Class instructor vs fitness director

The differences between class instructors and fitness directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a class instructor and a fitness director. Additionally, a fitness director has an average salary of $53,238, which is higher than the $37,717 average annual salary of a class instructor.

The top three skills for a class instructor include CPR, customer service and yoga. The most important skills for a fitness director are customer service, CPR, and kids.

Class instructor vs fitness director overview

	Class Instructor	Fitness Director
Yearly salary	$37,717	$53,238
Hourly rate	$18.13	$25.60
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	52,349	9,837
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

What does a class instructor do?

Class instructors are teachers who apply to teach hands-on skills. The instructors are tasked with the preparation and delivery of lesson plans and other instructional materials for active learning. They manage student behavior in the classroom by establishing academic rules and procedures. They maintain discipline following the disciplinary systems of the school. These instructors must have the ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally, report to work on a regular and punctual basis, and meet professional instructor's education requirements of the district, school, and state.

What does a fitness director do?

A fitness director manages a fitness facility's operations. These operations include creating fitness programs, monitoring staff, scheduling shifts, and even managing the fitness center budget. They can also train fitness instructors and even hire and terminate them. They procure the equipment necessary and make sure it works well and is safe. Aside from these tasks, fitness directors must also be akin to the needs of the center, decide on solutions, and have the ability to motivate clients to follow the program that was created for their betterment.

Class instructor vs fitness director salary

Class instructors and fitness directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Class Instructor	Fitness Director
Average salary	$37,717	$53,238
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $60,000	Between $33,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	Long Beach, CA	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Rutgers University	Google
Best paying industry	Education	Government

Differences between class instructor and fitness director education

There are a few differences between a class instructor and a fitness director in terms of educational background:

	Class Instructor	Fitness Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Kinesiology
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Class instructor vs fitness director demographics

Here are the differences between class instructors' and fitness directors' demographics:

	Class Instructor	Fitness Director
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2%	Male, 54.8% Female, 45.2%
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%

Differences between class instructor and fitness director duties and responsibilities

Class instructor example responsibilities.

Lead modified yoga and meditation sessions to enhance balance and flexibility ;
Develop fitness and wellness classes such as step aerobics, pilates and other routines ensuring a diversity of class offerings.
Teach aerobics, step, kickboxing and Zumba classes.
Create syllabus, reading and writing assignments, develop and grade tests.
Create lesson plans and homework assignments for ESL students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Prepare ESL Spanish-speakers to pass U.S. citizenship test through weekly lessons and mock interviews.

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Fitness director example responsibilities.

Manage business administration including cash management, budgets and payroll; interface with members and resolve conflicts.
Enforce fitness center policies and ensure cleanliness of fitness equipment and customer safety.
Create SaaS offering for global central booking and POS management.
Assist patrons in workouts design to improve structural integrity, cardio capacity, and overall fitness.
Provide staff with information to keep up CPR education and safety procedures according to policy within the facility.
Implement biannual employee safety training that consist of first aid, CPR training, and job-relate safety precautions.

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Class instructor vs fitness director skills

Common class instructor skills

CPR, 29%
Customer Service, 27%
Yoga, 13%
Kids, 11%
Course Curriculum, 7%
Course Materials, 2%

Common fitness director skills

Customer Service, 20%
CPR, 15%
Kids, 9%
Payroll, 7%
Yoga, 5%
Training Sessions, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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