Fitness director vs head instructor

The differences between fitness directors and head instructors 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 director and a head instructor. Additionally, a fitness director has an average salary of $53,238, which is higher than the $47,768 average annual salary of a head instructor.

The top three skills for a fitness director include customer service, CPR and kids. The most important skills for a head instructor are classroom management, curriculum development, and CPR.

Fitness director vs head instructor overview

	Fitness Director	Head Instructor
Yearly salary	$53,238	$47,768
Hourly rate	$25.60	$22.97
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	9,837	32,924
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

Fitness director vs head instructor salary

Fitness directors and head instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fitness Director	Head Instructor
Average salary	$53,238	$47,768
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $85,000	Between $23,000 And $98,000
Highest paying City	Springfield, MA	Randolph, NJ
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Google	V-Soft Consulting
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between fitness director and head instructor education

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

	Fitness Director	Head Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Business
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Fitness director vs head instructor demographics

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

	Fitness Director	Head Instructor
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 54.8% Female, 45.2%	Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6%
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 fitness director and head instructor duties and responsibilities

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.

Head instructor example responsibilities.

Lead children's classes training kids in kicks and punch self-defense and how to avoid physical confrontations.
Lead modified yoga and meditation sessions to enhance balance and flexibility ;
Instruct the children involve in vocal coaching and memorization of lyrics.
Work with students on costumes, props, and set ideas for show.
Direct drama workshops for after school programs during the school year and the summer.
Train students in the mechanics of wearing the costumes and performing according to the choreography.

Fitness director vs head instructor skills

Common fitness director skills

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

Common head instructor skills

Classroom Management, 42%
Curriculum Development, 15%
CPR, 10%
Water Safety, 7%
Resuscitation, 3%
Self Defense, 3%