How to hire a fitness director

How to hire a fitness director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fitness director 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 director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new fitness director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a fitness director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your fitness director job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a fitness director for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A fitness director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, fitness directors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

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

   Type of Fitness Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Fitness Director	Fitness 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.	$15-40
   Yoga Teacher	A yoga teacher is responsible for teaching yoga as an exercise to enhance general body wellbeing and fitness. Yoga teachers primarily focus on teaching students how to practice meditation, perform different body stretching poses and improve mindfulness, which leads to general body wellbeing... Show more	$14-44
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CPR
   • Kids
   • Payroll
   • Yoga
   • Training Sessions
   • House Training
   • Front Desk
   • Group Training
   • Fitness Facility
   • Fitness Equipment
   • Strength Training
   • Membership Sales
   • Group Fitness Instructors

   Check all skills

   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.

   More fitness director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your fitness director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A fitness director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, fitness directors' average salary in alabama is 59% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level fitness directors 61% less than senior-level fitness directors.
   • Certifications. A fitness director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a fitness director's salary.

   Average fitness director salary

   $53,238yearly

   $25.60 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level fitness director salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average fitness director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$84,295	$41
   2	Maryland	$70,089	$34
   3	Connecticut	$66,214	$32
   4	District of Columbia	$66,136	$32
   5	California	$65,525	$32
   6	Illinois	$63,869	$31
   7	Virginia	$62,331	$30
   8	Oregon	$59,505	$29
   9	North Carolina	$55,923	$27
   10	New York	$55,463	$27
   11	Colorado	$54,177	$26
   12	Indiana	$52,444	$25
   13	Arizona	$52,151	$25
   14	Texas	$47,351	$23
   15	Georgia	$46,328	$22
   16	South Carolina	$45,545	$22
   17	Ohio	$42,238	$20
   18	Florida	$34,132	$16
   19	Alabama	$33,901	$16

   Average fitness director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$131,371	$63.16
   2	FirstHealth of the Carolinas	$58,363	$28.06
   3	Healthworks Fitness	$58,067	$27.92
   4	Self Esteem Brands	$57,678	$27.73
   5	YMCA	$57,619	$27.70	22
   6	Xponential Fitness	$57,350	$27.57	11
   7	Compel Fitness	$55,728	$26.79
   8	Duke University Health System	$51,962	$24.98
   9	The St. James	$51,169	$24.60
   10	Village Health Clubs & Spas	$47,654	$22.91
   11	Healthtrax	$45,785	$22.01	41
   12	WTS International	$43,887	$21.10
   13	Onelife Fitness	$42,578	$20.47
   14	AVAC	$42,275	$20.32
   15	Club	$40,400	$19.42	22
   16	Workout Anytime	$39,559	$19.02	36
   17	Community Health Systems	$39,016	$18.76
   18	O2 Fitness Clubs	$38,674	$18.59
   19	Nike	$33,879	$16.29
   20	Anytime Fitness	$25,694	$12.35	202

4. Writing a fitness director job description

   A fitness director 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 director job description:

   Fitness director job description example

   Arch Amenities Group, the world's leading spa and fitness management firm, is seeking a Fitness Director for The Spa at Trump Chicago in Chicago, IL.
   
   The Fitness Director, will be responsible for the daily operations of the facility including: implementing marketing and sales strategic plans, training and scheduling staff, processing payroll, sales and marketing of memberships, facility management and maintenance, supervising the staff in each area of the facility, ensuring the highest levels of guest satisfaction are attained, and using the ability to lead and motivate staff to achieve goals and exceed guest expectations.
   Base salary of $60K plus commissions on Membership and Training Sales. Responsibilities • Develops a comprehensive standard facility operations manual, including written policies and procedures for all facility services, administration, and maintenance using the Arch Amenities Group operations template.
   • Develops, through use of a template, a monthly and yearly management report outlining key facility statistics and a summary of daily operations. Also reports any current or future concerns and, with Operation Director's approval, forwards recommended changes to the client.
   • Submits all paperwork and financial reporting, including payroll, in accordance with Arch Amenities Group policy.
   • Develops and maintains accurate facility maintenance procedures and checklists through routine preventative maintenance and repair. Maintains a preventative maintenance schedule for exercise equipment.
   • Ensures fiscal responsibility through efficient scheduling of department and/or facility and, when necessary, makes changes to stay within budgetary guidelines.
   • Maintains a monthly inventory of supplies, equipment, and or products.
   • Writes articles or press releases for the facility, when applicable.
   • Creates a team of service providers to meet all aspects of professionalism and service demands.
   • Maintains a fully staffed department and/or facility by recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training all staff.
   • Ensures the staff is fully knowledgeable on the use and benefits of services, products, programs, and activities by conducting regularly scheduled staff meetings and training workshops.
   • Ensures appropriate department and/or facility supervisory coverage through use of a Manager on Duty (MOD) system and participates in the MOD schedule.
   • Assesses all department and/or facility employees' progress continually; coaches employees with positive reinforcement, and disciplines, when necessary, fairly and consistently; participates in annual performance evaluations, and, when necessary, assists in the termination process.
   • Provides excellent customer service and monitors guest feedback through the use of comment cards and other customer care techniques. Supervises and follows up on guest requests and comments.
   • Ensures facility is only accessed by actual members and/or guests, and that it is safe and secure at all times.
   • Creates and implements an effective marketing and public relations strategy in a timely manner.
   • Conducts new user orientations including an introduction to the fitness center, facilities, services, programs, policies, and procedures.
   • Develops member participation and recruitment plans; outlining in detail all promotions, fitness programs, and any expenditures.
   • Designs, with the use of templates, forms, flyers, and promotional materials to be utilized in daily facility operations.
   • Conducts personal fitness evaluations and program orientations according to Arch Amenities Group standards and procedures.
   • Sets monthly goals for personal training revenue and markets, promotes, sells, and tracks personal training.
   • Ensures all employees are current in appropriate certifications • Maintains quality control of all programs - Arch Amenities Group systems, personal training, and group exercise.
   • Establishes tracking procedures for facility use and program participation.
   • Ensures all guest fees and class fees are correctly charged.
   • Prepares any incident or accident reports and forwards them to the Arch Amenities Group Operations Director.
   • Reviews and discusses any client suggestions with the Operations Director.
   • Maintains bulletin board(s).
   • Additional duties as assigned Qualifications • College degree in Physical Education or related field preferred
   • Certification from a nationally recognized agency such as ACE, AFFA, ASCM, NSCA, and NSPA
   • Current first aid, CPR, and other safety certifications when required by the client
   • Minimum of one-year supervisory experience in a health facility setting
   • Ability to demonstrate equipment use for exercise training
   • Must be able to lift 45-pound weight plates
   • Excellent customer service skills
   • Efficient, well organized, and able to handle a variety of duties simultaneously
   • Professional manner, discretion, and appearance
   • Excellent verbal and written skills
   • Energetic, enthusiastic and motivational
   • Effective leadership skills and strong work ethic
   • Proficient in appropriate computer skills and office equipment
   • Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
   • Awareness of proper body mechanics to prevent injury
   • This position required the ability to stand for long periods of time.
   • This position required the ability to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, walk, and talk
   • The employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms Facility/Job Highlights Arch Amenities Group is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We can recommend jobs specifically for you! Click here to get started.

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5. Post your job

   To find fitness directors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any fitness directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level fitness directors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your fitness director job on Zippia to find and recruit fitness director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting fitness directors 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 director

   Once you've selected the best fitness director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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