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The differences between fitness assistants and personal trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a fitness assistant and a personal trainer. Additionally, a personal trainer has an average salary of $37,214, which is higher than the $33,790 average annual salary of a fitness assistant.
The top three skills for a fitness assistant include CPR, AED and facility equipment. The most important skills for a personal trainer are CPR, customer service, and resuscitation.
| Fitness Assistant | Personal Trainer | |
| Yearly salary | $33,790 | $37,214 |
| Hourly rate | $16.25 | $17.89 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 6,609 | 34,023 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
It is the responsibility of a fitness assistant to ensure the safety of fitness center patrons in facilities. Fitness assistants help in facility equipment and protocol while implementing the facility's rules and verifying the right determination of entering patrons. They organize and maintain paperwork with regards to a facility like excel spreadsheets. Part of their job is to manage the accounts and billings of every member along with great customer service. Also, they handle personal training, group exercise, and health promotion.
A personal trainer is responsible for monitoring the client's fitness goals by assisting the client with specific and customized routines and exercises to promote healthy well-being. Duties of a personal trainer also include evaluating the client's fitness progress, creating safe programs to improve the client's stamina, educating the client with workout benefits, suggesting on a client's best nutrition plans, and motivating clients with their capabilities. A personal trainer should have excellent knowledge of the fitness industry to support the client's needs.
Fitness assistants and personal trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Assistant | Personal Trainer | |
| Average salary | $33,790 | $37,214 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a fitness assistant and a personal trainer in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Assistant | Personal Trainer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 fitness assistants' and personal trainers' demographics:
| Fitness Assistant | Personal Trainer | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.3% Female, 54.7% | Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7% |
| 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% |