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How to hire a fitness coach

Fitness coach hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring fitness coaches in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a fitness coach is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per fitness coach on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 46,419 fitness coaches in the US, and there are currently 22,156 job openings in this field.
  • Indianapolis, IN, has the highest demand for fitness coaches, with 18 job openings.

How to hire a fitness coach, step by step

To hire a fitness coach, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a fitness coach:

Here's a step-by-step fitness coach hiring guide:

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

What does a fitness coach do?

A fitness coach specializes in mentoring clients in their journey for a healthier lifestyle, assisting them in reaching their individual goals for physical fitness. Their responsibilities include developing training programs based on the clients' needs, facilitating physical fitness training sessions in an individual or group setting, learning the clients' medical histories for risk prevention, and monitoring the progress of clients, adjusting programs as needed. Furthermore, as a fitness coach, it is essential to build rapport with clients, motivating them to reach their goals.

Learn more about the specifics of what a fitness coach does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the fitness coach you need to hire. Certain fitness coach roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect fitness coach also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    Here's a comparison of fitness coach salaries for various roles:

    Type of Fitness CoachDescriptionHourly rate
    Fitness CoachFitness 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.$11-28
    Yoga InstructorA yoga teacher or instructor is an individual who teaches yoga lessons and works at yoga studios, gyms, or fitness centers. Yoga teachers are wellness and fitness professionals who lead yoga classes... Show more$15-30
    Certified Personal Trainer A Certified Personal Trainer is a person who will guide, help, and motivate you to move forward and become successful. Anyone with a mastery of a specific subject can become a personal trainer; however, certification is given only by accredited organizations that can offer licensure or certification programs... Show more$10-22
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • CPR
    • Kids
    • Fitness Programs
    • Training Programs
    • Heart Rate
    • Injury Prevention
    • Team Training
    • Fitness Equipment
    • Fitness Assessments
    • Strength Training
    • Fitness Floor
    • Dumbbells
    • Membership Sales
    • Front Desk
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
    • Train new employees on sales tactics, and point-of-sale (POS) system.
    • Certify in CPR and first aid to attend appropriately to health issues of participants.
    • Certify in CPR and first response a medical training in order to provide immediate medical response to members in need.
    • Develop and conduct group/individual diabetes self-management educational sessions using evidence-base protocols.
    • Design each HIIT class to match the skill and modifications for all physical levels for all participants.
    More fitness coach duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your fitness coach job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A fitness coach 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 fitness coach in Arkansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level fitness coach usually earns less than a senior-level fitness coach. Additionally, a fitness coach 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 fitness coach salary

    $38,462yearly

    $18.49 hourly rate

    Entry-level fitness coach salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 31, 2026

    Average fitness coach salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$53,697$26
    2Massachusetts$49,851$24
    3District of Columbia$46,600$22
    4Virginia$45,353$22
    5Texas$44,939$22
    6Nevada$44,231$21
    7Arizona$42,648$21
    8Maryland$41,997$20
    9Maine$41,268$20
    10North Carolina$41,026$20
    11Colorado$39,805$19
    12Minnesota$39,055$19
    13New York$38,737$19
    14Florida$38,131$18
    15Pennsylvania$37,970$18
    16Indiana$37,754$18
    17Oregon$37,236$18
    18Georgia$37,081$18
    19Kansas$35,077$17
    20Ohio$29,832$14

    Average fitness coach salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1AEA Investors$126,533$60.83273
    2Owensboro Health$41,823$20.11
    3Adirondack Health$39,557$19.02
    4Amazing Athletes$39,040$18.77291
    5Self Esteem Brands$39,002$18.75
    6THE MAX Challenge$38,942$18.72
    7YMCA$38,894$18.7089
    8Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado$38,872$18.691
    9JumpBunch$38,864$18.6819
    10Rehab$38,849$18.681
    11Bullitt County Public Schools$38,842$18.6719
    12Super Soccer Stars$38,826$18.67700
    13Xponential Fitness$38,699$18.6114
    14Bueno Inc$38,422$18.47
    15F45 Training$38,308$18.42289
    16NY Kids Club$37,660$18.11
    179Round$36,967$17.77169
    18Gainesville Health & Fitness$36,881$17.73
    19TITLE Boxing Club$36,532$17.567
    20Workout Anytime$36,422$17.51103
  4. Writing a fitness coach job description

    A fitness coach 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 fitness coach job description:

    Fitness coach job description example

    NOW HIRING PERSONAL TRAINERS AND SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTORS! Rome NOW HIRING personal trainers to work in our new and existing clubs one of the fastest-growing Fitness Franchise on the planet, Workout Anytime! We are hiring in an established location in Rome ! This is a unique and powerful opportunity if you have the desire to build a CAREER in Fitness! If you are a TEAM player and you are looking for an opportunity for advancement…. READ ON! This is an AMAZING opportunity FOR YOU to work for a RESULTS FOCUSED organization with over 20 years of experience in building and growing personal training clientele inside a supporting fitness club that will assist you to build your schedule!

    Candidate Requirements:
    • NATIONALLY CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINERS (ACE, ISSA, NASM, etc.) PREFERRED
    • OUTGOING PERSONALITY
    • EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS
    • ENJOYS INTERACTING WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE
    • PASSION FOR FITNESS AND CHANGING LIVES
    • MOTIVATED ENTREPRENEUR WHO IS A TEAM PLAYER
    • EXPERIENCE AND/OR RELATED DEGREES ARE ENCOURAGED BUT ON THE JOB TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED
    • SALES BACKGROUND IS A PLUS!
    We are looking for candidates who are PASSIONATE about fitness and helping others achieve their goals. We are interested in hardworking and committed individuals who can thrive in a team environment and want to build a solid career in changing lives! The customer service of a Workout Anytime trainer must be absolutely outstanding! We are not only taking these individuals through one-on-one training, but we are also teaching them to implement HIT cardio, weight training and a whole food nutritional program to provide consistently amazing results! We are VERY passionate about helping our clients achieve any and all of their goals in a healthy and effective way. Our entire TEAM of trainers will work together to provide support and a cheering section for each client. If you are selected to join the Workout Anytime team in your area you will be trained on our training philosophies and how to implement our nutritional program with your clientele. ***Future promotional opportunities will be available to those who demonstrate excellence and leadership capabilities***
  5. Post your job

    To find the right fitness coach for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with fitness coaches they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit fitness coaches who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your fitness coach job on Zippia to find and recruit fitness coach candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting fitness coaches requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 fitness coach

    Once you've found the fitness coach candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    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 fitness coach. 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 fitness coach?

Before you start to hire fitness coaches, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire fitness coaches pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

Fitness coaches earn a median yearly salary is $38,462 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find fitness coaches for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $11 and $28.

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