of the winter.

The French instructor after taxes and contribution to the ski school that booked the lesson will earn about $35 to $40 per hour and while tips are few and far between in France, may take home around $33,000 at the end of his or her season.

Why? I'll try to explain tomorrow.