Guide
How much does it cost to become a CPR instructor?
Updated 7 min read
The short answer
Plan on about $400 to $500 for the instructor course and your instructor manual, such as the Red Cross’s $350 class in Chicago plus its $53.95 manual, and $1,100 to $2,200 more for manikins and AED trainers if you will teach on your own. Insurance, business registration and your training center’s fees come on top.
Key takeaways
- The instructor course is $350 for the Red Cross’s own class in Chicago and from $415 at HSI; the AHA publishes only its $36 to $43.90 online part.
- Instructor manuals cost about $45 to $55 each on the AHA’s and the Red Cross’s stores.
- Equipment is the biggest cost if you teach on your own: the Red Cross’s instructor starter kits run $1,100.90 to $2,181.60.
- Each student also costs you a card or certificate, so build that into your class price.
Instructor course fees by organization
The instructor course is the one cost every new instructor pays. The Red Cross lists its own class at $350 in Chicago, HSI starts at $415 including a program package, NSC’s online course is $420, and the AHA publishes only the $36.00 to $43.90 online part of its course.
| Organization | Instructor course | Published price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Heart Association | Instructor Essentials: an online part, then an in-person class and a monitored class with a Training Center | Online part $36.00 (Heartsaver) or $43.90 (BLS, ACLS, PALS) | Each Training Center sets its own fee for the classroom part; ask before you enroll. |
| American Red Cross | First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor: online content, then a one-day class | $350.00 for the Red Cross’s own class in Chicago | Training Providers set their own prices. Instructors already certified by an approved organization can take a free online bridge course. |
| HSI | CPR, AED & First Aid Instructor Development Course: online, then an 8-hour session | From $415.00, including one program package | Setting up your own HSI Training Center adds a $49.99 fee. |
| NSC | eLearning instructor course for people already certified, or a three-day in-person course | $420.00 list, $335.00 for members (eLearning) | The in-person course price isn’t published. The Instructor Resource Kit, which includes the first year of authorization, is $247.20 list. |
| ECSI | 11-hour in-person Instructor Development Course | No charge per candidate | The ECSI Education Center buys the course materials once ($119.25). |
Prices from training centers and training providers vary: in the same search near Chicago, one Red Cross Training Provider listed its First Aid/CPR/AED instructor class at $350.00 and another at $135.00. Ask what the fee includes, such as the manual, the skills session and your first instructor card. The guide to becoming a CPR instructor covers each organization’s requirements.
Other costs to plan for
Beyond the course, budget for instructor materials, a current provider card if yours has lapsed, any fees your training center charges, equipment if you will teach on your own, insurance, and a card or certificate for every student you certify.
Instructor materials
You need the instructor manual for each course you teach. The AHA’s BLS Instructor Manual is $53.05 in print or $50.15 as an eBook, and its BLS Instructor Package with the course videos starts at $162.50. The Red Cross’s First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor’s Manual is $53.95 and its Basic Life Support Instructor’s Manual $45.00. ECSI’s online instructor toolkit is $196.75, and NSC’s Instructor Resource Kit $247.20 list.
Your own provider certification
Every path starts from a current provider certification in the course you will teach. If yours has lapsed, the AHA’s HeartCode BLS online part is $38.00 before the skills session, and the Red Cross lists its own BLS class in Chicago at $97.00.
Training center fees
Training centers and providers charge for the cards they issue and sometimes for administration. AHA Training Centers set their own fees, so ask yours what it charges instructors. The Red Cross charges Training Providers a fee per student that varies by course and is listed in each provider’s agreement. HSI Training Centers pay an annual reauthorization fee for each instructor.
Equipment
The Red Cross recommends one manikin and one AED trainer for every two or three students, and a breathing barrier for each student. On the Red Cross’s store, adult manikins with CPR monitors are $195.00 each or $758.00 for four, infant manikins $172.00 or $659.00 for four, and its Prestan-made AED trainer $137.50 or $550.00 for four. The AHA’s ShopCPR sells an AED trainer at $110.00, or $400.00 for four.
