How to hire a certified personal trainer

How to hire a certified personal trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified personal trainer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a certified personal trainer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new certified personal trainer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a certified personal trainer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a certified personal trainer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A certified personal trainer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, certified personal trainers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents certified personal trainer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Certified Personal Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Personal Trainer	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardiovascular exercises (exercises for the heart and blood circulation), strength training, and stretching. They work with people of all ages and skill levels.	$10-22
   Yoga Teacher	A yoga teacher is responsible for teaching yoga as an exercise to enhance general body wellbeing and fitness. Yoga teachers primarily focus on teaching students how to practice meditation, perform different body stretching poses and improve mindfulness, which leads to general body wellbeing... Show more	$14-44
   Strength And Conditioning Internship	Strength and conditioning interns are students, under an internship scheme, who provide assistance to staff in a comprehensive strength and conditioning programs' teaching and implementation. The programs integrate diverse curriculum focusing on the science and techniques associated with strength and conditioning... Show more	$13-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Injury Prevention
   • Group Training
   • NASM
   • Weight Loss
   • Program Design
   • Fitness Assessments
   • Front Desk
   • Fitness Programs
   • Strength Training
   • Training Sessions
   • Resuscitation
   • Blood Pressure

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
   • Train in CPR in case of emergencies.
   • Develop circuit training and small group Pilates classes.
   • Instruct Pilates classes and create a custom Pilates class for senior clients.
   • Coach and tutor colleagues on exercise science concepts as outlined in NASM certification material.
   • Assist in the cardiac rehabilitation clinic which include implementing progressive rehabilitation methods with education for long term health and wellness.

   More certified personal trainer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your certified personal trainer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A certified personal trainer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a certified personal trainer in Missouri may be lower than in California, and an entry-level certified personal trainer usually earns less than a senior-level certified personal trainer. Additionally, a certified personal trainer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average certified personal trainer salary

   $15.40hourly

   $32,039 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level certified personal trainer salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average certified personal trainer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$51,395	$25
   2	Connecticut	$41,254	$20
   3	Massachusetts	$39,799	$19
   4	Rhode Island	$39,569	$19
   5	Colorado	$37,785	$18
   6	New Jersey	$35,361	$17
   7	Illinois	$35,289	$17
   8	Texas	$35,032	$17
   9	Arizona	$34,628	$17
   10	Florida	$34,362	$17
   11	Utah	$33,335	$16
   12	Kansas	$30,660	$15
   13	Montana	$28,733	$14
   14	North Carolina	$27,780	$13
   15	Georgia	$27,375	$13
   16	Indiana	$26,643	$13
   17	Ohio	$20,687	$10

   Average certified personal trainer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City and County of Denver Government	$54,220	$26.07	2
   2	Georgetown University	$52,752	$25.36
   3	Retail	$44,230	$21.26
   4	Town of Leesburg, VA	$43,906	$21.11
   5	Healthtrax	$41,389	$19.90	82
   6	Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center	$40,541	$19.49	1
   7	VASA Fitness	$39,823	$19.15
   8	Better	$39,666	$19.07
   9	Massage Envy	$37,205	$17.89	3
   10	Oshman Family JCC	$36,520	$17.56	4
   11	Burn Boot Camp	$35,444	$17.04	25
   12	Spectrum Health	$34,652	$16.66
   13	Shalom Austin JCC	$34,505	$16.59	1
   14	Xponential Fitness	$34,306	$16.49	4
   15	Aegion	$34,240	$16.46
   16	Blink Fitness	$33,942	$16.32	2
   17	Rejuv Medical	$33,525	$16.12
   18	Trinity Health	$31,858	$15.32	90
   19	Jewish Community Center	$31,442	$15.12	23
   20	FITNESS 19	$30,048	$14.45

4. Writing a certified personal trainer job description

   A certified personal trainer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a certified personal trainer job description:

   Certified personal trainer job description example

   Job DescriptionSalary: $17-$24
   

   Burn Boot Camp Trainer

   
   

   Burn Boot Camp is a trendsetting franchise fitness organization with multiple locations throughout the United States. Our trainers must be in top physical condition and live a clean, healthy lifestyle. As a Burn Boot Camp Trainer, you will be responsible for delivering dynamic challenging workouts to members of all fitness levels. This position requires a strong ability to be a personal trainer in a group setting, motivating multiple clients and providing a positive community for change. A Burn Boot Camp Trainer focuses on lifestyle, including mindset, nutrition, strength and burst (HIIT), all creating an inviting environment of support to exceed client’s expectations.

   Burn Boot Camp La Crosse is looking for a Part time Certified Personal Trainers available for:

   evening (3:00pm to 7:30pm)

   and/or

   morning shifts (4:00am to 10:30am)

   required rotating Saturdays (6:30am-10:30am)

   
   

   Pay Range: $17.00 to $24.00 an Hour

   
   

   What We offer:

   Flexible scheduling

   Gym Membership

   25% off Burn Retail

   25% off Burn Nutrition

   Opportunity to grow within!

   
   

   As a Trainer you will:

   Deliver pre-designed and custom workouts to groups

   Lead and motivate clients throughout intense training sessions

   Build and maintain highly engaged member base

   Practices what you preach. Lives a lifestyle similar to the way you want clients to live theirs.

   Ensure safety of participants in regards to exercise technique

   Modify specific exercises to accommodate various skill levels

   Attend weekly and monthly fitness meetings and required educational presentations

   Handle member concerns when applicable

   Use social media daily to keep members engaged and promote brand as directed by the Head Trainer

   Convert promotional clients and free trails to members

   Be fitness leader in community

   What you will Need:

   Experienced Certified Personal Trainer. Must hold current fitness certification from an approved education company such as ACSM, ACE, NAMS, NCSA, AFFA, NFPT (NCCA Certified) or degree in an exercise science related field.

   Knowledge of physiology, exercise technique, and body mechanics

   Pass Burn Bootcamp Strength and Conditioning Assessment

   Ability to multi-task and stay organized

   Positive, motivating and effective interpersonal communication skills

   Desire and capacity to train all fitness levels

   Have a high level of understanding and presence in social media.

   CPR/AED certification

   Excellent communication and customer service skills

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find certified personal trainers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified personal trainer job on Zippia to find and recruit certified personal trainer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit certified personal trainers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new certified personal trainer

   Once you've decided on a perfect certified personal trainer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new certified personal trainer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a certified personal trainer?