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The differences between certified personal trainers and group exercise instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a certified personal trainer and a group exercise instructor. Additionally, a group exercise instructor has an average salary of $34,348, which is higher than the $32,039 average annual salary of a certified personal trainer.
The top three skills for a certified personal trainer include CPR, customer service and injury prevention. The most important skills for a group exercise instructor are CPR, yoga, and kids.
| Certified Personal Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $32,039 | $34,348 |
| Hourly rate | $15.40 | $16.51 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 65,615 | 33,704 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Certified Personal Trainer is a person who will guide, help, and motivate you to move forward and become successful. Anyone with a mastery of a specific subject can become a personal trainer; however, certification is given only by accredited organizations that can offer licensure or certification programs. Many hope to find their own certified personal trainer in this hectic and convoluted society to accompany them through thick and thin in life.
A group exercise instructor is responsible for leading fitness training and programs for different class groups. Group exercise instructors develop correct conditioning techniques, as well as observing the proper form of the student from their movements and exercises. A group exercise instructor also recommends nutritional foods and beverages that would help the students maintain a healthy lifestyle and development. They identify each student's strengths and weaknesses and develop comprehensive training programs to address their needs.
Certified personal trainers and group exercise instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Certified Personal Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Average salary | $32,039 | $34,348 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $47,000 | Between $22,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | City and County of Denver Government | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Education |
There are a few differences between a certified personal trainer and a group exercise instructor in terms of educational background:
| Certified Personal Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between certified personal trainers' and group exercise instructors' demographics:
| Certified Personal Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.5% Female, 46.5% | Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |