Many contract studios will support you with some sort of minimum guarantee salary. Not only that, but they bring you the clientelle, so you don't have to worry about where your next student is coming from.

The Murrays and Astaires are decent as a starting point, but they don't pay well enough to support you in a big city like New York. You'll either have to find a contract studio that pays well, or try a cheaper city.

Los Angeles and San Francisco also happen to have some of the best in the U.S., (e.g. Victor & Heather, David Hamilton, all 4 Suvorovs, Donald & Kasia, Stuart Cole, Michael & Toni, Brian & Kristi McDonald, etc). But these cities also have a high cost of living. But you can always live in an area that's not right in the center where the cost of living is highest. I hear Lancaster is dirt cheap these days (c:

Anyway, if you have the desire, there's no reason you can't do it. You just need a good support system. Just pick a city that has a good studio that pays reasonably well, a handful of good teachers, and a couple of potential partners, and you'll be set.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson