Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Fitness instructor salary
Average fitness instructor salary
$35,495
Understanding Fitness Instructor Salaries
The average salary for a fitness instructor is $35,495 per year, translating to about $17 per hour. However, this figure can vary significantly based on location, experience, and the type of facility where one works. For instance, instructors in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living.
Salary by State
Fitness instructors in states such as California and New York typically command higher salaries, reflecting the increased living expenses and demand for fitness services. In contrast, those in less populous states may see lower averages.
Job Opportunities
Besides traditional gym settings, fitness instructors can find opportunities in hospitals, schools, and wellness retreats, which may offer different compensation structures. Additionally, specialized instructors focusing on specific fitness trends or certifications can earn more, providing further incentive to enhance professional credentials.
Conclusion
As the fitness industry continues to grow, so do the opportunities for instructors. By focusing on skill development and understanding market dynamics, you can position yourself for a successful career in this field.
Let Zippi find your next fitness instructor job
Let Zippi find your next fitness instructor job
Where can a Fitness Instructor earn more?
Fitness instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average fitness instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for fitness instructors are California, Hawaii, and Nevada. The lowest average fitness instructor salary states are Missouri, Idaho, and Wisconsin.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for fitness instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $50,849 | $24.45 |
| 2 | Nevada | $42,946 | $20.65 |
| 3 | Oregon | $40,367 | $19.41 |
| 4 | Alaska | $41,301 | $19.86 |
| 5 | Colorado | $39,248 | $18.87 |
| 6 | Texas | $40,512 | $19.48 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $45,751 | $22.00 |
| 8 | Arizona | $39,212 | $18.85 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $38,183 | $18.36 |
| 10 | Maryland | $39,238 | $18.86 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $34,658 | $16.66 |
| 12 | Mississippi | $35,933 | $17.28 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $34,730 | $16.70 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $34,563 | $16.62 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $36,396 | $17.50 |
| 17 | Virginia | $34,128 | $16.41 |
| 18 | Utah | $34,989 | $16.82 |
| 19 | Delaware | $34,062 | $16.38 |
| 20 | Vermont | $36,438 | $17.52 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $34,349 | $16.51 |
| 22 | Michigan | $33,057 | $15.89 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $35,425 | $17.03 |
| 24 | Washington | $36,600 | $17.60 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $35,616 | $17.12 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $34,454 | $16.56 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $32,461 | $15.61 |
| 28 | New York | $33,150 | $15.94 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $31,907 | $15.34 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $30,291 | $14.56 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $37,499 | $18.03 |
| 32 | Florida | $31,507 | $15.15 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $31,037 | $14.92 |
| 34 | Alabama | $32,030 | $15.40 |
| 35 | Illinois | $31,226 | $15.01 |
| 36 | Maine | $32,727 | $15.73 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $31,911 | $15.34 |
| 38 | Montana | $29,048 | $13.97 |
| 39 | Georgia | $28,236 | $13.57 |
| 40 | Indiana | $30,026 | $14.44 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $27,872 | $13.40 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $21,825 | $10.49 |
| 43 | Kansas | $28,967 | $13.93 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $27,679 | $13.31 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $27,255 | $13.10 |
| 46 | Iowa | $22,397 | $10.77 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $27,555 | $13.25 |
| 48 | Idaho | $26,544 | $12.76 |
| 49 | Ohio | $20,664 | $9.93 |
| 50 | Missouri | $26,796 | $12.88 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $24,618 | $11.84 |
Highest paying cities for fitness instructors
The highest-paying cities for fitness instructors are Berkeley, CA, Austin, TX, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $51,740 | $24.88 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $41,027 | $19.72 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $39,867 | $19.17 |
| 4 | Tucson, AZ | $39,384 | $18.93 |
| 5 | Littleton, CO | $39,276 | $18.88 |
| 6 | Tacoma, WA | $37,017 | $17.80 |
| 7 | Inver Grove Heights, MN | $36,492 | $17.54 |
| 8 | Chesapeake, VA | $34,368 | $16.52 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $34,349 | $16.51 |
| 10 | Newark, DE | $34,009 | $16.35 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $33,403 | $16.06 |
| 12 | Orlando, FL | $31,432 | $15.11 |
| 13 | Cherry Hill, NJ | $31,305 | $15.05 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $31,249 | $15.02 |
| 15 | Wake Forest, NC | $30,310 | $14.57 |
| 16 | Bensalem, PA | $27,963 | $13.44 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $26,663 | $12.82 |
| 18 | Green Bay, WI | $24,591 | $11.82 |
| 19 | Davenport, IA | $22,468 | $10.80 |
Fitness instructor salary details
A fitness instructor's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $53,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a fitness instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $35,495 | $2,958 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying fitness instructor jobs
The highest paying types of fitness instructors are manager/personal trainer, instructor, and fitness director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Personal Trainer | $32,039 | $2,670 | $15.40 | 65,615 |
| Manager/Personal Trainer | $63,117 | $5,260 | $30.34 | 32,592 |
| Life Skills Trainer | $30,822 | $2,569 | $14.82 | 39,666 |
| Personal Trainer | $37,214 | $3,101 | $17.89 | 34,023 |
| Skills Trainer | $32,779 | $2,732 | $15.76 | 21,389 |
| Strength And Conditioning Internship | $47,497 | $3,958 | $22.84 | 50,805 |
Top companies hiring fitness instructors now:
Which companies pay fitness instructors the most?
