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The differences between fitness instructors and instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructor has an average salary of $53,426, which is higher than the $35,495 average annual salary of a fitness instructor.
The top three skills for a fitness instructor include CPR, customer service and work ethic. The most important skills for an instructor are customer service, CPR, and course curriculum.
| Fitness Instructor | Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $35,495 | $53,426 |
| Hourly rate | $17.06 | $25.69 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 31,212 | 39,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A fitness instructor advocates good physical health by crafting different fitness programs and providing fitness training sessions to a group of clients or individuals. They focus on different kinds of work-out and exercise routines. A fitness instructor mostly works at a gym; however, there are instances when one can work independently or by providing house calls. Furthermore, a fitness instructor needs to build rapport with clients, making them feel at ease during sessions, which will also be beneficial in gaining a strong client base.
Instructors are responsible for imparting knowledge to students. They are well-versed in different topics related to their area of teaching. They prepare lessons, create presentation materials and other collaterals, and present these to the students. They manage the classroom and ensure that students are attentive. Instructors are also responsible for creating ways to check the students' knowledge retention through schoolwork and examinations. They also evaluate their teaching style as well to further improve their skills for the next batch of students. Instructors should be patient, creative, and well-versed in classroom management.
Fitness instructors and instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Instructor | Instructor | |
| Average salary | $35,495 | $53,426 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $53,000 | Between $30,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a fitness instructor and an instructor in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Instructor | Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Business |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between fitness instructors' and instructors' demographics:
| Fitness Instructor | Instructor | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| 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, 10.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 11% |