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Coach and trainer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a coach and trainer. Coach and trainers usually study business, kinesiology, or psychology. 60% of coach and trainers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,931 real coach and trainer resumes to see exactly what coach and trainer education sections show.
The most common colleges for coach and trainers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online coach and trainer courses to help get the education required to be a coach and trainer.
There are certain coach and trainer certifications that you should consider. These coach and trainer certifications include Certified Personal Trainer and Master Certified Coach (MCC).
What education do you need to become a coach and trainer?
What degree do you need to be a coach and trainer?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a coach and trainer?
- Business, 24%
- Kinesiology, 13%
- Psychology, 8%
- Criminal Justice, 6%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for coach and trainers
| Coach and trainer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 21.31% |
| Arizona State University | 6.15% |
| American University | 6.15% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 4.92% |
| Troy University | 4.51% |
Best majors for coach and trainers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.8% |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 12.8% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.0% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 6.0% |
| 5 | Communication | 5.6% |
Best colleges for coach and trainers
The best colleges for coach and trainers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A coach and trainer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for coach and trainers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become coach and trainers.
1. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
20 best online courses for coach and trainers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for coach and trainers
The most affordable schools for coach and trainers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and university of florida.
If the best universities for coach and trainers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for coach and trainers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for coach and trainers
The hardest universities for coach and trainers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for coach and trainers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for coach and trainers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA • Private
Admissions rate
36%
SAT average
1,330
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for coach and trainers
The easiest schools for coach and trainers to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a coach and trainer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for coach and trainers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average coach and trainer salary by education level
| Coach and trainer education level | Coach and trainer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $67,366 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,971 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,299 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $56,596 |
Coach and trainer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025