Fitness instructor salaries at Massachusetts General Hospital and STG International are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average fitness instructor salary at companies like University of California, Berkeley and City of Roseville Michigan are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $56,922 | $27.37 |
| 2 | STG International | $50,982 | $24.51 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,176 | $23.64 |
| 4 | City of Roseville Michigan | $48,939 | $23.53 |
| 5 | City and County of Denver Government | $48,432 | $23.28 |
| 6 | Delta State University | $48,302 | $23.22 |
| 7 | PSEA | $45,832 | $22.03 |
| 8 | University of California | $44,967 | $21.62 |
| 9 | City of Lakewood | $44,597 | $21.44 |
| 10 | Lexington Medical Center | $41,812 | $20.10 |
| 11 | City of Boise | $41,784 | $20.09 |
| 12 | Retail | $41,215 | $19.81 |
| 13 | Oregon Health & Science University | $40,779 | $19.61 |
| 14 | Educational Alliance | $40,372 | $19.41 |
| 15 | City of Portland | $40,223 | $19.34 |
| 16 | EXOS | $39,842 | $19.15 |
| 17 | Apollo Professional Solutions | $39,644 | $19.06 |
| 18 | Hyatt Hotels | $39,585 | $19.03 |
| 19 | City of Aurora | $39,315 | $18.90 |
| 20 | City of Durham | $39,303 | $18.90 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Fitness Instructor salary by industry
The average fitness instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average fitness instructor salary in the education industry is $37,894, the highest of any industry.
- The average fitness instructor salary in the finance industry is $34,986.
- Fitness instructors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $31,054, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for fitness instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $37,894 | $18.22 |
| 2 | Government | $34,986 | $16.82 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $34,554 | $16.61 |
| 4 | Health Care | $34,534 | $16.60 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $31,054 | $14.93 |
High paying fitness instructor jobs
Fitness instructor salary trends
The average fitness instructor salary has risen by $8,306 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average fitness instructor earned $27,189 annually, but today, they earn $35,495 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for fitness instructors over the last decade.
Compare fitness instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average fitness instructor salary over time
Compare fitness instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Fitness instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,500 | $17.07 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $35,400 | $17.01 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $34,900 | $16.77 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $34,400 | $16.52 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $33,400 | $16.08 | +5.2% |
Recently added fitness instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Community Fitness Instructor PRN | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Lakewood Companies | Variable Specialty Fitness Instructor-Pilates Reformer | Lakewood, CO | 06/30/2025 | $48,001 |
| Oregon State University | Mind/Body Fitness Instructor | Corvallis, OR | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Hardknox Astoria | Fitness Instructor | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $62,610 |
| ASM Global-SMG | Yoga & Fitness Instructor-Morgan Park Sports Center | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Bodyrok Torrance/Redondo Beach | Pilates Fitness Instructor | Redondo Beach, CA | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| ASM Global | Yoga & Fitness Instructor-Morgan Park Sports Center | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| CSU Careers | Student Fitness Instructor | Turlock, CA | 06/27/2025 | $34,436 |
| Stanislaus State | Student Fitness Instructor | Turlock, CA | 06/27/2025 | $34,436 |
| Coraltreehospitality | Fitness Instructor-Hotel Polaris) | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
Fitness instructor salary FAQs
Search for fitness instructor jobs