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The differences between fitness specialists and fitness coaches 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 specialist and a fitness coach. Additionally, a fitness coach has an average salary of $38,462, which is higher than the $32,472 average annual salary of a fitness specialist.
The top three skills for a fitness specialist include CPR, fitness assessments and ACSM. The most important skills for a fitness coach are CPR, kids, and fitness programs.
| Fitness Specialist | Fitness Coach | |
| Yearly salary | $32,472 | $38,462 |
| Hourly rate | $15.61 | $18.49 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 28,175 | 22,156 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Fitness Specialist is focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle through exercise and working with clients in various settings. They teach individuals or groups how to properly perform exercises and use exercise equipment.
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.
Fitness specialists and fitness coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Specialist | Fitness Coach | |
| Average salary | $32,472 | $38,462 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $42,000 | Between $24,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University Settlement | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a fitness specialist and a fitness coach in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Specialist | Fitness Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between fitness specialists' and fitness coaches' demographics:
| Fitness Specialist | Fitness Coach | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| 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% |