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Fitness and wellness instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a fitness and wellness instructor. Fitness and wellness instructors usually study kinesiology, business, or psychology. 68% of fitness and wellness instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 160 real fitness and wellness instructor resumes to see exactly what fitness and wellness instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for fitness and wellness instructors are the Georgia Southern University and the Georgia Southern University.
There are also many online fitness and wellness instructor courses to help get the education required to be a fitness and wellness instructor.
What education do you need to become a fitness and wellness instructor?
What degree do you need to be a fitness and wellness instructor?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a fitness and wellness instructor?
- Kinesiology, 32%
- Business, 11%
- Psychology, 10%
- Physical Therapy, 5%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for fitness and wellness instructors
| Fitness and wellness instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Georgia Southern University | 10.53% |
| Keene State College | 7.89% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 7.89% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.89% |
| Pace University | 5.26% |
Best majors for fitness and wellness instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinesiology | 31.9% |
| 2 | Business | 10.6% |
| 3 | Psychology | 9.6% |
| 4 | Physical Therapy | 5.3% |
| 5 | Health Education | 5.3% |
Best colleges for fitness and wellness instructors
The best colleges for fitness and wellness instructors are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Southern California.
A fitness and wellness instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for fitness and wellness instructors. 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 fitness and wellness instructors.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
10. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
20 best online courses for fitness and wellness instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for fitness and wellness instructors
The most affordable schools for fitness and wellness instructors are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and university of florida.
If the best universities for fitness and wellness instructors 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 fitness and wellness instructors.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
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. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fitness and wellness instructors
The hardest universities for fitness and wellness instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for fitness and wellness instructors 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 fitness and wellness instructors 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fitness and wellness instructors
The easiest schools for fitness and wellness instructors to get into are Bluefield College, wayland baptist university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a fitness and wellness instructor 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 fitness and wellness instructors.
1. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
9. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
10. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
Average fitness and wellness instructor salary by education level
| Fitness and wellness instructor education level | Fitness and wellness instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,024 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,383 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,218 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,191 |
Fitness and wellness instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025