Insurance
The U.S. Small Business Administration lists general liability insurance for any business and professional liability insurance for businesses that provide services. Prices depend on your location, coverage and class volume, so get quotes from several licensed agents. Training centers have their own requirements too: the AHA asks new Training Centers for general liability cover of at least $1,000,000.
A card or certificate for each student
Every student you certify costs you a card or certificate. The AHA sells BLS Provider eCards to Training Centers for $3.60, HSI’s digital CPR, AED and first aid card is $14.58, and ECSI’s digital card comes with the student’s manual, such as its $11.95 eBook.
A realistic first-year budget
If you teach with a training center’s equipment, your first year can cost as little as the course and a manual, about $400 to $500. Teaching on your own adds a starter set of manikins and AED trainers, $1,100 to $2,200, plus insurance and business registration, which depend on where you are.
| Cost | Teaching for a training center | Teaching on your own |
|---|---|---|
| Instructor course | $350 (Red Cross, Chicago) to $415 (HSI) | $350 to $465 (HSI with a new Training Center) |
| Instructor manual or kit | $45 to $55 | $45 to $300 |
| Manikins and AED trainers | Usually provided | $1,100.90 to $2,181.60 (Red Cross starter kits) |
| Face shields and lung bags | Usually provided | $32.20 for 50 |
| Insurance | Ask your training center | Get quotes; depends on location and coverage |
| Business registration | Not needed | Usually under $300 (SBA), set by your state; an EIN from the IRS is free |
The Red Cross’s starter kits show the range for equipment: $1,100.90 for four adult manikins and four AED trainers, $1,968.00 for adult and infant manikins with AED trainers, and $2,181.60 for a BLS kit that adds bag-valve masks. The guide to starting a CPR business covers registration, insurance and the rest of the setup.
How many classes to earn it back
Divide what you spent by what each student leaves you after their card and supplies. In the example below, a new HSI instructor with their own equipment earns back $1,736.69 after about 22 students, roughly three classes of eight, before counting their time and room hire.
| HSI Instructor Development Course, with one program package | $415.00 |
|---|---|
| Setting up your own HSI Training Center | $49.99 |
| Four adult manikins with CPR monitors (Prestan, HSI store) | $758.00 |
| Four AED trainers (Prestan UltraTrainer, HSI store) | $481.50 |
| 50 adult face shields with lung bags | $32.20 |
| Startup total | $1,736.69 |
Say you charge $97.00 a student, what the Red Cross lists for its own Adult First Aid/CPR/AED class in Chicago. Each student costs you $14.58 for HSI’s digital CPR, AED and first aid card and about $0.64 for a face shield and lung bag, so each one leaves you $81.78. $1,736.69 divided by $81.78 is 21.2, so 22 students pay back your startup, and four manikins let you teach about eight students a class.
This leaves out your time, room hire, insurance, advertising and card processing fees, so your own number will be higher. Try it with your prices and your organization’s card fees. For setting your price, see how much to charge for CPR classes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to become a CPR instructor?
If you already hold an instructor certification from an approved organization, the Red Cross’s online bridge courses are free. Otherwise, ECSI charges no fee per candidate for its instructor course once an Education Center has the materials, and the published prices for the Red Cross’s own class in Chicago and HSI’s course are $350 and $415.
Does the AHA charge for instructor courses?
The AHA sells the online part, Instructor Essentials, for $36.00 for Heartsaver and $43.90 for BLS, ACLS and PALS on its ShopCPR store. The in-person class and the monitored class are run by AHA Training Centers, which set their own fees.
Do I need my own equipment to become an instructor?
Not for the instructor course, but you will to teach on your own. The Red Cross recommends one manikin and one AED trainer for every two or three students and a breathing barrier for each student. The Red Cross’s adult CPR and AED instructor starter kit, with four manikins and four AED trainers, is $1,100.90.
Are there yearly costs after I’m certified?
Yes. Plan for insurance, replacement lung bags and face shields, and the cards or certificates you issue for each student. HSI Training Centers pay a reauthorization fee for each instructor every year, while ECSI renews instructors who teach two courses in two years at no cost.